The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-08-30
IN LIBBY PRISON.
GERS wbo we're Confined In TN
Above Prison.
iempis 10 E'eape-A Trntor Finally
suspected.
Vote for Dea,h-IIe deserved H..

A Washington letter to the Philadelphia
Record says: 0fthe six officers OF the reg
nlar army who found tbemse yes In LiDby
prison in 1864, one was a fine-looking col
nneI from Indiana-a big bodied, big.
drained, big-hearted fellow, chockiull OF
energy. He worked like n steam-eDglne
until he got out of libby. Once he ioupu
his tunnel too small for his ourly lorm
once he was checked at the outer end o. IL
By two or three armed Conieuerate soiuIeIs,
VINO had been quietly waiting Tor MN |;
srain a clever ruse was detected just as he
pnt 70 the middle of the gate, and so 1t Went
until he had made halfa dozen attempts.
But he never gave up, and finally got OUT
and is now a prospecting citizens OF lnuiaii-
gnolls. trifle sterter than when ne was IN
LIBBY, and good deal r'cher; but DINER
wise unchanged. AS Uncle hemus says
the colonePs min Wun IL;
wnkxinp.n After two or three OF bis
otIemnts to ret out OF Libby had Jailed
he pegan to suspect that his failures were
Inc result of treachery in the prisoners
camp. Exchange, ike kissing, went by "a
vor The colonel alter thinking eacn tall-
u-e over, came to the conclusion tnat some
poor devil was selling his MANHOOD lnr a
mess of pottage-currylng the favor winch
wonld "exchange" him to his home by be-
LING the plan of his panions.ln- arms
~ IN enemy. He looked about nm FOR
the man, Cautious inquiries at length gave
him such information as prompted MN TO
saw 10 each of the other five regular army
officers: meet me at such spot at MD
night. l have found traitor; we VIII
| co,irt-m artial him tonight AT mluiiign1
the six meu met in dark corner anu II,
v .h;s nsrine voices organized drum. head
o,nrf. martial. The colonel presented the
name of the suspect and then his proofs
r., the ballot that followed each OF
tho six voted "guilty." Now said the
coonel. TIhis rs not farce. We must vote
), so nte nee, ana then we must execu,e IT,
Very we'll" said the next man. wei,
SAID the colonel, 81 vote Tor He e. t Id.
wretch deserves it," 30 90 l.. saI VIZ
next> and so on down to the sixth-a Penn
sr,vania major. He knew the culprit,
a. p.nnsylyanian like himself, better thar
ina rest. He knew that he was qulte capa
HE ot the crime charged against MIN. a.
nod no doubt of his guilt. He wanted
!, see him punished. He said all this to to-
: other members of the court, ana theh u
added: "But you know we are not iega
court-martial. We have no autnpri'y W. =
NAV sift the evidence presented against
man for our own satisfaction, but we can
not sentence, much less kill him. IN
mnst we can do is to prefer charges agalh.s
f him in the war department. We cant XII
bim-." Suddenly interrupting MN
, self, he said: Colonel, what's that III, u
your hand?" The rope, saiu the co ~,
e mel erimlv; "I've been plating 1t as
ttlkeu,n aud be passed it around. lie ma
tsken an old shirt, torn it INTO narroN
srrins. and woven it into something ina
Ionten ike a rope. Now major" he said
: wben il was handed back to him, "wha
Won have said is all very well. IL doe
( credit to your heart as well asto your neaG
: Bnt you're outvotcd; the msJorlty
f against you. The sentence oil me courG g.;
u that the scoundrel shall die, anG die ne WI
: this minute, for I'll kill MIN myself. Come
v cantajn. ;" he said to the brawny lrishmaI
!, nsyt him. "you and / will settle the RAJ
v al - "Why, you wouldn't strange MI
. in his sleep, would your" asked the maJt
also on his feet as the others moved toWar
v the sleeping form of the traitor; Oe
4 tainIv," whispered the colonel, why no
He cant Pyyay' Ds spa WIZ Ts s ss the mso'
# firmly. getting in front OF the colone
:, 81 Won't let you-youN have to kl
a me first-I won't stand by and see yo
II stain your honest hands with hla dishohe'
. hood in such wav as that. why, MAJ
n II would be murder. You would be mu
IS derer. | won't permit it," Gliding solt
n before the rest, he reacheu u
sleeping man, anu sou al
n his head. There he sat TIL u
i. gray morning came stealingin through u
d chilly atmosphere. Long before that I'm
A. the colonel and his companions, bailleu al
,s disguised, had stolen away TO thelr siee
a inc places. carrying the plated rope WI
N them. As soon as the major couid see u
traitors face in the dim light OF tue oaw
re- he walked him and told him OF all that d;
il occurred. Now, sir" he said sternlY;
N saved yonr life last night, although D
10 lieved YOU worthy Of death. / Woat 40
re- again. 1 saved your life for my sake, n
" for sours. My advice to you Is that as so'
W as the guard comes in for roll'cali you
,e out Of Libby, aud as soon as you can get
4. Washington get out of the army. IL you,
ls in the army when / get out, III PREF
ir charges against you, and II meet yon
ir kin YOU. Trembling with excitement, u
Al wretch. without word OF denial or pam
Is ton, got mp, and as soon as tina guard can
In got out. The stalwart SIX iorWgTc'
b. charges against him from Libby; Wh'
of thew got out of prison they found nm
NJ of the army. so they dropped the matt'
re- The traitor is in the army now, reins'at,
ID by act of congress, | believe; but u
. major who promised N XII him on slsht
under the green sod of the prairie. 81
NJ the colonel would mako things livery
se the traitor II they met face to face.
| r.