Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-31
PLANNING AN ESCAPE
PLOT OF LIBBY pnson,o ,.,
TO CAPTURE RlcAMosr s'ss

| operation from W.sh.-
Plans Well Laid-uow a. N
Was Defeated at Last. 'sAsas
We opened correspondence viii, -
GUS Abbey Green, a brave u.,,' ~ nott
living In the city, noted for be- = u son~
patriotism and the bravery with =, sssp0aa
approached the columns of Fedar., .n,'l =
where, despite the bayonets !, !. prisoner
she gave what relief she could 49,. guard
loaves of bread to them at tia ns'. ssa losing
The noble woman gave relief s,,s y nfs :
words to thousands, and bravsls. cneerhg
Richmond, known to and fea,s'' ssaid
bells, whom she defied. II thors = " The n
execute, she was the one 70 - "z plotb
we opened correspondence w,ts lerate 50
ial.hiu, coiored boy on mental duts sa !.
prison. we carefully stated our d. u
In return received plan Of the c;ss u aad
cation OF the arsenal, correct stas. and b
the number Of troops in the city ths H.
OF the home guard and all other ins s strength
needed. ofmatiM
After the plans were maturpa oil Z,
willing to cooperate were formed iM '.en
tallons and companies, and dr;l,o, :. 1a''
fully and frequently as possible, Rys..'a,!rs
that could be was converted mtc. "ynlns
and several pistols and bowie kniv.s y ssspon,
received among the contsnts Of H. ~ ~ tssn
delivered to us before an exsmins,iss my
required, and these we had kent ~su ss'
cealed, and they would help create ~ !. 0a-
strike for freedom A few wes,o.,. ~ our
hands OF desperate leaders would a. IN ~ 40
work. W Oloody
In order to make our plot a s,,co,,.
deemed nece sary to inform the s,oss,I ~ s
at Washington, and get, il possba 'i i. sl
A fine opportunity of doing tais ocsu y, ~
when the surgeons were released St.,
ments OF our plans were written on yerv a..
paper, and this folded up tightly r.. us
cealed in the staff buttons of their un;sos ~,
which were constructed SO that thu bas,.
the buttons could he removed, SHOWING ~; y
space capable Of holding q laroa nay Ss' y
tine paper. The button heads on banr
placed gave no evidence Of the yalpahs = ~
posits beneath. Thus we succeeded I. " y
forming Mr.. Lincoln and the secret.rr :. !,
war of our intentions.
A cabinet meeting decided the nans !.
submitted perfectly feasible, and pre,aratio1s
were at once made to aid us, and an a..
was sent down to the peninsula to draw 4.
Confederate forces all out of the civ n =
pei him in his supposed attempt to anti.
Richmond. tie did SO, and we saw frcm H.
windows OF Libby the Confederatea m...S
by to meet him. There were left only AM.
300 home guards Our plan was to assemble
on q certain evening in the lower middle
room, burst open the front doors, seizs M
guards In front, disarm them, and with tina
arms so gained intimidate and take nr;son.
ers the officials of Libby, then march 10 ina
arsenal, fighting the home guard il epcopn.
tered on the way, and, with the arms in tha
arsenal, we would march to Belle Isle. and
arming the prisoners there, march back. an
army of 6,000 strong. We could then easily
have taken possession Of and held Richmond
against any force until Cen Butler, march.
ing up, would have REINFORCED us, and thu
city would have been ours
Our plans, as we supposed, were well laid
and every thing in regard 10 their successful
completion progressed as favorably as we
could desire up to the very evening Of the
night on which we determined to make our
kit. From the windows we observed, about
to'clock p. m, a "iackass battery as it was
lerisively styled, being located in front Of
Libby, and G. eatly increased guard put On
luty, while company of the home guards
'tood in front.
Presently Maj. Turner, with a squad, as
,ended the stairs, and in loud tone an.
bounced the order that all prisoners were to
descend to the lower middle room Not
dreaming of the trap about to be sprungon
rs, and thinking there was to be all inspec
lion of some kind, we obeyed the order With
out reluctance, there being no necessity for
guards to enforce it with the points of their
bayonets, as they seemed inclined to do OF
tho least hestancy to march forward quickly
When all were below guards we're stationed
st the head of the stairs. and we were told it
would be perilous to attempt to come up until
,rdered to do 30.
Hour succeeded hour, and darkness set in;
till we received no intimation OF release and
1t last the truth began to dawn upon ourbe-
1ildered understandings. We were prS-
'ners in twofold sense in Libby, and under
lose surveillance, in one of the rooms
What did it meant Had some one turned
sraitor and disclosed our plot! II such
me had been known he would have been
brown corpse from the windows
n torn to pieces, but we could not fully re-
,lize that such had been the case. Our plan
vas nipped, but we could try it again we
zero kept in the room described several
fours and then released and permitted to &c
cupy our accustomed places, but we found
,ur rooms had been thoroughly ransacKed
oid everything in the shape OF a weapon
AIKEN. Evidently our plot had been disclosed
md frustrated. Our privileges were tower
.fterwards, and closer watch was had over
,rr actions. The outside guards were IN
reased, aud SO much vigilance manlfcslea
hat we concluded not to mako our attehip'
Tor q time at least.
The manner In which the prison ofliclaS
we're made cognizant Of our plans was ior .
long time a mystery The generally accep'ea :,
solution of the problem was that some one I"
our number had sold us out. l never knew
the true cause until after the war met on'
day in Washington city Capt Jackson wa.
ner, described before as the quarternas'e,
who furnished us beef and bread. l aSAeN
Capt Warner the question. he sala no ~
lnembered he occasion well and what eAci'o,
lnent it caused. When spy, VINO hau io ~. .
long time been among us, dressed In s,iln ,',
uniform, to report our sayings anu uo"s
daily or weekly, as was deemed III, on
nounced that we had formed plan to ese'p !,
lie was instructed to watch closely anu ~
port progress, which he could easily 90 i ipa
we talked and planned without secrecy. LA
a cat playing with the mouse, they p.A; ~.
with us, and when tired, and just al ,.,s
proper time, came down in force-Dr' 'OD'
.Genry, Fifth Ohio cavalry.
PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE