The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-09-18
The Escape Of Governor RO-
maM,s Oyerseerf from LOllisia ma
--Tllc AdyeMtures of n Fugitive
White Man i'm the South.

..ThC A0VemtUre5 Oh a ttlSltlVG
White Man i'm the South.
Daniel Mclaughlin, second overseer or
Ex- Governor Romans plantation, Louisiana
has escaped from the Secessionists, and per
formed the extraordinary feat Of. walking
from that place to this. He had been in the
service of Mr.. Roman for two years, and is q
member Of the Episcopal Church. He had
been sailor, and desiring to come North, he
got excused by Gov. Romans agent, on a
plea ofwishing to join the Confederate ma
w. The agent wrote him letter Of recon-
mendation. Arriving at New Orleans, how.
ever, he had not the money necessary,
and was compelled to return to the planta-
ton. h1a@a1@ . EtlaEaH i@a" 7.N fa u 30
After the battle Of Manassas, Capt. Brun-
ley pressed him into the army. Making an
excuse that he wished to hear from Nash
vile, he got weeks delay, and on the
night Of the third day, he took negro shirt
and pair Of pantaloons, and struck for the
swamps, within thirty miles ofthe jackson
Railroad. Resting by day and travelling by
night, he came to Memphis, making short
stay near Vicksburg, where the impress
ment of foreign born citizens was going on.
His food generally was roasting ears and. such
vegetables as he could pick up, which he
always cooked in the evening, for fear the
fire at night should betray him. 50
AT Memphis he found friends, among
some Union men -and there he found inn
pressments had been going on. ONE Ger
mans gave him papers petitionihg their
Minister at Washington to interfere and ef-
feet their release. At vicksburg he also got
petitions, from several Irishmen who had
been drafted into the Confederate service, to
the English Minister. ssg IgaraE
Forty miles this side of Memphis he was
stopped by corporal and five men, who
proceeded to search him. The letter Of
Governor Romans agent was found upon
his person, and the party concluded at once
that he was deserter. The petitions to the
Ministers had been, fortunately, well secre-
ted He was taken back to the nearest sta
ton, to be carried to Memphis. On the road
some of the party complained of being dry,
whercupon he stopped at a grocery, and Nc
Laughin bought quart bottle ef whisky
He encouraged them to Ill n!<, taking care
MOTTO drink too much himself. He was pla-
ced, with his guards, in room in the third
story of the hotel at which they stopped on
the road. Here, by drinking with them
and telling stories, he got his guards in a
good hunlor, and finally drunk.
He then softly crept to the window and
as the bell post was close at hand, he slip
ped down it, in constant alarm, however, lest
he should touch the rope and tap the bell
Without shoes, pants-in nothing but his
shirt, (for his clothes were put under the
pillows of his guides he again struck for
the woods. Fortunately, his sailor habits
had made him keep his money in little
bag, around his neck, and called a "Monk
bag" Thus, for five days, he travelled with
no other clothing, and three days of this
time he was without food. On the second
day he heard the hounds, and having learh-
ed in India that skin from fresh
ly killed animal would throw them off the
scent, he cut piece of hide which he found
ip a tobacco shed, and by walking in water
he threw them off the sent He saw a negro
on the fifth day, and gave him dollar to
get him any kind of pants and box of
matches. The negro brous sht the matches,
but not the pantaloons. In this distressing
condition he did what every man would
have done under the circumstances. He
laid abou! house until evening, and sue
ceeded in stealing a pair Not to be too
prolix, he came to Lafayette, Ky. Here he
ran the greatest risk, and incurred
the greatest danger. He here
told his story. 1t had been raining
heavily, and as he started to go to Hopkins
vile he stopped negro to inquire the way.
The rain continuing, and the road being too
bad, he returned to the town. Here Se-
cessionist, who had seen him speak to the
negro, came with five or six persons and
charged him with having endeavored to en-
tice the negro of, He was taken to house
opposite, and mob gathered around. For
tunately the owner cfthe negro came in
Mclaughlin appealed to him, and told him
that lady was sitting at q window within
hearing when he spoke to the negro. He
told them that if she said that he had tried
to induce the negro to run away, he was viii
ling to be hung. The gentleman went home
for the lady was his wife, and she confirm.
cd Mr.. McLaughlin's story. The negro was
then examined. He at first stated that the
attempt to induce him to run away had been
made, but after being admonished, he con.
fessed that one Of the men present-poin
ing him out-had given him dollas to tel
the story. .,r
After tLis he met with little difficulty
The conductor of a freight train at Bowling
green took him on board, and he reached
this city on Monday night, having under
gone a series ofperls and escapes that ex
ceeds the imagination Of the best story wri
ter, and which nothing but q Dickens coul'
depict.
Mr.. Mclaughlin is a native of Philadel
phia. He goes east to join the navy, where
If coolness, codrxge, and p: essence of min'
are worth anything, he will be most valu
able acquisition. He was formerly q sailo