John Brown, Soldier of Fortune: A CritiqueWilson, Hill Peebles
History
John Brown, Soldier of Fortune: A Critique
Wilson, Hill Peebles
Brown, John, 1800-1859
White pretended to recognize the boots on Brown as a pair
stolen from his son in the raid upon White; but there is no
evidence to show that Frederick Brown was at that time
elsewhere than in Lawrence.
It may be said with equal irrelevancy, that there is no evidence to show
that Frederick was elsewhere than in the raid. The author knows, or
ought to know, the exact facts concerning that feature of this
deplorable incident. He could have obtained the information from Holmes,
one of the principals, or from others whom he met, who had knowledge of
the facts. However, it is probable that Frederick was a party to this
robbery. He returned to Kansas with his father from Nebraska City.
"Frederick felt," according to the testimony of Henry Thompson, "that
Pottawatomie bound him to Kansas. He did not wish to leave. He felt that
a great crime had been committed and that he should go back to Kansas
and live it out."[205] August 10th, father and son arrived at Topeka and
disappeared. But since Osawatomie was the field of their prospective
operations, and robbery the purpose for which they intended to enter it,
Frederick probably went direct from Topeka to Osawatomie, and
participated, with Holmes and Bondi, in an outrage for which he paid the
forfeit of his life. His presence in the robbery is not the only
probability in the case. The stolen stuff had to be sold somewhere, and,
because of his experience in the business, and his knowledge of how to
do such things, it is quite probable that after raiding the parson's and
other homes, he went north with the horses that had been stolen, and
disposed of them, and had just returned with the proceeds, August 29th,
for another consignment of horses; or, possibly, to drive the cattle,
which his father was to steal during his absence, to their destination.
The death of Frederick was the beginning of the utter collapse and
failure of Brown's "get-rich-quick" expedition. His camp was raided a
few hours later, and his property--the cattle and other loot of the
recent foray, and probably the four mule team and provisions--was all
taken by the enemy. "The horses and cattle, at hand, were gathered up
and carried off, including Cline's booty from South Middle Creek."[206]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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