Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-12-05
Escape of John morgan-partculars.


Escape of John Morgan-Particulars.
The escape of this notorious marauder and
freebooter not a whit better than a buccaueer
or pirate, is simply disgraceful. Whatever may
be the explanations made, or the excuses Of
fered. it can be but disgraceful to those charg-
ed with his custody. There must have been in.
excusable negligence, if not deeper guilt some
where or it never would have occurred. We
give details below.
The Columbus Journal has the following &C
count of the manner in which the escape o
John Morgan and his coniederates was accom-
plished: .l,....... ,..'...
In some points Of view, the escape o
John Morgan, with six Of his captains, from
the Ohio Penitentiaty, on last Friday
night, in the most humiliating circumst nee
that has ever occurred in the State o.
Ohio. s .a. ..
That there was negligence and lack o
proper vigilance, is evident to the most
casual observer. We give the result of oul
observations obtained by personal exam
ination of the manner in which they effected
their escape from prison.
There were seven prisoners including
John Morgan who escaped. There names
are Gen. John II. Morgan. Captains j. c.
Bennett. L. D. Hockersmith, T. H. Hines
G. S. Msgee. Ralph Sheldon and s. b
Taylor. All these prisoners. with the ex
ception of Morgan, had their cells on the
FIRST range. or ground floor of the east wing
Of the prison, on the south side Morgan's
cell was on the second range, on the same
side of the wing An air.chamber, built
and arched with brick, rms the whole
length of the wing, directly under the cell
This air.chamber, or ventilator, is seven
feet high. and at the end, and fastened
into the foundation Of the main wall, strong
bars of iron were placed This chamber
was built for the purpose of keeping the
cells dry. The air passed in at the end
where the iron bars were fastened and com
.municated from this chamber ont at the
top Of the building by means of fines built
in the middle, or partition wall. The floors
OF the cells were made, first by the brick
archiDg over the air.chamber, ahout nine
inches thick, then q heavy layer of mortar
made from sand and lime, and then the last
coating, or that which served ns a floor,
was cement about two and half inches
thick. Perhaps the whole thickness is
two feet
The FIRST hole made through the floor tc
the air-chamber, was in cell No. 90 accupi
ed by Capt. Hines. 1t was in the corner
OF bis cell, under the bedstead, and We
should judge was easily done After get
ting into the chamber below, be had plenty
Of room to reconnotre and work. The
balance Of the six holes were made Fl ON
below by removing the bricks and mortar,
leaving only the thin crust of cement,
which, when all things were ready, could
easily be broken by the heel After get.
ting into the chamber, the question was
bow to get out into the other world. They
6rst went to the end Of the chamber, and
removed the foundation stones about four
feet in length; hut here they met with an
obstruction. There had been about 90, ,00C
bushels of stone coal piled up against the
end of the prison. through which they were
unable to make hole, and their game was
blocked Nothing daunted. they went back
about twenty five feet. and selecting a spot
dug hole from near the top of the arch
South, and came up under the foundation
of the main wall, opposite the female pris
en-, inside OF the prison yard, and then pro
ceeded to the Southeast gate, and by
means of a rope made ont of bed.tickiug
formed into long links, scaled the walls and
made their escape.
From the purport OF Capt. Hines lett er
TO the Warden, found in the air chamber
after their escape. il is evident that theil
reason for delaying the time for their escape
seven days, was TO wait until dark night
ar that the arrangement between Dick
Morgan and John in regard to the exchange
0f cells could not be effected with safety
until Friday night The letter referred tC
had the following snperscription: Hon
(iD N, Merton, The faithful, The Vigil
ant. On the inside was the following
written in a good hand:
CASTLE merton. Cell. No 20l
Nov. 9th, 1868,
Commencement 4th 1868.
Copelnsion--Noy. 20sh, 1868, ...
No, OF hours for labor per day-3. .y4.
Tools-Two small knives 4 ~.
Lg pat eaoen s'tamsr, niais sou fruit est dona
By order Of my six honorable copfederates
~ I. HENRY HINES, Capt. c. S. A.
Dick Morgan says the reason why b
changed cells with bis brother John, wbe
he could have escaped. was that the Ger
eraI bad young wife from whom he ha
been absent for long time. and that hi
hroiher could 90 more good 10 the caus
10 Dixie than be could.
There seems to be a dispute between the wal
den and. the military authorities as to jurisdic
tion and who had charge Of the prisoners. an
Is therefore responsible for the escape. Tb
warden contsnds that since the 81 of'Noyeu
her The military bad charge Of them, and tn
military aver they had not. The dispute is
llls consequence. for the escape Is disgraeefp
- pboth parties. ss aEs a9a e sa.'-s7 /
The telegraph reports Morgan At T0rOntt