Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-02-08
VOL. Ii NEW SERIES. VOL. xXIv.

bly, he run down IN n very few moments. An
drews ordered his men to take to the woods
and save themselves, and shaking the hands
of his comrades who were huddled upon the
tender, leaped from the flying engine, and
was soon lost in the woods. He WAS follow
ed by his men, who jumped from ore side OF
the other and took to the nearest shelter.
We recur to Messrs. Murphy and Fuller,
| who set ont upon foot from Big Sbanty in
| Pursuit of the stolen engine. As absurd as
that foot race appeared, it was the means of
battling the scheme of the determined raid
ers. Murphy and Fuller ran on foot for
about three miles as fast as they could hurry,
having no definite plan except to go ahead.
| After they had gone three miles they came
| upon a hand car, which was lying upon the
side of the track. 1t was used to move the
road workers about Putting this car upon
the track. and impressing force of negroes
they hurried on, pushing it up grade with
poles, and letting it fly down grade of its
own weight. They made pretty good time
with this, and at last reached n station where
side road ran out to a coal mine. An en-
gine ready fired was standing here. They
impressed it, and put it through its best
PAGES until they reached Kingston. where
the engine of the Rome railroad Ia branch of
the Western and Atlantic railroad) was await
ing the up train. They seized this and con-
tinued their pursuit. With this engine they
came in sight of the stolen train. They fol-
lowed it until they came to the place where
the track was so badly torn they could not
replace it. They then started on foot again,
and soon met the down passenger train
which they at once turned backward, and
pressed the runaways so close that they had
to take to the woods Thus it will be Seen
that three engines and hand car were used
consecntivelv in this wild and headlong chase
after the raiders.
As an evidence of the tremendous speed
made in this run, it is said that the down
passenger train, which was reversed, went
81 miles in 81 minutes, pushing train
ahead of 1t for several miles, stopping fire.
quently to remove distractions.
HUNTED BY BLooDHoUSDs.
OF course the Yankees who leaped from
the stolen engine had very little chance Of
escape. They were surrounded on every
side by enemies. Within few hundred yards
of where they left their engine, two regi-
ments of cavalry were encamped. 1t was
muster day at Ringgold, two miles away. and
hundreds of farmers, armed and mounted,
were collected there. The road was lined
with soldiers. The alarm had been sent to
Chattanooga by telegraph, and trains loaded
with troops and scouts were hurrying to the
scene. The day was dark, cloudy and rainy.
The raiders were unacquainted with the
country, and with the stars and sun hidden,
did not know the south from the north.
They plunged into the woods, however, and
struck out for the Tennessee river. In an
hour the whole country was alive with scouts
and hunters. There was not n by path or
cross road that was not thoroughly explored.
To add to the terrors of the situation, we'll
trained hounds were put upon the track of
the fugitives. and trailed them down with
unerring certainty. The hunt, though an
exciting, was not long one. In 2i hours
from the time they left the engine, every
member of the band was captured. They
were in pitiable plight when taken. They
were drenched to the skin covered with
dirt and filth-in the last stages of exhaust
ion, and almost starved. The story of their
adventures in the Georgia forest that night
is a wild and thrilling one. 1t was night
of horror
The confederate authorities charged them
with being spies, and ordered them to be
tried by court martial. They were given
able counsel, Judge Baxter, of Tennessee
being in charge of their case. Before the
trial opened, Andrews. the leader, who was
never put upon the same footing with the
others, was carried before II court martial
and condemned to be hung as IL spy. The
witnesses against him were the men from
whom he had stolen the train, though his
own admissions were held sufficient to con-
Wet him. A scaffold was prepared for him
at Chattanooga, but the near approach of the
federal troops caused his removal to Atlanta.
just before his death he made n daring at
tempt to escape, and succeeded in making
his way nearly through the lines. He was
finally discovered, naked, and nearly starved,
in tree. by some little children who were
playing in the woods. They reported his
presence and he was speedily surrounded
and captured. He was then hanged almost
immediately His scaiiold was erected
short distance outside of Atlanta, about the
centre of what is now cotton field. He
died very bravely, protesting against the
manner OF bis death, and claiming that he
was executed in violation of law. He WAS n
magnificent specimen of manhood, and was
engaged to be married TO beautiful young
Kentucky girl within lew days OF the date
of his hanging. There were no unusual cir
cumstances attending his execution. He
died quickly, and apparently without much
suffering
SEVEN MEN HANGED on ONE sCAFFoID.
When the trial of the rest of the band had
begun, it was discovered that the court mar
tial had determined to make difference be-
tween the men who had been promised II
share of the SEQ, 600, to be given at the close
of the expedition, and those who were simply
detailed for service Wilhout knowing the pre-
else nature of the expedition. The trial was
a lengthy, tedious one, and the decision WAS
reserved for some days. One day the men
were in their prison playing checkers upon
the floor and singing quite merrlly, when
some one called attention to the fact that
lora lnl,- af bnrcnrnat haI halted n front
of the Jail door 1t was noticed that an ini
mense mass of people was collected IN the
streets near the prison. The door was
thrown open and an officer standing IN the
doorway called for William Campbell, OF Ken
tucky, Geo. ID. Wilson, Marion A. Ross, Per-
ry q. Shadrack, Samuel Slavens, Samuel Rob
inson and John Scott, of Ohio. The men
arose as they were called, except Robinson,
who was very ill with fever, and had to be
raised to his feet and supported while he
stood. The officer commanded the men to
follow him, and they lett the room with him.
The prisoners who were left were IN a deplora-
BILE state of uncertainty. They did not know
whether their comrades had been carried ont
for exchange or parole or death. No intlma-
tion of the decision of the court had been
given. At length they returned, headed 10y
George Wilson, who with face "a pale rs
death, said boys, we are to be hung i'm
mediatelyr'
The guards came in with the men. and tied
them hand and foot. During this prepara-
ton, the condemned men took last fare
well Of their comrades. Wilson. who had
been for years an unbeliever, turned to Pit
tenger, n comrade who was quite religious,
and said, ''Oh, Pittenger, | know that you
are right, and then, turning to his friends,
he said, Boys, when you come to die. try