Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1864-01-20


out of his cell, which was in the second
tier, and the turnkey locked all the eel
doors at FIVE o'clock, p. m.? But if love
laughs at locksmiths, Morgan and his mer
laugh at all difficulties, and Yankee peni
tentiaries. Calvin Morgan, the Generals
brother, was at once set to work to make q
rope some seventy feet long out of the bed
ticking, and hook was made out of a small
iron poker to attach to the end Of the rope
At FIVE o'clock on the evening of the 9th.
the prisoners were all ordered to their cells
General Morgan had been accustomed tc
reading at night in his cell by candle,
which was the only privilege allowed, all
lights being ordered to be put out by 9 O..
clock. That evening Col. Dick Morgan
took the place of the General, they ex chan.
ging cells When the turnkey came round
seeing man with book before his face
reading, he took him for the General, and
locked the door, thinking all right
1t was arranged to make their, escape at
twenty-five minutes after midnight, know
ing that the train left Columbus for Cincin.
natl at LIS in the morning. Capt. Sam
Taylor having watch, it was agreed that
at the given time he should descend into
the air chamber, and passing under the cells
touch each man as the signal to come forth,
in order thatno noise should be made, as il
was SO still at night that even the drop of q
pin could be heard, and might give alarm.
1t was well known that the guards exam
ined the cells every two hours, and to pre-
vent the discovery of the absence of the
persons, they shaped their bedclothes SO as
to resemble the sleeping forms of men, be-
fore taking farewell oftheir prisonhouses.
AT the appointed time and signal, each man
holding his breath descended into the air
chamber, and crawling through the hole
made in the foundation, soon gained the
yard. They breathed again the free air OF
heaven. 1t was dark, rainy night. Three
sentiuels stood within ten paces of them
They stole along as:if treading on air, gro
ping their way towards the.wall: just at
this moment one Of the huge, fierce dogs,
who would mot even let his keeper come in:
to the yard atsnight, came running towards
them with low growl, and approaching
within ten feet1of them, barked once
Then as if his instinct taught him they
were rebels trying to escape, even the dog,
more faithful to his country and the sureties
of the great compact, now broken forever,
than the abolition infdels, turned away,
and held bis peace Was it not special
providence? They reached the wall in
safety at the East gate. Z. '.- -, 80.
It was double gate. One outside, of
stone and iron, and the other inside, made
of wooden uprights, with open spaces be.
tween. The gate was thirty feet high
Taylor, who had charge, Of the rope, now
wrapped a, stone in cloth to prevent il
from makipg,a noise, aud tying it to- one
end. Of therop threw it oyerth top ofsthe
inside gate, the weight Of the stone draw,
ing down the rope. He then secured the
hookto one of the uprights,g and the party
climbed up, one by one, to the top Of the
gate, and then easily gained the top Of the
wall. The rope was then hauled up and
attached to the iron railing on. the main
wall, and the parties descended Taylor
reached the ground first, and the General
next. They had descended into the open
street within thirty steps of guard, near
a bright gas light. s@
Ithad been previously determined that on
reaching the outer wall, the parties should
separate, Morgan and Hines together, and
the others to shape their course for them.
selves Thus they parted. Hines and the
General proceeded at once to the depot:to
purchase their tickets.for Cincinnati. But
10 where was the money The inventive
Hines had only to touch the magical wand
of his ingenuity, to be supplied: While
in prison he had taken the preoaution, after
planning his escape, to write to a lady
friend in a peculiar cypher, which, when
handed to the authorities to send through
openly, contained nothing contraband, but
which on the young lady receiving, she, ac.
cording to instructions, sent him some books,
in the back of one of which she concealed
some "greenbacks," and across the inside
wrote her name to indicate. the place where
tie money was deposited! Ths books came
safe to hand and Hines was flush Going
bold,yup to the ticket Office, Hines procured
two tickets, while Morgan modestly stood
back and adjusted pair of green goggles
over his eyes, which one of the men, having
weak eyes, had worn into the prison.
They took their seats in the cars without
suspicion. How their hearts beat until the
locomotive whistled to start! Slowly the
wheels turn, and they are off,! The cars
were due in Cincinnati at Ia. m. At Dal-
ION, Ohio they were detained one hour
What keen anguish of suspense did they
not suffer? They knew that at s. 5o'clock, a.
M, the convicts would be called, and their
escape would then be discovered, when it
would be tolegraphed in every direction,
consequently the guards would be ready to
greet them on their arrival. They were
rapidly nearing the city of abolition hogdom.
1t was cold, rainy morning Just as the
train entered the suburbs, about half a
mile from the depot, the two escaped pris-
oners went out on the platform, put on the
breaks, checking the cars sufficiently to let
them iumn off. Hines iumped off first. and