The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-05-05


the bars until had opened them SO that
could squeeze through. The two other
prisoners seemed to be asleep, and taking
off most of my clothing, pushed the gar
ments through into the hall, and after a
few minutes of hard squeezing, got out
myself. lost no time in making my way
TO the window, and a slight examination
convinced me that l would have to saw off
but one bar, raise the window, and slip
through into the yard. The first rake of
the knife against the bar awoke the two
prisoners, who demanded to know what
was at. As I did not answer at first, they
shouted in louder tones, and thought best
to go down the hall and explain matters.
1 told them what was doing, requested
them to keep still, and offered to give
them the knife when l was through. Both
were in Jail on serious charges, and readily
agreed not so interfere with my escape.
then returned, and for an hour did not
cease saving at the bar. In half an hour
more l had naarly severed it, and was con-
graduating myself on the certainty of es-
cape when one of the prisoners began call
ing for the jaier at the top of his voice.
ran down to quiet him, but words had no
effect. He had made up his mind that by
informing on me he might tighten his ex-
pected punishment, and continued to shout
and roar like steam-engine. cut and
stabbed at him through the door, and
brnat IN l,,,N I,
yelled the louder Knowing that the taller
must soon hear him and come down, ran
back and wrenched away at the bar with
all my strength. Heaving, twisting and
pulling, finally broke it at the cut, and
was just raising the window, when the
jailer and boy entered, having big dog
with them. They saw what was up to,
and in a minute the dog had thrown me
down and given me a score of bad wounds.
was kicked over and cuffed about, as any
prisoner would probably have been in the
excitement, and then bundled back into nv
cell. Stiff, sore and disappointed took to
the bed, and during the balance of the
night the boy sat on chair just outside
the door, revolver in hand, and instructed
to shoot me if even approached the bars
There was just one more hope of escape
When l was being taken up to camp, or af-
ter arriving there, might find an opportu-
nifty of getting off, and this faint prospec-
tive chance was my only consolation. Soon
after | had finished my morning meal, /
heard the clank of sabres in the hall, and
in moment after was led out and deliver
ed over to the captain, who had dozen
men outside to act as my body guard to
camp Telling him of my attempted es-
cape, the jailer handcuffed me before was
mounted, and warned the men that was
regular "Yankee devil" The captain
made good deal of show in taking me
through the streets and up to camp, and l
suppose ought to have felt Hattered.
This was the morning of the twentieth.
If there was now no other cause to make
me remember it, should not forget the
words of the captain, that court-martial
would have me ready for limb by another
morning. We passed up through the
mountain, turned to the right, and went
half way to the clearing before halting. I
was then lifted down, taken into a tent,
guard placed at the door where he could
see me, and the captain regarded me as a
doomed man. About ten o'clock he came
in, removed the handouts, and conducted
me to large tent where l found court
martial assembled--one of those drumhead
affairs which try, convict and hang a sus-
pected person in brief order. was ordered
to stand up, paper was read charging me
with being spy in the Confederate camp,
and then l was pointed to a seat The
soldier whom l had pumped'' was called
as a witness, as well as The cooks who had
given me breakfast the man from whom |
stole the haversack gave his testimony, and
at noon things went to show that might
be under ground before sundown.
At this juncture, when the testimony was
nearly all in, the court adjourned for din.
ner, and was led back to the tent and
guarded as before, although not handcuffed
again. II was about three o'clock in the
afternoon when was called out next. /
thought they would now give me a chance
to explain, but they first swore the iailer,
the boy and lastly, the sneak whose shout |
ing had prevented my escape from the jail.
This man testified that had acknowledged
to him my business as a SPY, and he per-
jured himself in various other matters, rat
Ting off a conversation which never had the
least existence.
Well, sir" said the president of the