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History>eXplorations>John
Brown: Hero or Terrorist?> John
Brown in Kansas>Testimony of James Harris
Testimony
of James Harris
Source:
From Franklin B. Sanborn, ed., The Life and Letters of John
Brown (Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1891), pp. 265 66.
On Sunday morning, May 25, 1856, about two A.M., while my wife
and child and myself were in bed in the house where we lived,
near Henry Sherman's, we were aroused by a company of men who
said they belonged to the Northern army, and who were each armed
with a sabre and two revolvers, two of whom I recognized; namely,
a Mr. Brown, whose given name I do not remember (commonly known
by the appellation of "old man Brown"), and his son
Owen Brown.
They
came into the house and approached the bedside where we were lying,
and ordered us, together with three other men who were in the
same house with me, to surrender; that the Northern army was upon
us, and it would be no use for us to resist. The names of these
other men who were then in the house with me were William Sherman
and John S. Whiteman; the other man I did not know. They were
stopping with me that night. They had bought a cow from Henry
Sherman, and intended to go home the next morning.
When
they came up to the bed, some had drawn sabres in their hands,
and some revolvers. They then took into their possession two rifles
and a bowie knife, which I had there in the room (there was but
one room in my house), and afterwards ransacked the whole establishment
in search of ammunition. They then took one of these three men,
who were staying in my house, out. (This was the man whose name
I did not know.) He came back.
They
then took me out, and asked me if there were any more men about
the place. I told them there were not. They searched the place,
but found no others but us four. They asked me where Henry Sherman
was. (Henry was a brother to William Sherman.) I told them he
was out on the plains in search of some cattle which he had lost.
They asked me if I had ever taken any hand in aiding proslavery
men in coming to the Territory of Kansas, or had ever taken any
hand in the last troubles at Lawrence; they asked me whether I
had ever done the Free State party any harm, or ever intended
to do that party any harm; they asked me what made me live at
such a place. I then answered that I could get higher wages there
than anywhere else. They asked me if there were any bridles or
saddles about the premises. I told them there was one saddle,
which they took; and they also took possession of Henry Sherman's
horse, which I had at my place, and made me saddle him. They then
said if I would answer no to all the questions which they has
asked me, they would let me loose.
Old
Mr. Brown and his son then went into the house with me. The other
three men Mr. William Sherman, Mr. Whiteman, and the stranger
were in the house all this time. After old man Brown and his son
went into the house with me, old man Brown asked Mr. Sherman to
go out with him; and Mr. Sherman then went out with old Mr. Brown,
and another man came into the house in Brown's place. I heard
nothing more for about fifteen minutes. Two of the Northern army,
as they styled themselves, stayed in with us until we heard a
cap burst, and then these two men left.
That
morning, about ten o'clock, I found William Sherman dead in the
creek near my house. I was looking for him; as he had not come
back, I thought he had been murdered. I took Mr. William Sherman
out of the creek and examined him. Mr. Whiteman was with me. Sherman's
skull was split open in two places, and some of his brains was
washed out by the water. A large hole was cut in his breast, and
his left hand was cut off except little piece on one side. We
buried him.
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