Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-04-16
PLAYING FOR LIFE.
The Trying Ordeal a Scout Passed
Through.

Through.
When General Early made his
great raid OH Washington l was
scouting between his advance and the
city, and was captured within the
city limits twenty-four hours before
his gatherings appeared in sight. l
was dressed in citizens clothes, pre-
tended to be deaf and dumb, and
claimed to have been driven out of
Richmond because / had written
threatening letters 10 Jefferson DAY.
is. q.
1 had been Inside the Notifications
for half day and was slowly work
ing out, when couple of young men
both of whom were considerably the
worse for liquor, halted me and
wanted to fight. l had pencil and
block of paper with me and |
wrote:
81 am deaf and dumb"
That made no difference with them.
Indeed, they declared that it would
be a novel idea 10 lick deaf and
dumb man, and one of them gave Inc
a cuff on the ear. '.
In those days weighed l60 pounds
and had the mussle of prize fighter.
tried TO get away from them with
out further trouble, but when they
seemed determined to have row i
gave them what they wanted and
wasn't many minutes about it. A
crowd OF soldiers and civilians COL
lected, the provost guard came up,
and the result was as had anticipa-
ted. Twas arrested and taken off to
a guard-house. One of the young
men who afterward turned out to be
related 10 a member of the Cabinet,
followed me TO the Office of the Pro-
vost Marshal and charged me with
being spy. No one seemed to ell
terrain doubt that l was deaf and
dumb, as claimed, and my exami-
nation was carried on in writing. l
was asked my name, age, where born
and hundred other questions, and
then searched. They found nothing
OH me of eliminating nature, and l
reasoned that l would be detained
until after the excitement had passed
and then turned loose.
After being detained three days an
officer entered my quarters one MORN
ing and said to me:
swell, dummy, you can pack up
and get out"
The minute l heard his step out
side l was OH my guard, but he spoke
in such natural tone that came
near giving myself away. On three
different occasions during the year 1
played the part of q deaf and dumb
man, and l tell you it takes all the
nerve and presence of mind a man
can call up. l sat facing the d. o.,
apd while l heard his words, made
Reinforcement. He came closer and
said:
Come, pack up your traps you are
to be turned loose"
l looked him straight in the eyes
without winking, and after u bit a
look of chagrin stole over his face
and he motioned for me to follow
him. He took me to the Provost
Marshal's Office, and was ushered in
to private room where the Marshal
and three or four other officials were
seated. On the way to the office, as
we crossed a wide street, the officer
suddenly exclaimed: ~.
"There's runaway horse-look
outw
If hadn't been expecting some
such thing on his part l must have
betrayed myself. AS l 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 mistakew
/ entered the Office, knowing that
every trick would be resorted to to
break me down, and my nerves were
braced as if to charge a battery of ar.
tillery. was left standing by the
door for moment, when one of the
officials looked up and quietly said
"Take seat, sir, and we'll attend
TO you in moment"
/ made no move, but looked around
the room in stupid sort of way.
was looking out of the window onto
a roof when the same official said:
"You may come forward and take
this chair" y
l stood like stone, and he rose up
came over 10 me and led me to chair
at the table. When l was seated one
of the others remarked:
"Write your name, age and last
place of residence on a slip of paper
That was trick number three, and
1t failed as the others had. BY and
by the Marshal wrote ON slip Of
paper;
WHO are you and where from ?'
l wrote in reply:
II am Charles Jones, of Richmond
"But you are Union man ?" sug.
gested one of the officers aloud.
l saw his lips move but he got nc
sign from me. The examination con.
tinued in this manner for full hour
the men using every artilice to traI
me, but they failed 10 score single
point. l knew they would reserv,
the sharpest trick to the last, and wa
therefore nerved up for it. At lengll
the Marshal pushed back his chair
pointed his finger at my breast, ant
angrily exclaimed:
"Where did that confederate but
ton come from ?"
1t was another failure. Then Ii,
turned 10 his companions and said:
Gentlemen, its no use. The MAJ
is certainly deaf and dumb and I
d--n fool besidesW
eve have wasted our time," replied
second. "Ile is not only what h,
claims to be, but may be of great ser
wee to us, I'd have the officer tax,
him over to the Secretary Of War;"
81 guess 1 WILL" said the officer
and he rang bell and ! heard thu
door onnn Then he turned TO me