“John Brown—Sir: Although vengeance is not mine, I confess that I do feel gratified to hear that you were stopped in your fiendish career at harper’s Ferry, with the loss of your two sons. You can now appreciate my distress in Kansas, when you then and there entered my house at midnight, and arrested my husband and two boys and took them out of the yard, and in cold blood shot them dead in my hearing. You cannot say you did it to free our slaves— we had none- and never expected to own one; but it has only made me a poor, disconsolate widow, with helpless children. While I feel for your folly, I do hope and trust you will meet with just reward. Oh, how it pained my heart to hear the dying groans of my husband and children! If this scrawl gives you any consolation, you are welcome to it.
MAHALA DOYLE.
N. B—My son, John Doyle, whose life I begged of you, is now grown up, and is very desirous to be at Charleston on the day of your execution; he would certainly be there if his means would permit it, that he might adjust the rope around your neck, if Governor Wise would permit. M. D.”
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David Upton