account which J. B. Grinnell gives in his autobiography, Brown
appeared on Saturday afternoon, stacked his arms in Grinnell's parlor
and disposed of his people and horses partly in Grinnell's house and
barn and partly at the hotel. In the evening Brown and Kagi addressed
a large meeting in a public hall. Brown gave a lurid account of
experiences in Kansas, justified his raid into Missouri by saying the
slaves were to be sold for shipment to the South, and gave notice that
his surplus horses would be offered for sale on Monday. "What title can
you give?" was the question that came from the audience. "The best--the
affidavit that they were taken by black men from land they had cleared
and tilled; taken in part payment for labor which is kept back."

Brown again addressed a large meeting on Sunday evening at which each of
the three clergymen present invoked the divine blessing upon Brown and
his labors. The present writer was told by an eye-witness that one of
the ministers prayed for forgiveness for any wrongful acts which their
guest may have committed. Convinced of the rectitude of his actions,
however, Brown objected and said that he thanked no one for asking
forgiveness for anything he had done.

Returning from church on Sunday evening, Grinnell found a message
awaiting him from Mr. Werkman, United States marshal at Iowa City, who
was a friend of Grinnell. The message in part read: "You can see that it
will give your town a bad name to have a fight there; then all who aid
are liable, and there will be an arrest or blood. Get the old Devil away
to save trouble, for he will be taken, dead or alive." Grinnell showed
the message to Brown, who remarked: "Yes, I have heard of him ever since
I came into the State.... Tell him we are ready to be taken, but will
wait one day more for his military squad." True to his word he waited
till the following afternoon and then moved directly towards Iowa City,
the home of the marshal, passing beyond the city fourteen miles to his
Quaker friends at Springdale. Here he remained about two weeks until
he had completed arrangements for shipping his fugitives by rail to
Chicago. In the meantime, where was Marshal Werkman of Iowa City? Was
he of the same mind as the deputy marshal who had accompanied Colonel
Sumner? Two of Brown's men had visited the city to make arrangements for
the shipment. The situation was obvious enough to those who would see.
The entire incident is an illuminating com