Connecticut western news., 1886-03-17
PLAYING FOR LIFE.
X SPY'S SCHEME TO TR1Gk HIS
 PRISON GUARDS.
Making Believe Deaf and Dumb Un. der Trying Circumstances Three Attempts to Catch
 Him Mapping Fail.

dlm N0DPlnS C8h'
 When General Early mads his great eaid on Washington, writes an ex-Con federate in the Detroit Free Press was scouting between his advance and the city, and was captnEed within the city Iimitu twenty-four hours before his bat tie flags appeared in sight. l vas dressed in citizens clothes, pfetended to be deal and dumb, and claimed to have been driven out of Richmond. because l had Oritten threatening letters to Jefferson Davis.
 I had been inside the Notifications for half a day, and was slowly working out, when couple of young men, both ot whom were considerably the worse fol liquor, halted me and wanted to fight. had pencil and block of paper with me, and I wrote:
 "I am deaf and dumb"
 That made no difference with them. Indeed, they declared that it would be a novel idea to lick deaf and dumb man, and one of them gave me a cuff on the ear.
 In those days I weighed 1e0 pounds and had the muscle of prize fighter. 1 tried to get away from them without further trouble, but when they seem determined to have a row 1 gave them a l they wanted, and wasn't many min utes about it. A crowd of soldiers and civ iians collected, the provost guard ae up, and the result was as l had an ticipated. Twas arrested and carried of to guard house. One of the young men, who afterward turned out to be re- lated to member of the cabinet, fol lowed mo to the office of the provost marshal and charged me with being a spy. No one seemed to entertain doubt that was deaf and dumb, as claimed, and my examination was carried on in writing. I was asked my name, age, where born and hundred other ques- tions, and then searched. They found nothing on me of a eliminating nature, and reasoned that I would be detained until after the excitement had passed and then turned loose.
 After being detained three days an of fcer entered my quarters one morning and said to me:
 "Wel, dummy, you can pack up and g>t out. ' .7,- ---se"
 The minute I heard his step outside I was on my guard, but he spoke in such a natural tone that I came near giving my self away. On three different occasions during the war I played the part of a deaf and dumb man, and I tell you it takes all the nerve and presence of mind man can call up. sat facing the door, and, while heard his words, made no movement. He came closer to me and said:
 "Come, pack up your traps; you are to be turned loose.'
 looked him straight in the eyes with out winking, and after bit look Of chagrin stole over his face and he mo- toned for me to follow him.
 He took mo to the provost marshals office. and I was ushered into a private room. where the marshal and three O. four other officials were seated. On the way to the office, as we crossed wide street, the officer suddenly exclaimed:
 "There's a runaway horse-look out .'' If hadn't been expecting some such thing on his part I might hnve betrayed myself As I gave no sign, continuing on with my head down, l heard him growing:
 "They think they've got a sucker, but they'll find out their mistake" I entered the office, knowing that eve trick would be resortcd to to break mo down, and my nerves were braced as if to charge a battery of artillery. l wa; left standing by the door for a moment, when one of the officials looked up quietly and said:
 Take seat, sir, and we'll attend to you in moment"
 made no move, but looked around the room in a stupid sort of way. I was looking out of the window on to roof when the same official said:
 You may come forward and take this chair'
 stood like a stone. and he rose up, came over to me, and led me to chair at the table. When was seated one of the others remarked:
 "Writc your name, age and last place of residence on slip of paper"
 That was trick number three and it failed as the other had done. By and by the marshal wrote on slip of paper:
 "Who arc you, and where from?'
 wrote in reply:
 1T am Charles Jones, of Richmond"
 "But you arc Union man?" suggested one of the officers aloud.
 saw his lips move, but he got no sign from me. The examination continued in this manner for full hour, the men using every artitice to trap me, but they failed to score a single point I knew they would reserve the sharpest trick to the last and was therefore ncrved up for it. At length the marshal pushed back in his chair, pointed his finger at my breast and angrily exclaimed:
 Where did that Confederate button come from?'
 It was another failure Then he turned to his companions and said: