Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-04-30
A Visit to the Ohio Penitentiary Twen.
ty-two Years After the Success
- full Break for Liberty. u .-
Special Dispatch to the ENQUIRER. |

Special Dispatch to the Enqurer.l
COLUMBUS, OHIO, April 25.--The ex.
traordinary escape of General John H.
Morgan and six out of the seventy off.
GERS of his command, who were con-
fined with him in the Ohio Peniten-
tiary at Columbus in 1868, has been
given renewed interest by the visit to-
day of Chief-Justice Thomas HI. Hines
and Adjutant-General John b. Castle
man, of Kentucky. These two officers
ofMorgan's command had charge of the
conduct ofthe military operations au-
thorized by the Confederate Govern
ment in 1864, and have agreed to write
an account of that thrilling and un-
known feature of the wars history
and begin its publication in the June
number of the Southern Bivouac, pub
lished at Louisville, KY, and to run
probably through twelve months. The
June number will contain an account
of the escape of General Morgan and
six of his associated officers from the
Columbus Penitentiary on the night of
the 9th of November, 1863, and will
contain correct account of this mis-
understood accomplishment.
Judge Hines was then Captain Hines
of MorganNs cavalry, and is the officer
who planned and executed the escape.
He then occupied cell No. 20 on the
first range of cells in the eastern wing
of the penitentiary, and his familiarity
with the construction and arrangement
of the prison where he was confined
twento-two years ago is very remarka-
BILE.
The method of escape and place and
manner of scaling the double gates
have been listened to with intense in
terest by the prison guards. Colonel
Castleman was not in prison here, but q
year afterward was captured in the
Northwest and kept in close confine-
ment at indianapolis, next cell to Mr..
l.. P. Milligan, whose sentence of death
was commuted to Imprisonment for life
at Columbus. The prison at Indiana
polls was then under charge of Colonel
William Q. Warner of Ohio.
At the time of the escape, which was
not discovered until eight o'clock on
the morning following, that famous
excitement in this city, and many ru-
mors were in circulation about the af-
fair. II was said at the time that the
prisoner had been aided by outside
parties, and that there had also been
treachery among the officers and guards
ofthe penitentiary. The commandant
ofthe post, Colonel Wallace, and the
Warden of the penitentiary, N. Me-
rion, were accused by some hot-heads |
of having received "rebel money"
The Governor and military officials
here at once instituted vigorous ex-
animation, which resulted in the
exoneration of the above named Off |
GERS. Posters offering reward of 81 900
for the capture of Morgan and his cap
tains, dead or alive, were posted all |
over the city and State, but nothing
could be learned of their whereabouts. |
Among the rumors circulated at the !
time was one to the effect that after
escaping from the penitentiary by tun-
neling beneath the wall, the Confeder- |
ates made their way to the home of
Judge Thurman, who secured carriages |
and had them conveyed to a station on
the Little Miami Railroad west of the
city, where they took thesC Cincinnati |
train. This story, Judge Hines says, is
not true. Judge Thurman, nor no one
else in Columbus knew of the proposed
break for liberty, and it was unjust to
even suspect such an act on his part.
Judge Hines states that after they
had made their escape from the pen
and found that they We're not discover
ed they proceeded to the old depot. 1t
was then after midnight. Captain
Hines went into the depot boldly and
purchased seven tickets for Cincinnati,
while his companions remained outside.
The depot ut that time was an old
frame structure, and was frequented
but little at that hour. When the Gin
0innati train crossed High street, Gen
eral Morgan and his Captains swung
on and scattered themselves among the
passengers. Just before the train
reached Cincinnati General Morgan
pulled the bell-cord, and he and his
trusty followers escaped in the dark
ness. They made their way by the
early morning light to the Ludlow fer
ry, and were soon among their friends.
The distinguished guests were treated
with marked courtesy at the peniten-
tiary to-day the officials found out
that, although it had been twenty-five
years since Captain Hines had made q
study of the building, his memory was
still fresh and he seemed familiar with
the entire structure. Views were taken
of the exterior and interior of the main
building, from which cuts will be made
to embellish the proposed work.