William Preston Smith to Andrew Hunter, October 25,1859

Baltimore, Oct. 25, 1859.

A. Hunter, Esq.:

        Attorney-at-Law, &c.,
                Charlestown, Va.

Sir:—At the request of Governor Wise, of Virginia, President Garrett, of this Company, directed me to secure and send to you, for use in the prosecution of the rioters taken at Harper's Ferry, such letters and other papers as could be found in this city bearing upon the case.

I accordingly enclose herewith three letters, obtained from the "Clipper" newspaper office—viz.: a letter (without signature) dated at Akron, May 2d, 1859; a letter dated Philadelphia, June 6, '59, addressed to Alonzo G. Bradley, R. T. Stieffer; and another, dated at Hallowell, April 28th, 1858, addressed to "My Dear Brother," and signed “Lizzie.”. Upon inquiry at the offices of the “American,” “Exchange" and "Sun" newspapers, I was informed that they did not have any letters or papers bearing upon the case, and that those they published were borrowed for that purpose from the office of the "Clipper."

We have secured for you the use for a few days of the following named papers from Mr. F. W. Kerchner, a lieutenant of one of our military companies. These were taken from Brown's house by himself, and he allows us the use of them, only on condition, that they will be safely returned to him, which we have promised, and which, we hope, you will enable us to faithfully carry out by returning them to this office as soon as you may have done with them. It may be proper to state that these papers were secured together by Kerchner, with a view to their preservation—they consist of—

Four pages of the life of “Old Brown."
A printed circular—"The duty of the Soldier, No. 1.”
Letter signed O. S., to “Brother and Sister,” dated at Chambersburg
Receipt from Charles Blair to John Brown for $150-on account.
Letter to J. H. Kagi-dated Aug. 16th, 1858.
Letter to John Brown from Gerritt Smith, June 8, 1859.
Receipt to E. A. Adams from Orion Phelps for $700.
A printed blank officer's commission.
A letter from A. Wattles, dated Moneka, K. T., March 29, '59.
A letter to John Brown from J. R. Giddings, May 26, 1856.
A letter to Brown from Fred. Douglass.
Receipt to J. Brown from W. & L. E. Gurley for a compass, June 7, 1859.
A letter to Brown from Charles Blair.

Your particular attention to the preservation and safe return to me of the above enumerated papers will much oblige,

Yours, very respectfully, &c.,

W. P. SMITH,        

M. of T.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 31-2