The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-16
SAVED BY A SECOND.
How One of Lincoln's Reprieves Was Delayed
by Break in the Wires.

How One of LincOln's ReprieSeS was DeIayeM
by Break in the Wires.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
''The most impressive sight ever saw, I
think, at Harper's Ferry in Co. said Detec-
tive c. W. McElroy yesterday afternoon. The
detective is member Of Perkinss agency, and
was at one time sheriff Of Oswego county New
York. The conversation was brought about by
a remark upon the impressiveness of the funeral
services over General Grant.
The sight of a man going to his own funeral.
with the oand playing dead march, is calcu-
lated to impress one" he continued ''That In
the case, you know, with a man condemned to
death by court martial The case of which L
spoke happened in January, 1865, and the won
derful escape of the condemned parties is some
thing I shall never forget Twoilrishmen, John
Shea and Michael Doane, had been sentenced to
be shot for desertion. There was considerable
feeling in favor of the men. 1t was in the time
of big bounties, and the two young men had en-
listed for something like 81, 600 piece In few
caught for three or four weeks. They
We're drunk, and their money was about
gone. The truth of the matter was that
it was no case of willful desertion. The
men had got on drunk and had never sobered
up enough to realize their position. They were
badly frightened, and were attended by two
priests. They were marched up little hill
on a level plateau, and the soldiers thrown into
three sides OF hollow square The two men,
accompanied by their priests. and preceded by
the band playing the dead march, were marched
around the inside of this square and stopped
nearly in the center, by the side of their open
collins. The priests were in earnest converse
ton with them and the minutes rolled till they
grew into an hour. Twelve o'clock came, and
General Stevenson gave orders for the priests to
leave the men. Very reluctantly they did so,
prolonging their leave-taking upon one pretexs
and another as long as they could Everything
was at last made ready, and it was only a mat
ter of seconds between the men and eternity,
when the Generals orderly rode up swinging
his hat and yelling at the top of his voice It
was repreve from Lincoln.
1T seems that the priests had telegraphed tho
President the night before, asking for re-
prieve, and stating that there were mitigating
circumstances. Lincoln, who was always Look
ing for chance to save a mans life, reprieve6
them. General SteyensOnS headquarters Were
nearly mile from where we were, and the tele-
graph Office was at his headquarters. He had
left mounted orderly there with instructions
to rush through any dispatch that come. Moth
orderly dashed away. He had to 90 up steep
hill, nearly half mile long. When he reached
the top his horse was badly winded and could
hardly 60. He met citizen good horse,
and without any ceremony pulled the gentle
man down and mounted the fresh animal. Half
q minutes delay would have been the last OF
Messrs DoaIe and Shea.
A Strange part OF the story is yet to coma
Some three years afterward | met an old tele-
graph operator in Oswego He -wa..,n yaobinc-
ton in the winter of 1864-65 We cot %
....ning over War matters, and I found that hn
remembered the case have told you about. He
was in charge of the wire leading to Harpers
Ferry. He had heard of the two men to be exc
cuted there, through the operator. They had
discussed the matter the wires. Conse-
quently he remembered the case WELL Upon the
morning of the execution. at 10 o'clock, the dis
patch reprievng the men was handed to him tn
send out. He turned to his DESK and what was
his horror to find that he couldn't work the wire.
w n al
the matter. At any rate the wire would not
work There was no other way of reaching
Harper's Ferry The dispatch he didn't get OF
until just before H. but, as it haC,ened, IN good
'''''' w. 80 .oa me It was an experiences nre+ as
would never forget Altogethe., l" ""' Aonz
close shave for the two Irshmen, ana
believe they ever forgot the accident either"