Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-08-31

the ground, directly under the gallOwS.
Its faint light cleaned upward, show.
ing dim outline of the gallows frame,
and partially lighting the faces and
forms of the soldiers grouped with
their muskets to an order, in se,ai.
circle around the scene of execution.
The prisoner bent down, resting his
knee upon the earth thrown up around
the new dug grave. He had no hope
Of escape as he looked upward to.
ward the heavens, although all was
black with night, yet his eye pierced
through the gloom, and he saw in the
future redemption for the past! The
quivering of his lips showed his SINGER
ity he was prepared to die. Ola sud.
den he bent his head. All his prayer
was heard-rescue was at hand. His
life-oh! glorious thought-was not
to set in blood through the hands of
men!
"Harry!" said a voice, in whisper,
from the grave where the
prisoner had seen a dead body tossed
but few moments before, ''make no
alarm. IT'S I, your comrade. Dick
Martin, of Washington's life guard,
come to save you. Make some excuse
to turn your. back towards the hole
where Ihave hidden myself, and I will
cut the rope which ties your hands.
When this is done and you hear me
groan, kick over the lantern. and
make for the east corner of the grave
yard! will follow. Things are all
ready for our escape. Remember,
nnoEo M o1orn, -
"Come, rogue, your three minutes
are up. Sambo, the rope there.
The prisoner without rising from his
knees, turned round so that he faced
the lantern, his back towards the grave.
The negro advanced with the haulter
to place it around his neck. The scene
was striking. In the foreground stood
the soldiers gazing with no very pleas
ant emotions by the dim light upon the
poor prisoner. Cunningham was in the
center, his brutal and hard features
lighting up with devilish expression.
Just as Sambo was within an arms
length of the prisoner, the latter felt
the thongs cut which bound his arms.
He was free!
But why starts the colored man, lis
eyes protruding from their sockets, as
if death was before him! The halter
drops from his hands he is paralyZed
with fear. Slowly from the grave rises
the dead body of the soldier he had
himself rolled into it!
Cunningham beheld the sight and SO
did the soldiers. The vision was aw'
ful-so apparently contrary to human
reason-that with one accord all fed,
excepting Sambo and the prisoner.
In the meantime, the prisoner and
his comrade, who had so OPPORTUNITY
rescued him from All ignominious death
hurried from the graveyard and made
for Lispenard's wood !. which then
skirted the North River near about
where Canal street ends.
There they found boat in which
Dick Martin had crossed alone from
the Jersey shore, six hours before, to
save his comrade. Reaching the Jer.
sey side, just below Bulls Ferry, in an
hour, they struck into the woods, and
reached the camp of Washington, near
West Point, about night the next day.
The morning after, in general orders,
two new lieutenants were commits.
stoned in Washington's life guard, and
the reader can imagine who they were.
A brief explanation, perhaps, is ne
cessary. 1t always surprised the En-
glish commanders how Washington
knew so we'll the movements made in
their lines. Washington in many cases
made desertion duty. He knew who
among his private soldiers. to ask this
from, and never in single instance,
was his confidence betrayed. Death
upon the galiows followed the poor
private often, but he never compro'
missed his commander.