New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-05
SENTENCED AND SAVED.
THE STORY OF A NARROW ESCAPE.
UNITED STATES sEsAToR DANIEL w. VOORHEES,
DESCRIBES AN EPISODE IN PRESIDENT LIN
coins CABRERA CLERGYMAN's PERIL

coins CABRERA CLERGYMAN's PERIL
Copyrfghi, 1885.
Wien was n member of the House Of Represent
atives. during the war; there lived in the county OF
Owen. in my Congressional district, gentleman
by the name of Buitt. related to the well-kDown
family of that name III Kentucky. His wife was
a refined, cultivated. and very attractive woman.
They were in moderate circumstances, but in my
travels and labors in their vicinity often partook
OF their warm and genial hospitality Their friend
ship for was constant and devoted, and was
strongly attached to them.
Opo gloomy, dark afternoon In the winter of
1864, while seated at my desk in the Ionse. re-
ceved Mr.. Bulltt's card saying he was at the East
door and wished to see me Immediately. 1t was
almost year since had met him. and Tat once
felt l know not why, an ominous dread that some
calamity had Overtaken him. The moment APP
preached him this prescntment became certainty.
His wife was standing by his side, with q look of
terror and anguish, which, SEEM could never he
forgotten. Her face was white, her lips apart. and
her eyes filed with an expression of intense fright,
and at the same time intense supplication against
some impending and appalling disaster. They had
come direct from the depot to the Capitol, and were
trave-stained and without rest. We sought the
shelter of committee room, and .here heard from
Mr.. Bullitt. aided now and then eager but sup
trip to Washington and of their deadly alarm.
Mrs. BullItts father was the Row. Henry NJ.
Luckett. Methodist minister. then seventy
years of age. He had cached during his long life
In Illinois. Kentucky. Missouri and elsewhere At
the time the rebellion broke ont he was living at st.
Charles, Missouri and had saved up quite COM
petencc for his old age IL happened that his means
werc so invested and situated that everything he
had in the world suddenly lost to bin. The
blow Frustrated him. He was not physically
strong at best, and beng of an exctablc tempera-
ment, his nervous system became greatly impaired,
and finally broke down. His mind and spirits par
took of his general depression and he took very
morbid view of his condition and of his future. He
was exceedingly sensitive about being dependent on
any one for support. and soon drlftcd into the
gloomy belief that he would become pauper and
die public charge. These ideas combated
by his family AID friends. but they deepcned their
ho on him until he was really monomaniac on
that subject. although sound OIL all others In this
condition he visited niece at Memphis, then In
possession OF tho Federal forces under command of
General Hurlbut His excited and unguar led talk on
the subject of his losses and his great anxiety to
pair them IL possible soon attracted the attention
of certain yigilant detectives in the employ of the
Government. This old man. shattered in health and
unbalanced in mind. was not difficult subject Tor
their tact and skill. They found he WAS Southern
man by birth and that he sympathized with the trials
and suferngs of the southern people They assured
him that tho Southern people were at that time in
the most urgent need of qunno and OF percussion
caps and wonld pay fabulous prices for them that
there was no difficulty in trading through the lines /;
that they would put up the necessary amount of
money, 90 into the enterprise with him, and make
a large sun in the way OF profits. This alluring
cs,o nj In Intended
victim The contraband articles worc procured.
wagon with false bottom was furnished TO carry
them 10 the enemy and when all the details OF the
plot were ready. Mr.. Luckett was arrested by his
accompliccs loaded with irons, and speedily trcu
and condemned by military court
At this stage of the narrative. which havo given
q, s,hs,ana. ~. -rsu-cd ana for fow moments
looked at each other In silence.
ale is TO be shot day after Tomorrow" said Mr..
Bulltt. while his wife shivered rs with chill.
awe have como" he continued. his eyes filling
with tears. " knowing you will help US IT you can.
We don't know what else to do. nor whether. in
fact. you can do anything Before leaving home
We got some papers signed by those who know
Father Luckett and know his condition."
With this he handed me several written state
mants hurredly gotten mp. but which corroborated
his own Just mado to me. Ii then 1 o'clock. and
In less than forty eight hours this was TO die,
and felt that tho volley Of death poured into his
breast would hardly be moro fatal to him than TO
his devoted daughter | thought rapidly, and yet
for some minutes | could strike no plan III my own
mind which promised success. There was no time
for formal application to tho War Department for
mitigation of the sentence and if there had been
knew not to make it Stanton was Secretary of
War J saw from tho first that Mr.. Lincoln himself
was our only hope / knew him well. During the
first eight years of my practice i'll the courts met
him very often and In all kinds of litigation In all
his intercourse with me- both before and after he
became President, lie was very courteous md kind.
and yet In n matter grave rs tho one in hand,
doubted and hcstatcd rs to the best method of APP
preaching him. 1t period of great distrust (:
the very air was full of it, and the offence commit
ted By Mr. Luckett was of the highest character and
called for tho penalty of death, unless his mental
condition and the conduct of the detectives made
the exercise of clemcncy proper aud necessary. At
that time tho Senators from Indiana were Henry 5.
Lane and Thomas A. Hendricks. had known Colo
mel Lane from my boyhood had studied law in his
Office and entertained for him warm and enduring
friendship He was indeed, u charming man To me,
and upon finding myself his colleague in Congress.
he in the Senate and in the House. had always
gone TO HIM for assistance. and never IN vain. In
all matters not of political character knew MS
relations with Mr. Lincoln were excellent and do
termined to ask his aid in behalf of the unfortunate
old man doomed 80 soon to die | sought him at
once at the Senate Chamber, and finding that body
adjourned, went to tho National Hotel where
Colonel Lane lived. | met him as he was going to
dinner, and begged him to allow me few moments
He did so, and listened until hurricdly and imper-
fectIy outlined the offence for which Mr.. Luckett
was sentenced to death. For the first and only time
in his life Colonel Lane replied to me ilnpatienty
and In a tone of some asperity:
"If the man." he exclaimed, has been supplying
the rebels with ammunition aud qunlne "ouiu
not interfere to save his life If he were my own
brother