Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-22
The Escape of DOdd.


The Indianapolis correspondent of the
Cincinnati Commercial writes TO that
paper the following description of the
way in which Dodd, the Indiana Son of
Liberty, effected his escape:
lately came in possession of interest
ing particulars of the escape OF Dick
Dodd. 1t will be remembered thTt few
nights before the escape, the halyards used
in hosting the flag at headquarters were
cut, and the rope carried of. AT the time,
this was supposed to have been merely a
bit of malicious mischief on the part of
some morose eopperhead- But 1t was by
| means of this rope that Dodd escaped from
the third story of the room over the fost-
office, in which he was connneo' ana
cheated the greedy gallows oil Us uues'
His wife brought the rope to hiini con-
cealed under her petticoats. Inc arrange
ments were thoroughly made, anu oh
reaching terra frma, the fugitive was -hur-
ried off to a friendly cellar, where ne s.IS- re-
manned secluded forseveral days. NUTS
after dusk. one rainy evening, buggy
apparently containing a solitary ehaIio-
teer, drove out of town on one OF 1ne
northeast roads. Underneath the OIL g eloeh OH
which protected the feet and knees Oh sue
driver from the falling rain, Dodd was con
eeaIed and escaped the vigilance OF the
gu.rds. With RELAYS of fresh horses
eonyeaiently stationed along the route, ne
was yrhiSEed away to Columbus, ~nere ~
assumed the garb of Quaker 10 tesI
tEa ,borouohoess of his disguise, ana
erstify rf1:It abnormal longing for secret
adventure which has been the ruling pas
sion of Dodds life, he visited the estao-
lishment of a relative in Columbus, who
keeps A shoe store, or something ot ths
kind. Pretepding to be desirous OF Pur-
ebasina Dodd coaversed for some time
with his kinsman, thse-ing and thou-lng
:, ,.,g,,la- Quaker style, and spiclng ms
~ I, lion with a tasteof the godly une-
tinn t9n'ersi o,11 -tieaopjous sOlemnity OF AM
inidab mid dnS slsaL sa.h' F,,-dipg that he was not
recognized, Dodd Gu. slgfy oSative sat lOT wos ~
trade slang with which his --s .,sofsns
favoring him, by the abrupt ana ~bst
ejaculation "Wen, Cd d-d you =.
will you take for these shoes p III.
dealer, who had never be-
fore heard such language from a Quaker
stared in Open-mOuthed wonder, while
DOOd walked out.
From Columbus the fugitive went to
Cincinnati, where he remained for several
lays, and then made his way to Detroit by
rail- On one occasion the train on which
he was a passenger was searched for him,
but he was comfortably quartered in the
ileeping car which was not searched, the
hunters taking the assurance of the sleep
ng-car conductor that he had no passen-
ger answering the description. At Detroit
Dodd did not tarry long in getting over
.he border which, however, was not so
,asy matter as might have been antici-
)ated. A heavy reward had been offered
or his apprehension, and police, military
md Government detectives we're sharply
N the lookout for the expected fugitive.
A strict surveillance was kept on ferry
,oats and other water craft DOdd sue
eeded, however, in finding a waterman
Who, for five dollars in gold, agreed to
ow him over and back, giving him q
Ouple of hours on the Canadian shore.
Arrived on the other side, Dodd looked
round a bit, and told the bOatman he
ould return. as he had made up his mind
o settle in Canada. The bOatman's
lfactOries detected the presence of small
Odent raneuvre, and became pertinaciOus
n his inquiries as to the status of his mys-
erious passenger. Dodd told him 1t didn't
natter vino he was that he was worth
housand or so dollars over the way, but
lot worth a d-n in Canada The dis
onsolate boatman thereupOn returned, la
Oring under the impression that he had
let bird go" while Dodd began his ca
eer of expatriatiOn.