Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-02-04

SulJ OF clt1zen'S ci0bnlngs and the six men
who were going to escape with him were,
similarly provided. The warden had pro-
hibited tile Introduction into the prison Of
uniform clothing, but occasionally allowed
plain suits to be receiyed. The General
had gotten q card of, the schedule time on
the Little Miami railroad, and knew. when
the train left Columbus and when itarrived
at Cincinnati-for this he paid fifteen doll
larsothe money used N eifecting his es-
cape,,I ...,y ..f, 80. t..., t.t....
Despite the strict search instituted when
we first entered the penitehtiafy, several
OF the party had managed to seerete money
so that it was not found. This was now,
divided among the seven who were to es-
cape. These were, besides Morgan, Captain
Thomas III. Hines, Ralph Sheldon, Samuel
Taylor, Jacob Bennett, James Hockersmith
and Gustavus MCGEE. 1t is plain that, as
each man was locked in a separate cell, and
could not get ont Of it by the door, without
an interview with the night guard, it was
necessary to cut an opening into. the air
chamber, through the floor of each cell.
from which each one of the seven would
escape. IL these apertures were cut from
the top of the floors of the cells, the iTfsk
of detection would be proportionately in
creased so an accurate measurement of the
distance between the cells was taken,' and
with Hines cell as point of departure, it
was easy to calculate where to commence
cutting from underneath, In order that the
floors of all these particular cells should be
perforated A thin crust only of cement,
was left, but topll outward appearance the
floor was as sound as ever. ..o. ,,f mn. '..,.
BY means of an arrangement which had
been perfected for obtaining alfabsolutely
necessary articles, each fOne of the party
about to escape had procured a stout, sharp
knife-very effective weapons in case of
surprise and an attempt to stop their es-
cape. When everything was ready, they
waited several nights for rain---trusting to
elude, the vigilance of the guards more
easily In the obscurity of such night
and taking the chance. also, that the dogs
which were turned loose every night In
the yard, would be driven by the rain into
their kennels. which were situated on the
other side of the yard from that where
they would emerge. Two or three days
before the effort was made, General Nor
gan received, letter from an lrishwomanJ
in Kentucky, warning him not to attempt
to make his escape from which she pre-
dcted great evils to him would result.
She alluded to his kindness to the poor in
Lexington, and claimed that she was in
tormed of the future in some supernatural
manner.
' On the 29th of November, Gen. Morgan
learned that there had been change of
military commandants at Columbus. Well
knowing that this would be followed by an
inspection of the prison and discovery of
the plot, he determined that the effort
should be made that very night. His own
cell was in the second range, from which
it was impossible to reach the air chamber
and tunnel. but this cell of his brother, Col.
Richard Morgan, had been prepared for
him, and when Scott tapped, as usual, on
the stove, as signal for each man to retire
to his cell, the exchange was effected!
There was q sufficient resemblance be-
tween them to deceive a man who would
not look closely, especially when they
were seated with their faces turned away
from the door. I'.- t.l t.".H
AT any rate, Scott and the night guard
were both deceived, and efforts were made
by the occupants of the cells near to both
of those where close inspection would have
been dangerous, to attract to themselves
the attention of the guard when he went
the rounds. AS it was especially necessary,
on this occasion, to know certainly when
the night guard approached, small bits of
coal had been sprinkled, Just before the
hour for locking up, on the floor of the first
range, so that dread as lightly as he
would) the Sinking cur could not help
making loud noise. A oa ~ ga.
1t had been arranged that, just after the
twelve o'clock visit from the guard, Cap
tain Taylor should descend into the air
chamber and give the signal underneath
the floor of each cell. Fortunately, the
only man who was vile enough to have be-,
trayed the plan, was absent in the hospital.
Six hours elapsed after the locking in;
regularly the night guard during that time
went his rounds, making an awful crack
ling as he passed along the lower range.
Sixty odd men lay awake. silent and eX-
eited-with hearts beating louder and
blood rushing faster through their veins
than the approach of battle had ever occa-
stoned. Perhaps the coolest of all that
number were the seven who were about to
incur the risk.
Twelve o'clock struck, and the clanga of
the bell seemed TO be in the hall itself-the
guard passed with his -lantern-a few min
utes elapsed while the adventurers lay still
lest that he should slip back, and then at
the signal they sprang from their beds !;
hastily stuffed flannel shirts with material
prepared beforehand, and made up bundles
to lie in their beds and represent them.
Then stamping upon the floor above the
excavations, the thin crust of each gave
way and they descended into the air cham
ber.s They passed one by one along the
tunnel until the foremost man reached the.
terminus, and with his knife cut away the
sod, which had of course been left uhtou0h-
ed. Then they emerged into the open air.
IA GENTLEMAN in the springtimeTof life.
when walking with lady, stumbled and