Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-10-30
Attempted Escape from Fort Lafayette
Putting TO Sea In n Wnsh-Tub.

Between one and two o'clock on Sunday
morning, as a sentinel, in the darkness and
storm, was pacing his lonely round outside
the walls of Fort Lafayette, he heard the
shutter of a easement unfastening, and, upon
cautious examination, discovered that Case
ment No 5 had been opened. Soon after a
rope was thrown out, various articles lowered
in succession, followed by man. The rope
was just long enough to enable the fugitive
to reach the ground. AS he touched the
earth, the sentinel presented his bayonet, and
bade him surrender. The man proved to he
James Lowbe the rebel bearer of dispatches
who was recently followed by the detectives
from the house of his brother.in-law, Mr..
Alexander Shultze, at Peeksvile, to Crest
line, Ohio, where they arrested him, IL will
be remembered that previous to his being
taken he had forwarded his dispatches to
their destination, and he himself came near
eluding the officers.
The sentry, upon seizing his prisoner,
found that he had lowered q large new
wssh-tub, q lite -preserver, and his valise-
the latter packed full of valuables. Lowber
begged hard to be permitted to ascend the
rope again into bis apartment, and attempted
to bribe bis captor by the offer of his gold
watch and SAT so in gold coin, which he had
tied up in bladder, if he would allow him
to do so. OF course his proposal was not
accepted, but instead, the sentry marched
his prisoner into the fort and aroused the
officer of the guard. Lieutenant Wood, tine
commander Of the fort, was Immediately ap-
prsed Of the attempted escape, who ordered
the long roll to be beaten. This brought the
garrison to the parade. All the prisoners of
the fort were then brought out and the roll
called to ascertain if any were missing. All,
however answered to their names. 1t ap.
pears that Mr.. LoWber occupied Casemate
No. 3 in company with fifteen others, only
six of whom, as far as could be gathered, were
aware of the premeditated escape, and these
say they attempted to dissuade him from his
purpose LoWber states that the gold was
brought to him on a draft by the wife of one
Of the prisoners; but how he came possessed
Of the wash tub, the rope and the life
preserver, is a mystery.
The key with which the prisoner unlocked
the paddock of the casemate shutter he says
he made himself. 1t is supposed that he in
tended TO place his yalise in the tub, and,
supported by his life preservers, to have
pushed of from the fort with his novel craft,
either for the shore or some vessel in the
vicinity. 1t seems probable that an arrange
ment bad been made TO board a vessel, as
three were lowering about in suspicious
| proximity-one of which, a bark, had ap'
| preached so near that the sentry had ordered
her off. AS soon as the prisoners had gone
to their lodgings, and Lowber had been
double ironed, Lieutenant Weod, with file
Of soldiers entered his cutter and rowed out
to the vessels, which proved TO be bark, a
brig and q schooner. These he captured, and
anchored alongside the revenue cutter Bibb.
The Lieutenant states that the officers of the
Bib treated him very uncivilly, apparently
not being very well pleased that he had dis
tuTbed them at such an unwarrantable hour.
Yesterday the vessels were missing from the
Bibb, but it had not been ascertained what
had become of them. Yesterday, at the
urgent request of Lowber and his friends.
the handouts were removed, his legs re-
naming manacled. So far from expressing
any regret at the attempt at escape, he is
rather boastful of it, and declares himself to
be most ardent Secessionist.-New York
LI.Lsane, 2Slh.