The National tribune., 1885-02-19
+" ENGINE THIEVES .
The Great Story of 90 Capturing a
Locomotive"
by REV. wa. PTTTESGER,
iCOPYEI6TTED, 1851.
CHAPTER X.
4 HORRIBLE PRISON.

A plain picture of the Chattanooga prison
| into which the members of the railroad party
were thrust cannot be given in all its detail
without shocking the sensitive reader. Even
when the coarser features are omitted enough
will remain to task crcdnlity The book and
newspaper accounts published by the survivors
are not, however, the only evidence upon
which the extraordinary story rests.
Yet would not hold the Southern people oil
even the Confederate Government wholly re-
sponsible for the barbagous and outrageous
treatment experienced at this place. The sys-
tenn of slavery is primarily responsible, for ii
provided such dens as the negro prison at Chat
| tanooga. An Incorporate man or Northern
| brth-tien. Lcadbetter-found that the for
! tunes of war had placed a score of men, one
after another, in his hands, and, feeling that
they deserved severe treatment for the daring
character of their enterprise, he recklessly
ordered them, as fast rs they were brought be-
fore him, to be committed TO " the hole with
out stopping to consider what accommodations
il afforded. His subordinates, afraid of being
themselves suspected of disloyalty If they
showed sympathy with the prisoners, offered
no rem0nstrance and the result was suffering
almost too fearful for belief.
The Captain, to whose charge / had been
committed by Gen. Leadbetter at the close OF
my examination, called guard of eight men
and conducted me through the streets to the
northern part of the town. We halted before
little brick building surrounded by high
board fcnce,-the negro prison of Chattanooga
| known as the hole A portion of the build
ing was occupied by the jailer. The prison
part consisted of two rooms, one directly under
the other, and also partly underground. The
upper room accessible only by an outside
staircase and the lower had no entrance except
from trap-door directly overhead.
The jailcr, whose name was Swms, met us at
the outer gate. He was poor, ignorant crea-
4,,,o ,.ol e tbas moo wi n
the South, and had all his life been engaged in
the lowest employments. He was old,~pcr-
haps 60,-and had abundant hair, which was
very white, while his face was dry and with
cred. His voice was always keyed on whin-
ing tone, except when some great cause such
| as request of prisoners for an extra bucket OF
| water excited him, and then it rose to a hoarse
| scream. Avarice was his predominant charac-
teristic. He seemed to think that his accom-
modations were vastly too good for negroes and
! Yankees. and that when they were admitted
to his precincts they should be thankful and
give as little trouble as possible. Such man
was able TO greatly aggrayate the hard lot OF
i the unfortunate prisoners III his care 1t
| should also be stated that he very fond OF
a DRAM and frequently became sufficiently in
toxcated to reveal many important matters
! that would otherwise have been concealed.
Swims hustled up TO the gate, growing about
! being troubled so much, unlocked it, and, ad-
mitting us, led the way up the outside stair
way into the outer room. | then thought l
understood why the General called the place
the hole" This room was only Is feet square,
and entirely destitute OF chairs, beds, or any
! conveaiences whatever Five or six old, mis-
| erable-looking men were in it, who appeared
not TO have been washed for months. l shud-
dered at the thought OF taking up my abode in
| such den. But was not to be allowed that
! luxury.
Said the iailer TO the Captain, where shall
put him?"
Below. of course" replied the Captain.
The jailcr advanced to the middle of the
| room, and, taking large key from his pocket,
| knelt down and unlocked two rusty locks;
| then, with q great effort, raised ponderous
| trap door just at my feet. The hot air and the
| sitting stencil that rushed up from below
drove me back a few steps; but the bayonets of
| the guards were just behind, and i was COM
PEELED to move forward again. long ladder
| vas thrust down through the trap door, and the
warning given those below TO stand from under.
A mingled yoiley Of cries, oaths, and remon-
| strances assembled, but the ladder was secured,
and | was ordered TO descend ironed as / was
The long chain and ropes had been taken Off
| but the handouts remained. / did hot like TO
go down that ladder into the gloom below, but
| there was no alternative. The darkness hid
every bject from view, but | ciambered down
step by step TO depth of fully - feet,-for the
/ place, as | afterwards learned when ] had more
| leisure for observation was of cubic form, just
Is feet in length breadth. and hight. l stepped
! of the ladder, treading on human beings
could not discern, and crowded in as best as |
| could.
The heat was so great that the perspiration
! started from every pore. The fetid air made
me for n time deadly sick, and | wondered if it
could be possible that they would leave human
| beings in this fearful place to perish The
H., - .E, Ill r ksn1n
| instantly before me. / did not think life could
| be sustained in such place for many hours.
! But was yet TO learn the wonderful possibili-
| ties OF human endurance.
Ny breath came thick and heavy, and / ex-
! pected saifocation. The ladder was drawn up,
and with dull and heavy thud that seemed
| to strike my heart the trap-door fell. 1t was
! like being closed alive III the grave! ] wedged
and forced my way through the throng TO the
window. The one ! reached was just beneath
! the wooden outside stairway, and even at noon
| gave very little light. The only other window
| was at the opposite side Of the room and below
| the ierel OF the ground They were only holes
! in the thick walls foot square, and filed with
| a triple row of thick-ses iron bars that almost
! excluded every current of air. | got my face
near the bars and breathed the purest air /
could get, until the horrible sense OF sutfocaton
! diminished as / became partially accustomed
| TO these fearful Surroundings, and then turned
! TO ascertain the condition of my prison COM
paniOns IL was wretched beyond description
! They were ragged, dirty, and crawling with
rermin. Most of them were nearly naked ;
| but the air was SO stifiingly warm that those
who had clothing had removed all they could.
! ! soon found it necessary myself TO disrobe, as
/ far as my handouts permitted, and even then
| the perspiration was most profuse. Ii was an
atmosphere 81 death
j was the first one of the "cnginc thieves"
/ nut int ~. IoH
been captured earlier When | entered there
were Ii other white prisoners and one negro
: is IN sil-crowded into room Is feet square.
My dungeon partners were East Tennessee
! Union men. Ia how many other prisons these
| hapleSs victims TO their own loyalty were i'm
INJURED i cannot tell found some of them in
/ every prison Of which / became an inmate, in
| Virginia and Georgia as well as Tennessee.
| The negro had been arrested on suspicion of
| being fugitive, and treated in the manner
usual in such cases. No trial was granted A
/ suspected fugitive was simply arrested and
severely logged. This usually brought some
kind of a confession, true or false, as the only
way TO stop the torture. he was then commit
ted 10 prison and advertised in accordance with
his confession. If no answer came in speci-
fed time, he was taken out and fiogged into a
new confession, and rc-advertised. Thus whip
ping aud advertising continued until the close
of the year, when he WIS sold at auction to pay
jail and whipping fees IL he was slave, his
master could take him out earlier; but a free
negro had no prospect but the year of torture
and afterwards perpetual bondage Can we