Theft of U. S. Arms
July 29, 2023Harpers Ferry Correspondence to Shepherdstown
July 29, 2023An incident of the occasion is thus referred to by Mr. Throckmorton, of Harper’s Ferry :
When Beckham was shot our men became almost frantic. They rushed in Wager’s hotel, where the prisoner (Thompson) was crying “Shoot him!” and had it not been for a lady who was in the room (Miss Christine Fouke, sister of the landlord) he would have been killed on the spot. They cocked their guns and pointed at him, crowding around, but she stood over him, telling them, “For God’s sake, save him! don’t kill him in that way, but let the law take its course!” She said they had him a prisoner, bound and he could not get away, and begged that they would not kill him. The man said he was willing to die ; knew he had to die, and wanted to be shot. They finally got hold of him, took him out on the platform and shot him. He had more than forty balls fired into him. The citizens around were chiefly concerned in this, but I cannot say who shot him. I could not have saved him if I had tried.
