The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-01-17

HOW w ESCAPED.
be going on whilst the necessary prepa-
rations were being carried on inside.
This was easily effected In fact, that
part of our scheme succeeded beyond
eur expectation, for, before 10 minutes
had elapsed, not only were the men
around the campfire deeply engaged in
discussion with the group near the door,
but the two sentries posted at each end
Of the building, being attracted by the
lively conversation, soon came forward
and stood leaning against the corner of
the building, listening TO what was said.
The position OF the enemy could not
be better for us BY means Of some
bars of iron in an instant two or three
planks of the flooring were quietly lifted
IN the middle Of the building close to
the rear. 1t was then discovered that
the shed was resting upon six posts
planted in the ground, and that between
the flooring and the earth below there
was a space OF over two feet on the rear
side. All around the building was a
small embankment covered with thick
grass and high weeds partly dried up,
ooncealing the hallow space below.
A little scooping with piece Of sheet
iron soon sufhced to dig out a fur
row deep enough to permit Of one man
reaching to the embankment on the rear
of the building, opposite the old car.
Watching the moment when the two
sentries were walking with their backs
turned toward each other, large, square
piece of the embankment was cut clean
of, leaving a hole large enough for a
man to pass through.
Then the active operation of escaping
began. As soon as the two sentries had
their backs turned, this piece of turf
would quietly be removed, grass, weeds,
and all, and as quick as lightning two
or three prisoners would crawl out on
their hands and feet, and hide them
selves under the imgrovised stairway of
the old box-car. The moment follow
ing the square piece Of turf was again
placed in position until the next oppor-
tunity came. From under the car the
escaped adventures would quietly reach
some thick bushes growing around a
stump, and thence would make for the
woods
/ could not say whether the old
negro couple who were in the box-car
noticed what was going on, but we OBJ
served that whenever the two sentries in
the rear were wheeling around, and turn
ing their backs to each other, precisely
at the same moment wood-splitting or
SOME OTHER NOISE
was sure to be heard inside of the old
box-car.
Besides, the cracking Of the dried-up
weeds under the feet Of the two sentries
as they stalked along contributed in no
small degree in deadening what little
noise was made by the escaping prisoners.
For fully an hours time this new
fashioned trap worked almost without
any interruption, except during the few
minutes when the two sentries were
facing one another.
This, however, was too good to last
hong. Suddenly we heard the call:
"Guards, fail inl"
At first we suspected that our scheme
had been discovered, but we soon found
cut that our apprehension was ground
less that the call was simply for the
purpose of relieving the guards on duty.
For about 20 minutes everything now
was quiet, and we contented ourselves
with watching on every side through the
slits between the boards of our prison.
We observed, very much TO our dis
appointment, that the two new sentries
in the rear of the shed would not give us
as favorable an opportunity as their pre-.
decessors had done.
Instead Of meeting at the middle OF
the building, they were quietly walking
following one another in such manner
that whilst one would start from the
middle of the shed after turning, in or
der to resume his march toward the
northwestern corner, the ether one would
start from the northeastern corner, and
follow his mate as far as the middle oi
the shed. when both would turn together
and walk towards the opposite direction
This spoiled our game. The success
= Of the morning enterprise, however, had
contributed TO embolden US considerably
and we lost no time in brewing some new
scheme.
Very soon the discussion at the front
door was begun anew, and ia a yer,
short time it became as lively as ever
Following the example set to them by
those they had replaced, the two sentrie
at The ends Of the building again cam,
MP TO the front corners and remained