American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-12-22
Account or the Attempted Escape Of Cool.

,lhs and CoppIc. rtts
CHARLRsTowE, December 6.--The sen-
tinel stationed near the jsi! reported tbAt
gta quarter pas. 8 O'Clock. he observed a
man oa the jail wall whom he challenged,
and receiving no answer fred st him. The
bead OF another man was also seen above
the wall. but be retrested as soon So the
first one bad been fred at The man On
top OF the wall seemed at FIRST determined
TO presist. and was abou, makiug an at
tempt TO jump down. when The sentinel de-
claTed his Injection Of impaling him on bis
hayOnet. he then retreated into the Jail yard,
with Coppie, aud both gave themselves up
without further resistance. Cook after
wards remarked that II be could have got
over and throttled the guard. lie would have
made his escape. The Shenandoah Noun
tains are within ten minutes ruu OF the jail
wall, aud had he have reach them with
his thorough knowledge OF Ihe mountains,
bis arrest would have been difficult; espe-
cially as but few OF the military could have
followed him through the night.
They had succeeded alter two weeks la
Dor, whenever alone and at night. when
thei. bed clothing muffled the sounds Of a
saw, which they had made out OF an old
barlow knife. in cutting through their iron
shackles, so that they could put them of
at any moment. Then they had alrp made
a sort Of ehisel out Of an old bed sore W
with which they succeeded as opportunity
would offer in removing the plaster from
the wall and then brick after brick, until a
space sufficient for them to pass through
was opened. All except the removal oI
of the outer brick part Of the wall on
which they operated was in the rear OF the
beds on which they slept. and the bed be.
ing pushed against the well completely hid
their work from view.
The bricks they TOOK out were conceal
ed IN the drum OF the stove. and the dir
aud plaster removed 10 the course OF theiI
work was placed between the bed clothing
They acknowledged that they had been a
work whole week in making the aperture
in the wall Their cell being on ths frs
floor, the aperture was not more than fivI
feet above :he pavement Of The yard, snt
when freed Of their shsckles the access /,
the yard was quite easy. Here. however
was a smooth brick wall, about fifteen fee
high, to scale. This difficulty was how
: ever, soon overcome with the aid of til
timbers Of the scaffold on which Captain
Brown was hung, and which was intende
for their execution on the succeeding day
They placed these against the wall an
! soon succeeded in reaching the top. fror
which they could have easily dropped
the other side, bad not the vigilance Of tn
sentinel on duty SO quickly checked thei
movements.
They were arrested in the Jail yard b
Q Gen. Tafiaferro and an officer OF the day
who rushed to the jail the moment a
alarm was given. Sheriff Campbell an
! Captain Avis are Of course much chasril
q ed at The narrow escape Of the prisoners
r especially as they had resisted all irtel
J ference OF the military with the interior dil
: cipline ofths jail. The prisoners wei
r shrewd and cuuing fellows. and they wei
i undoubtedly without any accomplices
S their undertaking.
r Friends who were still here were ais
fearufthat they might be suspected OF ha,
:, ing knowledge OF the attempt. The gel
g eral impression is that II the prisoners .hr
st waited until midnight or later. they mig
n have reached the mountains. but it is pr
) sumed they were fearful of being watch
e during the night or desired to have
is much Of darkness as possible to gain
i. BOD distance before daylight would allo
,e of general pursuit.