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.