New-York daily tribune., 1863-11-21
AN YNTEREsrrNG NAaasATAvE.
Eacnps and Adveutuso - of Dr. hnche'
from Ecbcl PFisOn 49, Union Feopit
Want Severe Toasures-No nceota'''
f,- s,,r,iur the Uaioa Er;eoucrs'

for s,nr,inr the Union Rr;eoiiers'
From Our Special Conesponeeni
WAsHECrox. Wednesday, Nov. 10 1909
Dr. Wm. Z. Rucker, the woll'hnown Union
sodsr NJ West Virginia who was captured nj the sur
snao- ~ ssrme,yiue in Nicholas County. Va. July.
Isss has Inst arrived in Washington having escaped
f-on tho Rebel Pepentary In Pntsy.' snia. Va. The
s4rv Of ths treatment and escape o Dr. Rucker is full
AZ Interesting ard Instructive incident no was rst
sent with other prisoners TO Sulphur Springs where
e. was put In irons and Otherwise Violently treated
he was sferward sent 70 LynchburF where he Ia well
known- end hence his active loyalty .nduced erca
treater violence. lie put in double irons with the
tuTs Griuly riyeted about his end legs. In 'Au.
gust he was sent to Richmond ard closely confined in
Castle Thunder. with special guard over him TO pro
SeDt his escape While at Richmond, he two Un,sn
prisoners shot at Libby and Castle Thunder or
She most trivial provocations
Gov Leschcr represented to the Rebel Secretary of
war that Rucker notorious character guilty Of
treason against the State OF Virginia and therefore ho
phod OF right be surrendered the State authorities
gbr trial After considerable correspondence ths
butyect the Confederate authorities consented. and
burned over tho prisoner be lsi for crimes alleged
20 have been committed egains, the Sia:e Of Virginia
Ee was accordingly taken from the NJ sou at Richmond.
bsnt to Alegany County and confined in Jail avsit
his trial Ten separate indictments wors brought
against tim-ope for Murder" ore for ueasou."
Aree for horse steGlins' for "coTn stealing g."
two for "ngger stealing" one for "wsron st.aliug
end one for bridge burning" Dr. Eucker believes
na he escaped being indicted for seveiG other crnes
tmpy because they did not occur 10 tie mind C.. the
Grand jury.
On the charge of murder GO prisoner pleaded
change Of vcnne which sustained end ,he wa,
a. NJ. ~. Iat.
Court he put in the plea Of previous acqnttaL This
plea was also sustained tut Immediately after tie &C.
cision Of the Court Attorney General Tupper gave
notice that lie would Gle bill Of replication, TO tire
afec: that defendant had procured fraudulent sc
Cuitta- The bill fled and defendants counse
moved for immediate tlia on the replication This was
refused. and motion OF counsel for Tie Common
wealth the was continued.
On al TIE other charges. D-. Ruckcr pleaded alien
enemy tU. being u citizen Of West Virginia he wee
bed TO be citizen OF Virginia and hence tie plea was
dsalcwed. The trial was several time, confirmed ard
ben deferred though the piisoIer vigorously urged
trial knowing tha; the bis brough, 70
cYisis the better it would be toI him,
The prisoner was forced to employ four different
counsol at g. 600 each these threatened with
hob violence in they appeared in the e,fenae-
Thea nearly year had psssed IN fruitless elort TO
procure trial. daring which time Dr. Rgcker was held
tr close confinement the United States Government
determined TO hold one Dr. Green. Assistant Sur.
rson In the Rebel army Of Dsn,ile, Va. as hostage
kr the return OF Rreker.
l. June lsC3 lie vas removed the prison at Pitt
sy,varia which IL the strongest anc Noi seenre place
Of confinement IN the State lie cell ir which Rucke-
was confined Is lined in every part VIII heavy iron
grating inside Of q massive val. tle vindows and door
were double barred both inside and ont sIa the doors
vere securely tolted and locked
I.was evident to the friends Of Dr. Rneker tia; ss
cape vas now impossible, ard he was given over as
io. friends were not allowed 20 yist lie cen bnt bit
Ger enemies had full privilege 10 tsust SID insult him
ttooth the bars Of bis prison. TIE Ctcb people were
allowed TO send Lin provisions, bri ne 10 % ehi 1ne
Rebels tod hin that TIE Confederate Government word
starvethe Union prisoners ural TIE Yankee Govern
hent 6ei consent 10 20 iAer terms Of exchange and
leave such men ss himself Col sualt and oiic-rs Of
Aero REGIMENTS In their hands hs poPer, purished
py osrefu observation Dr. Ereber asccrtsfned tLs'
Ce iaers son not 20 months oiG at tmes Isd 10 Icy
70 the debtors room which Was directly opposite ns
EEL 10 play With be CT determined 70 secure us
kew and thus egec, bis eSespe. At favorable moIaeh
be bribed the child with ckes;puis end fruits ard ihr'
fained possession Of tie much desired key On :he ne!
bf the 18th @; October aier dsL lie toty tru'd
Sic key aid back the bolts ard ainosi IA moment re
was FREQ. lie passed out G. TIC Via6e OF F.VSfi''"a
or The Raleigh road. having determined to Icaeh tAo
tuion troops on tie North Carolina coast When
tlor distance on the road be discovered that he had
if behind papers that woad betIsy lis route through
NORTH Carolina and Le therefore, changed hs couoe
He retraced his STEPS through tie 1!-oge, meeting
persons returning from cluTch and ira'eed ell mgA1
a. raridly es possible and having secnEed horse
tbort distance from tie yago, ai daylight be "'s IL
Gown fr 10 the nortaBaId. wlce he WIS received o!
<rusty friend ard concealed ua TIE 9Th During tAs
Tine lie was visited by many old soquainrnces' "no
faye him proper Assistance end the means Of escape.
AMONG otler tAlngs the. presented lin with b!ooded
charger velued al 81 COO provided esPociny FOR 10
occasion. On the night Of he @ith with this tnir he
t-avsjed 65 mica Duiinc the next day be sept soundJ
In the honse Of O loy,l iiend, and LIS hor'e "''
concealed IL corn-shock pen. Lh! g.
nicbt lie resumed bis journey. spd at 2 O'Clock
pext rornlnc. parsed through Co''hs'0h' AN'aHa!
County In tlis vilsge ho called ~ menus IouSe u
make zone inquiry and Immediately preceded on IiS
Vav. When few miles nom Co'ington he io0no LIS
s,renrth 90 Rapidly failing that be determined 10 sp IL
tbiekst near the road and rest Soon ofer Daylight
tuaciug from the noise and cousicn along tie Toad lie
believed Limtc betrayed ty his friend IN CoTng'0n'
aulLe sfteryard learned bis suspicion aad been wen
Snnaod and that tie wife Of tho Ccutlc9rn cf Vhon 10
,,dTnoulred had published TIE fact oi ls p@tshso
flroueA ltle yillage- He determined to abandon he
horse and equipments ard Zoe TO the uounislns' he
made sure his escape and remained two days ana hshs
In tho AIeghanes without food, and only once op'Aeu
vater
On tic evening Of the 3lst of October pressed with
trncer and rer!shing with cold re descended TO TIE