Browse Primary Sources
II-"John Brown's Invasion" - Henry S. Olcott [?] - New York Tribune
The mortal remains of John Brown were brought to this city on the Amboy boat, on Saturday evening, in the charge of J. Miller McKim, esq., of Philadelphia, one of the gentlemen who accompanied Mrs. Brown to Harper's Ferry for the purpose of receiving them from the authorities of Virginia. The intention, at first, was to stop over Sunday in Philadelphia, partly that the body might, as soon as possible, receive the attention of an undertaker, and partly that Mrs. Brown might have opportunity for rest, after the terrible ordeal through which she had passed; but the prospect of the body's approach produced such an excitement in that city - an excitement of enthusiasm among his admirers, and of curiosity on the part of the people generally - that the Mayor believed it would be impossible if the body should remain, to preserve that order which the decencies of the occasion and a proper regard for the feelings of the afflicted window required, and therefore be peremptorily insisted that another stopping-place should be selected.
The New York Tribune 1859-12-05
"The Execution of John Brown" - Unsigned - New York Tribune
Charlestown, Va., Wesneday, Nov. 30, 1856.The GallowsThis instrument of death has been constructed, but will not be erected on the place of execution until Friday morning. For the present, it stands in the enclosure of the new Baptist Church. It is made according to the ordinary pattern, with uprights, a cross-beam and trap. It is continually visited by large crowds, and every person seems anxious to procure at least a splinter of wood for remembrance. The loose chips were long ago exhausted, and I saw this morning all sorts of knives used to separate fragments.
The New York Tribune 1859-12-03