The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-08-21

inspection, which consisted of "A lantern be-
ing thrust through he door, 80 that the
officer I'm command could see that his
prisoner was in bed. IL was necessary To
get substitutes. To this end paddles were
constructed out OF their under-clothes
stuffed with the filling of the mattresses.
Alter this Morgan's men slept with their
heads covered. so that their inanimate sub
stitutes might not be discovered. For
while the officer would call the prisoner,
but found IL so difficult toawaken him that
this was abandoned, the puzzled guard say
ing that Kentucky "rebs" slept like mig
gers" with their heads covered, and
sound as white-oak wood"
All was ready for the desperate attempt.
and the leader was Waiting for "A stormy
night. when one day he received. through
I their trusted messenger, bit of paper. On
the paper was written: warden OF the
prison changed tomorrow" John Morgan
was not slow 10 learn the meaning of this.
A new commandment meant, a new broom,
new regulations, an inspection, and per-
haps discovery.
Morgan did not know that this change
was the result of an anonymous letter re-
ceived by Secretary Stanton, written and
mailed in Columbus, that limited darkly at
a revolt in the States Prison. and the de-
I
know the attempt was TO be made that
night or abandoned.
During the winter almost "a perpetual
twilight reigns within the gloomy prison
walls of the State Prison at Columbus.
Sometimes this deepens into night. and
then the unhappy inmates know that
storm is raging without. The eventful
day forced on them for the attempt so long
i'm preparation was lighter than usual. and
il was resolved TO fight their way out should
that way be obstructed by guards. To this
end their blunted knives were sharpened
to point, and fourteen of these deadly
weapons. deadly in such hands. were dis
tributed 10 "a many men.
The first difficulty TO be overcome was
to get Gen. Morgan from the cell in the
upper tier TO one of the cells communi-
eating with the sewer. He selected his
brother. not only because of the personal
resemblance, but for that he thought it
just for Others that the punishment follow
ing the discovery should fall on himself
through the one nearest TO him.
Night came. and the brother hurried in
TO the Generals cell. while the General
placed himself i'm the one vacated below.
The change worked well. when, at the
time the guard was about leaving. having
locked i'm the prisoners, one appeared at
the cell door so lately occupied by the
General. thrust lantern i'm at the opening,
aud. just as the younger Mogan was CIV
ing up all as lost, demanded "A rat-tail file
loaned the General the day before. |
"What file?" thought the young man.
He had not heard of the article, borrowed |
under pretense of making a ring for a |
lady. from a bone. He had, however,
enough presence OF mind 10 betray no con-
fusion, but began. with his back to the |
door. an active search for the miserable
file. As luck had il. his hand fell on the |
article where it had been left--upon the !
bed. Covering his face with his hand, a
ii the light hurt his eyes, he gave the file !
to the guard. and then listened. with
throbbing heart, to the footst ,ps that died
away in the distance.
The clang of the iron-grated door as it |
swung 10 was the signal for immediate ac-
ton. the pavements above the sewer at
the designated places were broken through,
and fourteen men dropped into the foul re-
ceptacle. The candles We're lighted and
the work began. Five feet of earth had to !
be removed before midnight. and. taking
turns. they worked as probably men never |
labored before. Rapidly as the earth was
loosened. it was passed back into the sew
er, their wooden caps being used for this
purpose. At last an opening was made. |
enlarged sufficient TO admit the passage of
a man. and John Morgan pushed his way
through and stood upon the ground of the
court. He found the sky overcast and n !
drizzling rain slowly falling. The place |
seemed deserted The man on guard had |
evidently sought shelter from the inclem- |
ent weather. One by one these resolute |
men emerged from the hole. Grasping !
each other by the hand and led by their
General, they moved slowly and quietly |
toward the wall that divided the female |
prison from that which they so lately oc-
cupied. The wall was reached, and the /
stoutest bracing himself againstsit with |
his hands. another mounted to his should \
ers: then third climbed above the two,
and fourth was making his way up, |
when the second man missed his footing. |
and they all fell to the ground.
This mode Of scaling perpendicular
wall is successfully practiced by French |
zouaves and acrobats. But it requires
strength and dexterity, a dexterity that
comes of long practice, and this practice
had been denied Morgan's men. Gen.
Morgan then shifted from the dividing
wall. after listeninga minute to find wheth-
or the noise of the unhappy tumble had
been heard. to the corner furthest from the
prison.
In former years on this corner had been
platform and box for sentry. But as
the guard was over women not given To
attempted escapes. and as the sentry was
subject 10 a continuous volley of abuse
from the female wards below, the guard
had been removed. Allied by the corner.
that served as a support, the human ladder
succeeded in reaching the top of the wall,
and the men clambcring upon il with their
la f..g In hxA
all OF the fourteen came up, hand over
hand. and then the rope was dropped on
the outside. and in "A few minutes the en-
tire party found themselves free.
Here. OF course, they were met by their
Sympathizino friends Nv infornapt IN