Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-10-02

hnger In The Iron dust on the CRATE bars
and wrote request for reading matter,
and lowered it from my window. Pretty
soon felt little nibble, and little af-
ter loud whisper, "Haul away" and /
hauled away, and found copy of the
Washington Chronicle on my hook.
The first article that / hit upon was
an account OF the capture and incarcera-
tion of the mysterious prisoner" who
was supposed by Baker, chief of the de-
tective corps, TO be no other than John
II. Surratt, the conspirator against Mr..
Lincoln's life, but who, the Chronicle
editor thought, was one Fuller, fellow
who had been floating about Washing
ton, and who looked not unlike Surratt.
1t was little amusing that on the mar
gin of the paper found written: "rhe
compliments of ]. w. Fuller, your fel-
prisoner very man the Chron-
icls supposed me to be.
I then for the first time discovered
my identity. 1 was John H. Surratt.
Delighted visions of speedy punishment
and nervous sensation about the left
ear, as though the hangmans knot was
there, came over me. Powerless to de-
tend myself, because unable to commu-
nicatc with any one, | gave up in des-
pair, and fell down on the stone floor of
my damp cell and cried like child.
The thought of my situation absolutely
paralyzed me. The guard noticed me
as / lay there, and when l recovered
myself 1 noticed him gazing upon me
intently. Finally, as if he could con-
tain himself no longer, he broke out !:
SIS not your name Ryan ?" eyes, sir"
/ answered, in great surprise at finding
one who seemed to know ME. "Were
you in Forests command in Mississip-
pi? he continued. Eyes" Do you re-
member on such day saving young
prisoners life, at such place, in such a
manner?" When he told me the story,
l recalled the incident family, and the
recognition was complete. After that
he could not serve me too often, and
was constantly pressing me to call upon
him for favor.
Very soon l borrowed his note book
and pencil, and scribbled line to Sir
Frederick Bruce, the British minister.
An uncle OF mine had served with him
in India, fact to which called his at
tention. Irelated my experience, and
asked him to aid me. made one most
unfortunate mistake; l forgot to men
ton that our guard had smuggled the
letter to its destination. The result
was that he received an open answer,
which the prison authorities read, and
thus my communication with the out
side world was discovered. The prison
keeper called me out and ordered me to
disclose the name of the person who
had taken my note from the Jail. OF
course, | refused. was then placed
in the sweat box, neat device for the
punishment of the refractory" 1t was
pen just large enough to admit my
body, standing, and on the floor was
the register, through which came the
steam from the kitchen, combined with
the effluvia from the urinals -
When | entered it / had no idea of
ever escaping alive, but was determined
to die rather than divulge the name of
my benefactor. / endured the thing for
three weeks, although l often felt very
near death, as | now believe / was. My
sufferings were somewhat mitigated by
my guard, who, when unobserved,
would open the door and give me
breath of air. AS reward ofS750,000
was offered for Surratt, have no doubt
that Baker purposed killing me, with
the idea that he could bury me as he
did Booth; that the real Surratt would
never turn up, and that he could get
the reward without question. l may
be wrong, but think l ain not.
l was taken from the sweat box with
my spirit unbroken, and suddenly, with
outthe slightest premonition,wa walked
into the generals office and released. l
then learned the day and month, and
found that more than five months had
rolled away since my arrest at Memphis.
l made my way to my friends, and they
advised me to make no effort at seeking
redress at that time, as the country was
in high state of excitement and l
could expect nothing. So l settled down
and have been an humble citizen of
Arkansas ever since.