Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-01-19
JOHN H. MORGAN'S ESCAPE
Hie own -Accou1at.
How He Got Out Of the Peuitentiary- Crossed
the 0hio--Got Through Our
Ln,s, ETC., Etc. a,es
AN INTERESTING STORY.

AN lN1EnGESk Il hIN" SAUAhH Hs
General JOHN H. MORGAN was honored
with an ovation on the 9TH, on his arrival
at the rebel Capital. The following highly
interesting account of his escape from the
Ohio Penitentiary, and subsequent adven-
lures, is published in the Richmond Eaqai-
rer: ,.... .t.,..
Their bedsteads were small iron stools,
fastened to the wall with hinges. They
could be hooked up or allowed to stand on
the floor, and to prevent any suspicion, for
several days before any work was attempt
ed, they made habit to let them down and
sit at their doors and read. Captain Hines
superintended the work, while General
Morgan kept watch to divert the sentinel,
whose duty it was to come round during
the day and observe if any thing was going
on. One day this fellow came in while
Hockersmith was down under the floor bOr-
ing away, and missing him, said, "Where
Is Hockersmith?" The General replied,
.sHe is in my room, SICK" and Immediately
pulled document out of his pocket and
said to him: .Here lis a memorial l have
drawn up to forward to the Government at
Washington; what do you think of it?"
The fellow, who perhaps could not read,
being highly flattered at the Generals con-
.descension, took it and very gravely looked
at it for several moments before he vouch-
safed any reply. Then. handing it back, he
expressed himself highly pleased with it.
In the meantime Hockersmith had been
signaled and came up, protesting to feel
.very unwell." This sentinel was the most
difficult and dangerous obstacle in their
progress because there was no telling at what
10
at night he came regularly every two hours
to each cell and inserted light through the
bars of their door, to see that they were
quietly sleeping, and frequently after he
had completed his rounds he would slip
back In the dark, with a pair of India-rub-
ber shoes on, to listen at their cells If any
thing was going on. The Generalsays that
he would almost invariably know of his
presence by certain magnetic shudder
which it would produce; but for fear. that
this acute sensibility might sometimes fail
he broke up small particles of coal every
morning and sprinkled them before the cell
door, which would always announce his
coming. gro
Everything was now ready to begin the
work: SO about the latter part of October
they began to bore. All was busy--one
making rope ladder by tearing and twist
ing up strips of bedticks, another making
bowie-kniyes, and another twisting up
towels. They labored perseveringly for
several days, and after boring through nine
inches Of cement and nine thicknesses of
brick placed edgeways, they began to Won
der when they could could reach the soft
earth. Suddenly a brick fell through.
What could this mean? What internal
chamber had they reached 1t was imme-
diately entered, and to, their great aston
I'll. ,,I low fn r.
chamber extending the whole length of the
cells. Here was an unexpected interposi-
tion i'm their favor. Hitherto they had been
Obliged to conceal their rubbish in their
bedticks, each day burning proportionate
qnaptity of straw I; they had room enough
for all they;could dig. They at once COM
menced to tunnel at right angles with this
air-chamber,l to get through the founda-
ton; and day after day they bored, day af-
ter day the blocks of granite were removed,
and the work before them seemed intermi-
nable. Nd
labor, and getting through a, granite wall
of six feet in thickness, they reached the
soil. They trnneled up for some distance,
and light began to shine. How glorious
was-that light. 1t announced theSfulfill-
ment of their labors, and If Providence
would only continue its favor, they would
soon be free. This was the morning of the
26th day of November, 1863. The next
night at - O'Clock, was determined on as
thehour at which they would attempt theil
liberty, Each moment that interviewed was
filled with, dreadful anxiety and suspense
and each time the guard entered increased
their -apprehensiens. The General says ht
had prayed for rain, butthe merning Of the
9th dawned bright and beautiful. Tn,
= evening came, and clouds began to gather
How they prayed for them to increased l
rain should only begin, their chances ofde
lection would be greatly lessened. Whil
these thoughts were passing through thei
minds, the keeper entered with letter TO
Gen. Morgan. He opened it, and what wa
hissurprise, and | may say wonder, to find
from a poor Irish woman of his acquaint
ance In Kentucky, commencing, my dea
Ginral, i feel certain you are going to try t
git out of prison, but for. your sake don
YOU try it, my dear Ginral. You will onl
be taken prisoner agin, and made to suffe
more than you do .ngss a#'s I.
~ The letter then went, on to speak of h
kindness to the poor when he lived at Lex
ington, and concluded by again, exhortin
him to trust in God and wait his time. VIII!
.rouid this mean? No human being on Il
outside had been informed of his intentio
to escape, and yet just as all things we
ready for him to make the attempt, he
comes letter from Winchester, KentuGk
advising him not to .'try it." This lett
had passed through the examining office
Gen. Mason, and then through the hands
the lower officials. What If 1t should excl
their suspicion and cause them to exerci
nm increased vigilance? The situatio
however, was desperate. Their fate cou
not be much worse, and they resolved to 3
Nothing now remained to be done but
the General and Col. Dick Morgan to chan
eeells. The hour approached for them to
locked up. They cllzn9edG coats, and ca
si stood at the others cell door. with his ba