The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-01-26
THURSDAY, JAN. 20.
Escaped osrrsspen1ens..

son no prisoners Wnom they have bel
!i'n the same amount Of persistent an
obstinate dissemination. whose incarce r,
lion gave them such demoniac satisia.
Ion. aud caused go general and fiendish
SIee as the correspondents Of the Ne,
ork Tribune, Messrs. Albert D. Ricf
frdson and Jaoius H. Brown. We kuo,
pt no reason why this feeling should hav
arisen, or why, after it had arisen,
should continue to manifest itself through
out their long imprisonment, unless it ma
De accounted for by the general law thu
Il persons hate whom they fear and fea
lSwhom they hate.
when these gentlemen were captured
ct vicksburg, May 4th. 1868, they wer
Immediately paroled but instead of be-
Ing at once released and sent through tn,
lines at that city, we're hurried of toRich
moud for the ostensible purpose of being
sent north via City Point. The soulles.
authorities Of the Confederacy, however
did not hesitate to violate the stipulatous
under which their paroles had been given
and cast them into Libby prison. Thence
they we're removed to Castle Thunder
and afterwards to Salisbury. N. c., where
they have remained ever since.
On May 18th, 1862, at Resacs, Ca,
Wm 4. Davis, the correspondent Of the
CINCINNATI Gazette, was also captured, and
after some months at Richmond, was sent
to the same prison. The affinity that ex-
ists between members of the press. soon
attracted he three to each other and both
through the inclination and necessity,
they became iuseparable. At this time
salisbury penitentiary contained about FIVE
hundred prisoners. The fare was Of good
guilty. AID although small in quantity !,
WAS sufficient to preserve life, a fact,
which, however, was soon destined to be
reversed
Atout-the first of October last nearly
ten thousand prisoners we're added to ,he
number that already filed the prison to
IT'S utmost capacity. This overtaxel the
keeHers, who were compelled TO call 70
their assistance our journalistic friends,
vi o bad gained whatever good graces 4
rebel prison keeper might be expected to
have, by their urbane manners, tn. ir gen.
erai Intelligence, and their native force Of
intellect and character Mr.. Davis was
therefore appointed general superin,enc
ent of all the hospitals in the prison
limits; Mr. Browne became charged with
the General Dispensing Hospital and De-
pot of supplies outside; Mr.. Richardson
Sss made chief clerk and book keeper,
and made up the reports, while Captain
Wolfe, who also escaped and arrived here
with than, took part in the duties that
devolved up the other three.
The positions to which they had been
assigned secured them all passes through
the inperliue of sentinels, with the excep-
ton of Richardson and the failhiuness
with which they discharged. all and sin
gulsr. the duties assigned them, won for
them not the esteem merely, but the love,
also. of their patients, and the confidence
of the communicate Of the prison. In
promising doctors out of editors and news
paper correspondents, is somewhat novel
proceeding, but it was fortunate FOR our
heroes. for it gave them the hospital ra
ton, which was much larger and better
than that given to ordinary prisoners.
When they were given permission to
pass the line of sentinels, luckily no pa.
roles were demanded. and if they mad
been, they would have been refused, for,
after at least City foiled efforts to escape,
they were not made of stuff to be chained
by promise. Sill, they had no inten
ton of using the freedom these passes gave
for the purpose of escape. They had two
tunnels ia process of construction, ons of
which was well-nigh completed. and
would have soon been used but for q cir
oumstance which not only FASTENED their
departure but assisted them in making
their escape.
On the 18th of December, Gen. Brad.
ley T. Johnson arrived at Salisbury and
relieved the former commandant OF the
prison. He was soldier, aud they feared
the changes he would make would only
deprive them of the freedom they pos
sed, but also render their escape still more
precarious. even if it did not postpone j.
indefinitely. They determined therefore.
to escape at once ; and for the purpose
of getting Richardson beyond the guard
it was determined that be should use the
pass belonging to Junius, who himself
went through on his reputation and the
fact, well known to the sentinel. tlst BIZ
had been passing for more than two
months without hindrance and in sccord
ance with orders.
On the night of Sunday, December tns
18Th therefore they met outside the innel
line guard and walked past the outer line
the seDtiDsls being under the impression
that they we're attaches of the Rospita
outside They travelled about mile ane
lay down among some reeds, while Davi
went prospecting for place to spend tn
remainder of the night and the next day
They heard footsteps approaching, and
man brushed against them as they la,
psllid with fear, and breathless will
aox,ety. He passed, however, and 70
thst moment they were safe. A barn no
more than mile from their former pris
on, protected them that night and tn
next day. On Monday night they lef
The vicinity of Salisbury, aud during th
werk they travelled fifty mites, being fet
and guided during that time entirely b,