Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-23

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BILE character we ever recorded is a coored man
in Nash county named Luke johnson. Luke
was first taken up for larceny some months ago,
and colored witness living in Il little log cabin
in the woods had testified against him before
the grand Jury, He tracked this witness to
his house one night, and roking his gun, load
ed with old nails, through crack, he shot
him dead He was immediately arrested and
lodged in the jail of Nash county. He only stay
ed there one day-got ont that night was re-
arrested and carried to the Warren county jail,
there to be kept more secure. This is strong
iail, and is fenced around by strong rock-wall
and there are several fierce bulldogs kept in
the iail-yard
Luke was conhued in close cell, aud at last
the authorities thought they had him sait.-
But they were mistaken. lie took rock out
of the floor that weighed five hundred pounds
with his own hands, aud craw led under and
Got to the door Of the Jail. but here he stopped
on account of the bulldogs and he stood there
in the door and waited for the jailor to come
and put him back The jaor. came along
after awhile and slapped Luke in again. But
the authorities were afraid to trust him much
longer, so they took him back to Nash county,
and he had his trial. He was sentenced to te
hung on last Friday, the 18th instant.
This time they handcu!Icd him securely in
the Jail with cuffs made to order and also put on
ankle cuffs locking them up secure y, and then
they had chain that run from his handouts to
his ankle cuffs and this chain was locked through
a big iron bolt and ring in the floor
lie was allowed i sitting posture in com.
mon split bottom chair, and with his hands
reached down, chained and buckled, and took
the round out of the chair. and running it in
the ring, twisted it out, breaking the link in
about twenty pieces. There was wire in
some way connected with this ring, and with
this he picked the locks on his cuffs and rot
his hands and feet free Then with i piece of
the iron link he forced the locks on the three
iron doors locked on him, and also the wooden
one at the entrance Of the Jail, and iu this way
made his third escape, letting out with him
another negro prisoner He thus made his cs-
cape lrou the gal!ows six days before hanging
day, which was appointed to have been last
Friday. Luke johnson, we are tpld, Is
young, strappiug man, and is about twenty-five
gears DID, He was sold rs 4 slave seven tunes
in Richmond, Va, before the war. He is 4
real mechanical genius. and during the war he
made buggy out Of wood, with whiteoak
springs and without piece Of iron in it, In
this buggy he used to ride to church. When
sentence was pronounced on him in Nash coun
ly court house, as the sheriff marched linn
out he exclaimed "Iou all arnt Il going to
hang ME you can't do 1t :. lie Is still loose
and swears he will never leave Nash county
Rallgh North Curohnitn.
LDTGME EIRGGNIANs A letterfrom Meek
lcnburg county, Va, IN the Richmond Whg
says IL believe We find the truest types of
our old fashioned Eirginians in these back
counties of onr southSidc territory, which arc
not yet penetrated by the railroads. No class
of men ever seemed to me so amlablc and dig.
nitied, nor filled me with such admiration and
yeneration rs have there at all times. How
one catches the enthusiasm Of these old gen
tlenen when they are led to speak of the days
of their youth and prime, and Of Virginia as
she was in the times when Clay thrilled every
nerve of the nation with his eloqucuce, and his
enemies shrank from the eye and the vindlc-
tive finger of Randolph Of Roanoke. Watch
ing their eyes kiudle and the blood Of mo-
mentarily renewed youth sutFuse their counte-
nances, how deeply are we impressed with Il
sense of the disasters that have come upon US
since that time.
Most Of your readers will remember Mr.. VIM.
Towncs, Of Mccklcnburg, who WAS for many
years sheriff Of the county, who ran for the
Legislature and was beaten because he was ''agin
Jackson, and who, subsequent to the war, rep
resented the county in the General Assembly.
Saturday and Sunday spent with him at the
old fl,nily mansion about nine miles from
Boydton. His old colleagues and every one who
knew him during his political life will rejoice
TO hear that the old gentleman, now in his
eighty first year, is according to all reckoning
by physical signs uany years younger. y two
miles walk before breakfast through the may
labyrinths o! his immense flower gardens, two
miles during the afternoon, with an occasional
ride acrosst the fields and Il game of euchrc keeps
the old gentleman in fine health aud bounding
spirits.
Mr.. Towues during the late Fair made him
self as useful rs any man concerned. lie was
chairman of the Committee on Booded Stock,
and discharged the duties Of that position as L
labor Of love until he discovered that jackasses
we're cassed among thoroughbredS, whercat the
old gentlemen felt himself personally aggrieyed,
and on behalf of the thoroughbreds expressed
resentment in some pretty strong language.
And Mark AleXandcr esq, 4 contemporary
of John Randolph in the United States Con.
cress, still resides in the Boydton township with
his estimable wiEe-a true Nirgiuian lady.
visited them on "Wednesday last. Many mis-
fortunes have been allotted to this noblehearted
old gentleman since the war.
iRUE To TIE lIASf.--During tilc NuulluuHe
an eminent surgeon in Paris, who had no SYM
pathy with it, employed himsel! in aiding the
wounded who were brought to his hospital.
His chief assistant was woman-a Communist
who, day and night, nurscd the wounded,
and was the most valuable assistant the sur
geon had. When the Commune fell, the sur
geon was arrested and marched to the drum
head courtmartial He supposed he would be
shot. As he approached the door of the trlbu-
dal. be met his late female assistant coming out
between two soldiers ''Nhy. Adele, he ex'
claimed, ''how came yon here Ihe woman
fixed her ewes on him, and said. | don't know
you, sir. - The surgeon concluded that his case
must indeed be hopeless, as this woman declin-
ed to acknowledge his acquaintance. Never,
theIess he got off somehow, and then learned
that at the moment when Adele said. don
know you, sir she was OF her way to be shot
and was shot For fear Of prciIdicing his case,
"