The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-12-15
THE EsCAPR OF MORGAN FROM THE
OHIO PENITENTIARY.

Aanser Of Escape-His drrival IN Cdaod0.
The following is the Northern account Of Gen.
John Ii. Morgan's escape from the Ohio Peniten.
tiary:
PH1LApEIpH1A, Nov. So special despatch
to the Evening Bulletin" from Cincinnsd, TO.
day, says:
The six officers who escaped from the Peniten.
tary at Columbus with Morgan, were Captains
Bennett, Taylor, Sheldon, Haines, Hackersmth
and Noyoe.' John IL. Morgan OIL retiring ex.
changed with his brother Dick from the top cch
TO the lower Of she Ger Of floors. The lower cell
is thick, In which hole was cut, running TO b.
the main wall around the Pententisrys. This
wall was cut under, and the party escaped iut0 tho
open ,ouatry. The night was oork and q heavy
rain falling. Not the Slgbtest-clue has been dis
covered OF their whereabouts or OF the routg they
have taken. The Governor has tclegraphed ali
the military commanders in the State to- arouse
their several counties, aud Col. Parrott Provost
Marshal Geaeral Of the State has notified every
provost marshal within bis jurisdiction to scohr
their several districts thoroughly
The most plausible theory. mentioned 10 that
they escaped in tiu'e to take the Cincinnati train
via Dayton, which started from Columbus at
o'clock on Saturday morning.
That their escape was conpived at by sympa-
thizers, there h little doubt The manner Of their
escape was ingenious, but, after ALL simple enough,
based upon the almost certain theory that they
were correctly informed as to the grouad they had
to work shrosgh. They, by patient labor for
nearly four weeks, by means of Smsll pocket
knives, dug through the foon Of their cells, COM
posed of about one foot Of stone aud brick, down
into four foot sewer.
Two weeks ago one Of the escaped prVoners
asked the guard for q few boards to cover the bot
stone was injuring their health. The unsuspected
guard granted their request, aud the boards were
used to cover up the holes they were cutting.
On the night Of the 6nal escape, on retiring 20
their cells, Diek Morgan. managed TO change with
his brother John from the lower 10 the upper tier
After getting into tho sewer, they crawled 70
the heavy grating and masonry at its mouth, bur
found they could not escape BY that route. They,
however, made hole upward to a heavy pile Of
coal, which rolled In en chem to such an extent
that they were forced 10 20 further back into the
Ssrd. They then excavated' the soft earth clear
1nder the main wall, 90 correctly was the distance
calculated that they came out into the open road
way one foot from the foundation. One OF the
party Captain Hines, was by trade brick. mason,
and seems to have had the management Of the
whole affair. A note sigoed by that worthy, writ
ten in . fne commercial hand, was left behiod, a.
follows
Castle Merton, Cell No. l40,)
November II, 1863.
To Captain Merton, Warden Of the Peuitentiary:
commencement, November 4ih, 1858; oouclu-
sion, November 10th, 1883 Number of hours
for labor per day, three; tools, two small knives
La patience cesf amer npais son fruit oa dinr,'
patience 10 bitter but is fruiris sEoot)
BY order Of my Elk honorable Confederatss,
I. HEERY HIERs,
.. Captsin G. 8. A.
Pubic opinion is divided % TO whero tho blame
rests il is proper to state, howevsr, that for tho
last two weeks several of the most prominent Cop
perheads of the State have been putting mp at the
principal hotels laying thsir heads together, yith
out any visible reason therefor.
ToRONTo, Nov. 30.-Tbe notoEiow John II
Morgan, who lately escaped from the Columbus
Penitentiary, arrived here by the Great Western
Railway, to-day
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