The life, trial and execution of Captain John Brown: known as "old Brown of Ossawatomie," with a full account of the attempted insurrrection at Harper's Ferry

              100                             

A newspaper correspondent who was present at the execution, saw a list of the negroes that had been whipped, and was told what they all had stated; and then he witnessed the examination of the rest, some taking five or sis hundred lashes before they would tell the tale. One of the negroes died from the whipping. The substance of their confession was, that they were to " rise on the night of Christmas eve, murder the manager of the furnace works and his family, reserving his wife for one of the negroes, named Ishmael. Then they were to murder several other white people, and make an attack on Dover, where they expected to help themselves with arms, ammunition and everything else they wanted. After that they were to scatter themselves over the country." Several masters had hung their own slaves, and it was believed that the conspiracy was a general one over all the southern States. 

In South Carolina, muskets and ammunition had been found in the hands of slaves, and no less than thirty-five negroes were hung there. Escapes of slaves were very numerous, and the white population was in the most intense alarm. 

The scourging and the hanging and the shooting proved efficacious preventives, and after all it turned out that the white population of the southern States were more frightened than hurt by the servile insurrection of 1856. 

-----------------------«¦? 

THE EXECUTION OF JOHN BROWN. 

At eleven o'clock on Friday, Dee. 2d, John Brown was brought out of the jail accompanied by Sheriff Campbell and assistants, and Capt. Avis, the jailer. 

Sheriff Campbell bid the prisoner farewell in his cell, the latter returning thanks for the Sheriff's kindness, and speaking of Capt. Pate as a brave man. 

The prisoner was then taken to the cell of Copland and Green; he told them to stand up like men and not betray their friends; he then handed them a quarter each, saying he had no more use for money, and bid them adieu. He then visited Cook and Coppie, who were chained together, and remarked to Cook, " You have made false statements." Cook asked, " What do you mean ?" Brown answered, " Why, by stating that I sent you to Harper's Ferry." Cook replied, " Did you not tell me in Pittsburg to come to Harper's Ferry and see if Forbes had made any disclosures?" Brown : " No, sir ; you know I protested against your coming.'' Cook replied, " Capt. Brown, we remember differently," at the same time dropping his head. 

Brown then turned to Coppie, and said " Coppie, you also made false statements, but I am glad to hear you have contradicted them. Stand up like a man." He also handed him a quarter. He shook both by the hand, and they parted. 

The prisoner was then taken to Stephens' cell and they kindly interchanged greetings.   Stephens said, " Good bye, Captain, I know you are going to a better land."    Brown replied, " I know am."    Brown told him to bear up and not betray his friends, giving him a quarter. 

The prisoner then told the Sheriff he was ready, his arms were pinioned, and with a black slouch hat on, and the same clothes he wore during the trial, he proceeded to the door, appa-rently calm and cheerful. 

He did not visit Hazlitt, as he has always persisted in denying any knowledge of him. On his way to the scaffold Mr. Saddler, an undertaker, who was in the wagon with him, remarked, " Capt. Brown, you are a game man. He answered, " Yes, I was so trained up ; it was one of the lessons of my mother—but it is hard to part from friends, though newly made." He then remarked, " This is a beautiful country ; I never had the pleasure of seeing it before." 

As he came out the six companies of infantry and one troop of horse, with General Taliaferro and his entire staff, were deploying in front of the jail, whilst an open wagon with a pine box, in which was a fine oak coffin, was waiting for him. 

Brown looked around, and spoke to several persons he recognized, and, walking down the steps, took a seat on the coffin box along with the jailer, Avis. He looked with interest on the fine military display, but made no remarks. The wagon moved off, flanked by two files of riflemen in close order. On reaching the field, the military had already full possession, Pickett were established, and the citizens kept back, at the point of the bayonet, from taking any posi-uod out that assigned them