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! AN EXTRAORDINARY 8T0RY.9|rtnff« R«Mliilieeiiee »f th® War—A Dof far Claims H«t« Foaad tli® Win Ay of •lotan Brtwn'i Bob, Watson.IifPfAJfAPOLW, Ind., September 9.—A most remarkable story is made public here which will attract the attention of the public everywhere. Dr. James J. Johnson of Martinsville, Ind., claims to have in his possession the body of one of the sons of old John Brown, the martyred Abolitionist, who was killed w^th bis father at Harper'sFerry m their memorable attack on that place. A few days ago, when the widow of old Qssaw'at-tomie was in Chicago, Dr. Johnson, learning of her presence there, wrote a communication to the Chicago Tribune, claiming to have in bis possession the body of Owen Brown, one of the sons, and explaining briefly how be became possessed■tei ■His story was substantially as follows: Te was the surgeon of the Twenty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, and his regiment was in the advance in the march Into Virginia. On arriving at Winchester the Medical College was seized and placed in Dr. Johnson’s charge. Ho found, among other things therein contained, a specimen very carefully preserved, aud being struck with the rattier remarkable Physique of the body, sought and obtained General Banks' permission to embalm and preserve it. He accordingly did so in a very careful manner, Injecting the blood vessels and preparing the muscles so as to render them impervious to decay. The body was sent two months later to Pr. Johnson’s home at Martinsville.Immediately after it had been thus disposed of the officers of the hospital, who had previously employed every argument to induce Ir. Johnson to leave the body with them, told him it was that of one of the two sons ol John Brown who were killed at the Ferry. They gave him a full history of the case and how they had obtained the body. Several army surgeons offered Dr. Johnson Urge sums for the specimen, hut he as steadily refused to part with it until, as he says, he learned of the whereabouts of Mrs. Brown, aod concluded to return to her the body of her son. The Chicago Tribufto did not publish the communication, at the re* quest of H. A. Parker of Chicago, with whom Mrs. Biown was stopping, and w ho feared the result of the sUock to her nervous system which such a story would produce in her enfeebled condition, They, however, notified John Brown, Jr., ! w ho resides at Put-1 n Bay, of the receipt of the letter, and be immediately placed himself in communication with Pr. .Johnson.The correspondence revealed the fact that the wound In the body of the specimen is exactly similar to that known to have produocd the death of Watson Brown, one of the sons. The bullet entered the back, near the •pine, and pa*sed through the liver and stomach before making its exit. lr. Johnson was evidently mistaken in one point. Owen Brown was not killed at Harper’s Ferry, although Watson and Oliver were. The size of the body corresponds exactly with that of Watson. After consultation with bis mother, John Brown, Jr., started for this city, whence he goes to Martinsville to investigate further, and claim the body in case he i» positively convinced of its identity. In corroboration of the doctor’s story Mr. Brown stated to your correspondent that the family had repeatedly endeavored to obtain sotne clew to the whereabouts of the bodies of the dead brothers and had traced that of Watson to a medical college at Winchester, beyond which they had never been able to lo-ar of W. No trace of Oliver’s body was ever discovered.Mr. Brown called upon Governor Porter thts evening, who gave him every assurance of tho perfect integrity of Pr. Johnson, and as the latter states explicitly that he would, under uo circumstances, accept money from the family for the body, it is evident that he has no ulterior motive in telling this story. Mr. Brown expresses himself as satisfied that the body is that of his brother, and leaves for Martinsvllle toraorrow to claim it. He will take it at once to North Elba, N. Y., for burial beside the remains of his father.
Newspaper Details
Boston Daily Globe
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Sat, Sep 09, 1882
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Daniel E.
FL, USA 29 Oct 2020
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