Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-07-03
Old Capitol Prison.
STUART SHOT BY THE GUARD.

Harry Stuart, who was shot and killed
whilst attempting TO make his escape from
the Old Capitol during the early part OF
the summer of 1862, was very bright, ami
able and attractive young man, scarcely
having more than reached manhood at the
time he was overtaken by death in its most
dreadful form. In statue he was rather be-
low the general run of men, but compactly
formed, active and strong, and probably in
perfect health. His hair and eyes were
black or deep brown, and his expression
and manners were exceedingly agreeable,
enabling him to win the warm attachment
of every one with whom he was brought in
contact ! think can convey a pretty
good impression of his appearance by stat
ing that l have frequently been strongly
reminded of him on meeting with Mr.. j.
Sprigg Poole, though poor Stuart was con-
siderably more fieshy in person than the
former gentleman.
The terrible circumstances OF this occasion
are ineffaceably impressed on my memory,
together with many other bitter experiences
of long and rigid confinement His mel
ancholy fate cast premonitory shadow over
Stuart's life from the hour of MAZDA Rasln's
escape, when we realized that our hopes
were defeated and our only means of escape
cut off He seemed to lose all discretion
and prudence, and frequently walked about
the room at night with the yarn socks over
his boots sunti near morning, trying TO
engage the different sentines In his scheme
of escape He was warned of his peril by
bold and firm friends who endeavorcd to pre-
vail upon HIM to be more reasonable, and
we tried to persuade him to believe the sim
Pile principle that"no traitor is TO be trusted"
but ii only resulted in our best wishes and
endeavors being received with fretfulness
and Impotence on his part, which restrained
us pretty much from saying anything to
him, especially as he had declared on one
occasion that he did not believe we wished
him to escape On the night before his
death he was standing at the table in the
larger of our two rooms, about 8 o'clock or
later, counting over some treasury notes. He
counted fifty dollars, rolled it up and tied a
string around it, and whilst SO engaged he
appeared buoyant like child. As he took
the money up and was placing it in his
pocket prisoner approached him and said :,
Harry, are you going to trust that d--n
devil with your liie." He replied, "don't say
anything to discourage me, am all right"
Our duty, had we been able to see it. should
have prompted us to have in some manner
prevented him from going But no one but
prisoner can fully realize the scrupulous
delicacy involved In such an Interference,
and II was this sentiment, presume, which
imperceptibly influenced us.
My bunk was under Stuart's, in tier of
two, that occupied the space from one wall
of the corridor to the other against the
locked door opening into the corridor, in a
little room formed by throwing a partition
wall across the corridor. This little room
opened into the larger room. When turned
in left Stuart leaning on the sill of the win.
dow, only a few feet from where lay, with
the sash thrown upand his head pressed for
ward against the "guard crib" Several times
during the night, from very uneasy slum-
Der, awakened and saw him in the same
position, and once asked him To come and
go to bed, but he gave me no audible an-
swer. In my sleep heard some one calling
''come on" and | think the calling con.
tinued some time and Stuart, have no
doubt, had dropped asleep. At last, in a
half-awakened condition, heard the voice
in a low tone say, "Come on, it will soon be
too light, come on" Then | saw Stuart
climb over the crib and he must have rested
his feet on the granite ledge below the win
dow to steady himself before letting go his
hold, but he had scarcely passed over the
crib when distinctly heard the guard say
shalt" and almost at the same instant came
the report of the rifle and the ball tearing
the plaster from above my head He got
back and fell on the floor under the window
before could reach him to assist him in ;
in fact it seemed TO me that he was blown
in, he got back so quickly The first thing
did was to raise his head and place my
pillow under him, then ran my knife blade
through his clothing and boot and removed
them, when the wounded joint, the knee OF
the right leg, was exposed with blood squirt
inn tF.t 4 e.:
ner. tourniquet was brought from the
hospital-steward' room and applied above
the wound, but it had very little effect to
check the flow of blood. He was bleeding
from about 4 o'clock, A. NJ, until his leg
was amputated late in the forenoon, and he
received no surgical treatment before 0
| o'clock, A. NJ
There was not really any reason for his
being allowed to die if he had been treated
in time; but it never did seem to us that
prisoners sufferings or death were regarded
as of any material importance by any of
the authorities except Col Wood. He, IN
this occasion, did everything in his power,
but he could not do much, owing to cir
cumstances. The fact is certain that Stuart
was the victim, as far as his death is con.
cerned, OF the absence OF prompt treatment.
His sutferings were dreadful, the mimic
ball having ground the joint into atoms as
il passed through. He seemed To care but
little for himself, and the burden of his scr.
row seemed to be his sympathy for his
mother. Later | saw her for a moment
bending over him as he lay dead in the hos.
pital ward, and now, though it has been
twenty-five years since the scenes here mar
rated happened, can see her still, the mos:
sublime and exquisite picture grief ever
looked upon.
Of course an inquisition was instituted
but Its only apparent purpose was to discov.
or what other prisoners were involved The
money Stuart had rolled up was never seen
again, and doubtless the guard got it, The
investigation was mainly directed To an en-.
ergetic determination 10 make me confess
my completely in poor Stuart's attempt Ia
escap', which the authorities expected 10
accomplish by placing me in solitary con
hnement the night after the murder in the
room where Stuart fell and where his blood
lay still on the floor in u large pool, with
the remark on the part of the detective who
shot the bolt on me that lolen kaeso h0to 10
open my mouth | could call the corporal of
the guard.
With health broken already, that night
gave my nervous system permanent shock,
and gradually subsidized into determine.
ton to await the offer of my release or pa
role or stay there till could escape without
being shot. Finally, after nearly eleven
months in prison, Secretary Stanton con.
cluded TO let me out on parole.
RUDOLPH WATKINS
Political Straws