The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-06-27

ne nole ln my ecu Qunng the progress of the work was kept covered with large hand satchel containing my change of clothing. We cut from underneath up- ward until there was only thin crust of the cement left in each of the cells from which escapes were to be made. Money was necessary to pay our expenses of transportation and for other conting gen- cies as they might arise. General Nor gan had some money that the search did not discover, but 1t was not enough. Shortly after we began work wrote te my sister in Kentucky a letter, which l through trusted convict sent out and mailed, requesting her to go to my library and get certain books, and in the back of designated one, which she was to open with thin knife, place therein a cert lin amount of federal money, repaste the back, write my name across the in- side of the back where the money was concealed, and send the box by express. In due course of time the books with the money came to hand. The book se- lected as a medium for the transmission of the money was an ephemeral political publication of no intrinsic value, with the title, believe, of Sam, or the History Of Mystery" It only remained now to 1 get information as to the time of the run ming of the trains and to await a cloudy night, as it was then full moon. Our trusty convict was again found useful He was quite an old man, called Heavy, had been in the penitentiary for many years, and as he had been SO faithful and his time having almost expired, he was permitted to go on errands tor the officials to the city. gave him ten dollars to bring us daily paper and six ounces of French brandy. Neither he nor any one within the prison or on the outside had any intimation of our contemplated es- cape.
 It was our first thought to make our way to the confederacy by the way of Canada but, on inspecting the time ta- ble that we found in the paper, it was seen that @ knowledge of the escape would necessarily come to the prison of- hcials before we could reach and cross over the Canada border. There was noth- ing left, then, but to take the train south, which we found, if on time, would reach Cincinnati, Ohio, before the cells were opened in the morning, at which time we expected our absence to be discov- cred. One thing more remained to be done. and that was to ascertain the cas- iesr and safest place at which to scale the outside wall of the prison. The windows opening outward were so high that we could not see the wall. In the hall was a ladder setting against the wall, fifty feet long that had been used for sweeping down the wall. A view from the top of the lad der would give us correct idea of the outside surroundings, but the difficulty was in getting that view without exciting suspicion.
 Fortunately, the warden came in while we were discussing the great strength and activity of Captain Samuel B. Tay- Tor, who was very small of stature, when it was suggested that Taylor could go hand over hand on the under side of the ladder to the top and, with a moments rest, return the same way. To the warden this seemed impossible, and to convince him Taylor was permitted to make the trial, which he did successfully. At the top of the ladder he rested for a minute and took mental photograph of the wall. When the warden had Jeff, Taylor com. municated the fact that directly south and at almost right angle from the east end of tho block in which we were con- fined there was double gate to the outer wall, the inside one being of wood- en uprights four inches apart, and the outside one as solid as the wall the wooden gate being supported by tue wing wall of the female department, which joined to the main outer wall. On the evening of the 27th of November the rInndy wRAofhAp an oa~s4c~1xx watched for came; and prior to being locked in our cells it was agreed to make the attempt at escape that night. Cell No. 2I, next to my cell, No. 20, on the trst range, was occupied by Colonel R. C. Morgan, brother of General Morgan. That cell had been prepared for General Morgan by opening hole to the cham Der, and when the hour of locking up came General Morgan stepped into cell :I, and Colonel Morgan into General Morgan's cell in the second range. The guard did not discover the exchange, as General Morgan and Colonel Morgan were of about the same physical propor- tions, and each stood with his back to the cell door when it was being locked.
 At intervals of two hours every night, beginning at eight, the guards came around to each cell and passed light through the grating to see that all was well with the prisoners. The approach of the guard was eften so stealthily made that knowledge of his presence was first had by seeing him at the cell door. To avoid surprise of this kind we sprinkled fine coal along in front of the cells, walk ing upon which would give us warning. By singular coincidence that might have been fatality, on the day we de termined upon for the escape, General Morgan received letter from Lexing- ton, Ky, begging and warning him not to attempt to escape, and by the same mail received letter from a member ofmy family saying that it was rumored and generally believed at home that had escaped. Fortunately these letters did not put the officials on their guard. We ascertsined from the paper we had procured that train left for Cincinnati nf o~I os th ss~- s>.