St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-16

- .ArTE/I IlLN tuC WOIuS.
NXE3 u They will be hung
n ~H at sunset" spoken
EX>Nz wv by the president of
IkNNG3y5cas the court martial, re-
lKTS IIL'IEIN sounded like the
EXSfSSAsVyyk tolling of funeral
@$SNArI,XHt0HH.hbell through the
YS\S fLNY Office of the provost
"T}taEzs7X3marshal at Mobile,
.~ Ala, on that MEM
A 0rable summer fore
~ noon in 1868, and in
this forcible manner
proclaimed the doom of the two con-
yicted Union spies, whose capture was
related week before, the eyes of the
United States secret service officer dis
guised as Catholic prieSt) were closely
observing the features of venerable
looking gentleman, who by his sad ex-
deplOre the loud Civilizations from
the mouths of the Confederate
tlrong around him. The look
that settled upon the aged indi-
viduals face, coupled with the SYM
pathiZing exclamation, TOO bad, too
bad that broke from his lips, but I'M
noticed by others through the excite
ment and tumult in the room, convinced
the secret service officer that the old
gentleman was bemOaning the result of
the military investigation. In a con-
versatiOn which followed, the surmise
that the punishment of the captiveS was
deplored by the civilian was found to be
correct. Passing into the street, the priest
cOntriyed to interest the kind-hearted
stranger in himself, and without wholly
agreeing with him in the opinion that
the hanging of the two men was an act
If hor no INV Of M
CLEANED the information that the speaker
was an intimate friend of the president
of the city committee of safety, Mr..
Hamilton, and that the latter could fur
nish a pass by which the priest would
be given permission to visit the doomed
men before the hanging, writes
Albert De Leur in the Boston Globe.
1t took but little strategy to induce the
ole gentleman to accompany the priest
to the office of Mr.. Hamilton and to
vouch for the disguised officers wish to
smooth the dark pathway the prisoners
were sentenced to tread by religious
counsel and admonition. The gentle
man appealed to proved to be willing to
do all i'll his power to make the few
hours of life allotted to the Union men
profitable to them. After thanking him
for the kindness extended, the cOmrade
of the captives left his presence with
Il letter to the major general command
ing the forces at Mobile, requesting per-
mission to visit the prisoners and aid
them in religious way to prepare for
their sudden journey to the other world.
At the headquarters the priest met
the courteous Gen. Leadbetter who,
when informed of the clergyman's err
rand, aided with a kind word the re-
quest, and the pass was issued with the
bluff advice: ''DOn't make them be-
lieve that the execution will be post.
poned. will have them hung to-day
sure. your reverence" a statement
which intensified the determination of
the priest to prevent the hanging, if
possible. Proceeding to the place where
the prisoners were confined, plan wsS
conceived of passing to them in some
way the two loaded re volverS the pri est
had Secreted beneath his casSock, and of
advising them, when the guard came to
escort them to the gallOWS, to draw the
weapons and thus bring on a fight in
which they would at least have chance
to die fighting for their lives, and thus
escape an ignOble death on the gallOWS.
1t seemed at that late hour the only
practicable way to act under the circum-
stances. as escape from the clutches of
the enemy with the possibility of saving
the doomed mems lives was too quixotic
an idea to be entertained for one mo-
ment. The prisoners had been removed
to the camp Of a regiment stationed in
the southern suburbs Of the city, and
when this place was reached they were
found in tent, guarded front and back
by SentrieS, but the priest encountered
no difficulty in his endeavor to visit
them, as
HIS PASS proved AN OPEN sFSA.tr
Entering the canvaS-coyered habita-
ton in company with the lieutenant of
the guard, he proceeded to inquire, in
that mOdulated tone circumstances and
his calling compelled him to use, if the
services of one deeply interested in the
present and future well-being of the
prisoners would be acceptable. 1t ap-
peared to speak well for the religious
views Of the captives that his proffer
was accepted with deferential show of
thankfulnesS and resignation, which
sent the Confederate officer to the right
about in few minutes.
1t was then o'clock in the afternoon.
After assuring himself that the SentrieS
were beyond observation, the as yet I'M
detected secret service officer held low
voiced, consultation with his comrades,
proposing the plan he had concei we'd on
his Journey to the camp. it was ac-
cepted with gratefulneSS, and the Ger
man prisoner secreting the revolver in
his clothing accompanied the act with
the assertion:
This will pay for my funeral"
Not word was uttered or a look
shown to prove that the brave boys re-
GREETED entering service in which dis
covery and capture would result so dis
aStrOuSly. They accepted their fate
like men, and the Philadelphia jok-
ingly remarked that he hoped he had
charged the Mobile man enough when
selling him goods in the Quaker city.
Among the many commissions given
the cOmrade to transact for the doomed
men, if the fortune of war should favor
him in escaping from the enemy's camp,
was the request of the Northern man to
pay his back dues to lodge in the East.
lie was a member of that greatest of
all families among men, whose off
springs are all of widows sons, bound
together in holy brotherhood by ties
recognized in all climes and countries.
mo, will face my fate like soldier.
thanking you for the means to escape
felOn'S DEATH" were the words that is
sued from his lips when the visitor
whispered proposition, but the sem
tence, perfumed with heroism, showed
in its construction that he would per-
form soldiers first duty-obey.
you will give me that ring and fol-
low my instructions" words earnestly
spoken by the superior officer had their
desired effect, and after shaking hands
with his comrades. the role of priest was
again resumed and a sOlemn-visaged
parsonage was reverentially escorted to
the tent OF the commanding officer of
the Confederate camp. In few mo-
ments conveyance was procured and
an officer, whose coat with star-bearing
collar denoted his high rank, accom-
panied the priest to an imposing resi-
dence in the best portion of the city,
where the twain speedily found them
SniN-n in thu nf IL