The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-01-20
JOHN M0RGAN'S ESCAPE.
HIS OWN ACCOUNT.
How He Got Out of the Peni-
tentiary..CrOssed the Ohio
Got Through Our Lines, &C..
An Interesting Story.

Ia r - 1-t-}s5 10 "a
81 General John Morgan was honored with
N oration on the 7th, on his arrival at the
ebel Capital. The following highly inter
6ung account Of his escape from the Ohio
1enitentiary, and subsequent adventures, is
3ublished in the Enquirer: -7a 70 G. 3 'Taa 2'
Their bedsteads were small iron stools,
listened to the wall with hinges. They
oIld be hooked up or allowed to stand ON
Is 3he floor. and to prevent any suspicion, for
rgcra days before any work Was attempt
II. they made habit to let them down
&nd sit at their doors and read, Captain
Hines superintended the work, whileaGen
Il raj Morgan kept watch to divert the SEN
tael, whose duty it was to come round du-
kng the day and observe if anything was
Ercing on. One day this fellow came in
Ehile Hockersmith was down under the
. or boring awav, and missing him, said,
l'Nhere is Hockersmith ?" The General
Iepled. He is in my room, SICK" and i'm
nediately pulled document out Of his
ocket aud said to him Here is meme,
al / have drawn up to forward to the Gov
rnment at Washington; what do you
mink of it?" -. -,-,- --F ->r
The fellow, who perhaps could not read,
being highly Aattered at the Generals con
bescension, took it and very grayely looked
1t it for several moments before he vouch.
jafed any reply. Then handing it back, he
Impressed himself highly pleased with it
1n the mean time Hockersmith had been
ignaled and came up, protesting to be very
Iunwsll This sentinel was the most difficult
nd dangerous obstacle in their progress
Because there was no telling at what time
he would enter during the day, and atnight
he came regular every two hours to each
cell and deserted light through the bars
of their door, to see that they were quietly
Keeping, and frequently after he had COM
8eted his rounds be would slip back in the
ARK, with pair of India-rubber shoes on,
II listen at their cells if any thing was going
H. The General says that he would al
fost Invariably know of his presence by
,artain magnetic shudder which it would
krOduce but for fear that this acute SEN
EbiIity might sometimes fail him, he broke
d. small PARTICLES Of coal every morning
I'D sprinkled them before the cell door,
lch would always announce his com
Every thing was now ready to begin the
ok; 50 about the latte. part ot October
lev began to bore. All were busy-one
aalng a rope ladder by tearing and twist
up strips of bed tick, another making
we knives, and another twisting up tow
They labored perSeveringly for sew
al days. and after boring through inches
CT ment and nine thickuesSes OF brick
,aed edgewise they began to wonder when
ev should reach the soft earth. Sud
tenlg brick fell through What could
, mean? What Internal chamber had
eyreached? It was Immediately entered
= to their great astonishment and JOY,
u royed to be an air chamber extending
ywholc length OF the row of cells. Here
as an unexpected interposition in their
"c Hitherto they had been obliged to
r lcral their rubbish in their bedticks, each
burning proportionate quantity OF
naw; they had room enough for all they
ud dig. They at ones commenced to
uns at right angles with this air chamber
,et through the foundation; and day after
Ia tue blocks of granite were removed,
% It'll the work before them seemed inter
mbr. .3 '..
alter twenty -three days of .unremitting
boz, ani getting through granite wall OF
D .ect in thickness, they reached the soil
ua.y tuuneled up for spme distance, and
sl' began IL snine. How glorious was
at light. 1t announced the fultillment OF
cir labors, and if Providence would only
tnue it's favor they would soon be free.
-s was the morning of the 18th day ct
yember, 1868. 1ne next night, at IL
cuck, was determined as tue hour at which
oay would attempt their liberty. Each
'ment that intervened was filed with
-ad.ul anxiety and supense, and each time
guard entered increased their appre
asons. The General says he had prayed
ram, but the morning OF the 9th dawn
bright and beautiful The evening came,
| clouds began To gather. How they
we'd for them TO increase. 1t rain should
begin, their chances of detection would
realty lessened. While these thoughts
re passing through their minds, the keep
eutsred with letter for Gen. Morgan.
e opened it, and what was his surprise,
nd may say wonder, to hnd it from
oor Irish woman of bis acquaintance in
,ntucky. commencing, "My dear Ginral, |
el certain YOU are going to try to git out
prison, hut for your sake don't you try
inv dear Ginral. You will only be taken
soner agiu, and made to suffer more than
" do now,n
The letter then went on to speak of his
Pndne,s to the poor when be lived at Lex
Pston, aud concluded by again exhortng
N to trust in God and wait his time
lat could this mean? No human being
Ad been informed of his intention to es-
Epe, and Yet, lust as all things were ready
hun to make the attempt here CONES
'ettcr from Winchester, Kentucky, al.
slng hm not to ''try it, This letter had
ssed through the examining office Of Gen.
ason, and then through the hands cf the
~er officials. What IL 1t should excite