Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-11-15
A NARROW ESCAPE.

The spies of TIE Army OF the Cum berland
was Harry Ner com r, Who before the war
lad driftel into detective work Hs n depu-
ly sheriff i'm IN Ohio county and had also
IpCn connected with tie secret service OF
the United States courts. lie entered the
| frny with the Eleventh Indiana battery,
lnd worked quttly on his own account,
| without even the knowledge OF the officers
VI his regiment. until he was ready TO TO
| port what he had done and gave informa
| lion which was found TO be true and valu
ible. He was man To whom fear was
Unknown and whose detective experience
IN private life had given him absolute
kelf possession in daLger. In time he be
tame connected with Captain Truesdail's
| department and entered upon a career full
Of adventure and excitement.
Once he felt the rope around his neck
and thought that the last had come He
had been in Shelbyville, Tenn, then oc
cupied by the rebels, and had escaped from
there by some sharp maneuvering. Pro
eeeding through Franklin with impor'
tant information toward Nashville, he was
met on the stairway <by "A squad OF four
Hen under Captain JOIN Harris Of Nor
ran's command, all Of whom were drunk.
Hewas hailed ut the point of pistol with
| the words;
"Who are you and where do you livei"
"My name IL Newcomer. and live six
miles from Nashville, near Brent
Bpence's," was the reply.
Spence was known to all, and Newcomer
thought the use Of his name would rs
sure him safety. But the captain was too
drunk to be subject to reason and would
not be satisfied. He asked. with a swag
ger:
"Where have you been and what In the
- are you doing hereS"
~ have been to Shelbyville TO see
| Spence's son, and took some ntraband
goods TO sell"
"You can go back to Franklin with me,
SIR" was the menacing answer. ~ know
| all about you. You are - Yankee
spy. You have been going backward and
forward here so much that the citizens OF
Franklin have suspected you for IA long
time and have reported you. / am salts
fed that you are a spy, and am going TO
hang you, - you. Bragg has ordered
me never to bring In spies, but to shoot or
hang them like dogs on the spot"
"If you do that, said the spy, In cool
tone, "you will take the life of a good and
true man. | can show by j. w. Ratcliife
| that ! am true southerner, and that
have done much good for the cause-very
likely more than you have-and that / am
| doing good every day live"
One of the men with the captain here
suggested that perhaps the prisoners
story was true, and that, Ratcliffe's house
not being over half a mile distant, it
would be- best to take him there for identi-
fcation. This was agreed to, but on the
| way the party stopped to take another
| drink, and under the influence of the
liquor the captain grew bloodthirsty
again and said, between hiccoughs;
"Boys, it's no use foolin. This fellows
a Yankee spy. Here's just as good
place as we can find to hang him. Take
| that halter off that horse and bring 1t
here"
The place was lonely and fitting for the
tragedy. 1t was now night. and the shade
| Of the forest along the road made the
| darkness all the thicker. Harris jumped
off his horse, put the halter strap around
Newcomers neck and with an oath drew
it tight. Newcomer had just breath
| enough left TO say;
"Captain, il il wrong to take a mans
| life on so slight suspicion. IL Is a vast
responsibility to take upon yourself"
al know my business" came the an
swer, "and don't want any advice from
a Yankee spy. Come alongl" shouted
he to his men, dragging the victim to
tree. Lets swing up this - rascally
spy"
The men hesitated and urged that
chance be given the prisoner at Ratcliffe's.
But they were commanded to help pull up
the rope and were about to do so when
Newcomer held them long enough to exact
~ he
diers that, If their captain did not, they
would report his death to General Bragg
This set the captain to thinking, and he
changed his purpose The journey to
| Ratcliffe's was resumed, and when they
| reached the house and Ratclitfe learned
| the facts he exclaimed aside to Newcomer,
| by whom he had been completely deceived
| I'm a former meeting, "Great God, Harry,
how fortunate that l returned home just
in time to prevent this drunken captain
| from carrying out his threatp'
The interview between Captain Harris
and Ratcliffe convinced the former that
Newcomer was all that he pretended to
be- and the captain said:
81 release you and restore you your arms
on the word Of Quartermaster Ratcliffe.
He assure me you are one Of the impor-
tant men in the south and secret agent OF
the Confederacy. | am very sorry this
thing has occurred and will make all
| amends in my power"
Newcomer refused all proffers Of help
and said that his business required him
to continue on his journey. Before he left
Ratcliffe supplied him with an envelope on
| which was written, "All right, j. w.
Ratcliffe," /" with the remark:
eff anybody stops you again, just show
them this and you will be passed at once"
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