The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-11-14
A Thrilling Incident AT Libby,
rrom the Albany Evening Journal

by prison IN 1864, one was nne
looking Colonel from Indiana
big-bodied, big-brained, big-hearted
fellow. choke-fuIl Of energy. He
worked like steam engine until be
got out of Libby. Once he found
his tunnel too small for his burly
form once he was checked at the
outer end of by two or three arm
ed Confederate soldiers, who had
been quietly waiting for him; again
a clever ruse was detected Just as
be got to the middle of the gate, and
SO il went. until be had made half
dozen attempts. But he never gave
up, and finally got out, and now Is
a prosperous citizen of Indianapolis,
a trifie stouter than when he was IN
Libby, and good deal richer but
otherwise unchanged. As Uncle
Remus SAYS, the Colonel's min wuz
allus wukking" After two or three
attempts to get out OF Libby had
failed he began to suspect his fail
ures were the result of treachery In
the prisoners camp. Exchange,
like kissing, went by favor. The
Colonel, after thinking each failure
over. came to the conclusion that
some poor devil was selling his man.
hood for mess of pottage-carrylng
the favor which would " exchange
him to his home by betraying the
plans of his companions in arms to
the enemy. He loo ed about him
for the man. Cautious inquiries at
length gave him sucn information
as promp ed him to say to each OF
the other FIVE regular Army officers:
Meet me at such a spot at mid
night. | have found the traitor
We will cou t-mar ial him tonight. "
At midnight the six men met in
dark coroer, and in whispering
voices organized drum-head court
martial. The Colonel presented the
name of the suspect, and then his
proof. In the ballot that followed
each of the six voted guilty.
Now" said the Colonel, " this is
not a farce. We must vote a SEN
tence, and then we must execute 1t. "
"Very WELL" said the next man.
well" said the Colonel, vote for
death. The wretch deserves it. "
$50 do /, said the next, and so on
down to the sixth-a Pennsylvania
Major. He knew the culprit, a
Pennsylvania like himself, better
than the rest. He knew that he
was quite capable ofthe crime charg-
ed against him. he had no doubt
of his guilt. He wanted to see him
punished. He said all this to the
other members of the court, and
then he added But you know we
are not legal court martial. We
have no authority to act-certalnly
no authority to kill. We may sitt
the evidence presented against a
man for our own satisfaction, but
we cannot sentence, much less kill
him. The most we can do Is to
prefer charges against him to the
War Department. We can't kill
him." Suddenly interrupting him
self, he said: Colonel, what's that
in your hand ?" The rope" said
the Colonel, grimly I've been
plating it as we talked" and ne
passed it around. lie had taken an
old shirt, torn it into narrow strips
and woven it into something that
looked like a rope. Now, Major"
he said. when it was handed back to
him, "what you have said is all very
well. 1t does credit to your heart
as well as TO your head. But you're
outvoted; the majority is against
you. The sentence of the court is,
that scoundrel shall die, and die he
will this minute, for I'll kill him
myself. Come, Captain, he said to
the brawny Irishman next to him,
you and | will settle the rascal. "
Why, you wouldn't strangle him
in his sleep, would you?" asked the
Major, also on his feet as the Others
started towards the sleeping form of
the traitor. Certainly" whispered
the Colonel; why not?" " He
can't pray, and we can't have any
noise" You never will, )" said the
Major firmly, getting in front of the
Colonel; Il won't let you; you'll
have to kill me first. | won't stand
by and see you stain your honest
hands with his dishonest blood in
such a way as that. Why, man, it
would be murder. You would be a
murderer. | won't permit it."
Gliding softly before the rest he
reached the sleeping man and sat
down beside his bed. There he
sat till the gray morning came steal
ing in through the chilly atmos-
phere.
Long before that time the Colonel
and his companions, baffied and
disguised, had stolen away 20 their
sleeping places, carrying the plated
rope with them. As soon as the Ma
jor could see the traitors face in the
dim light of the dawn, he walked him,
and told him all that had occurred.
Now, sir" he said sternly, Il saved
your life last night, although | be-
lieved you worthy of death. | won't
do it again. l saved your life for
my sake, not for yours. My advice
is that as soon as the guard comes in
for roll call you get out of Libby, and
as soon as you get to Washington
get out ofthe army. If you're in the
army when / get out I'll prefer
charges against you, and if | meet
you I'll kill you" Trembling with
excitement the wretch, without
word of denial or palliation, got up,
and as soon as the guard came in,
got out. The stalwart six forwarded
charges against him from Libby.
When they got out of prison they
found him out of the army, so they
dropped the matter. The traitor is
in the army now, reinstated by act
of Congress, believe; but the Ma
ior who promised to kill him on
sight is under the green sod of the
prairie. Still, the Colonel would
make things lively for the traitor if
they met face to face.
Death in a Well.