Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-12-20
SAVED BY i. lPRIEVE.
A DRAMATIC SCENE in CINCINNATI
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
Marrow Escape From Execution of Thomas
Martin, Guerrilla-sentenced by a Mill
tary Commission. but Saved at the Last

Martin, Guerrilla-Sentenced by a Mill
tary Commission, but Saved at the Last
Minute.
Thirty years G it was possible that tho
occurrence referred to in this connection
could enter the history of a great city like
Cincinnati under the circumstances which
are detailed here. But imagine such a
thing today-a man condemned to death
by musketry, all preparations for the event
fully arranged, and nothing lacking but
the accomplishment of the sentence, and
that interrupted at the last moment by the
Intervention Of a great power, and all, I'M
til the reprieve, without a word in the
newspapers Of the city, all without tho
knowledge of the people.
This affair had all the dramatic ele-
ments, with the exception of q love scene.
The place fixed upon for this killing of q
man was an old quarry of East Mount
Auburn, southwest Of the old sc%hoolhouse
of Southern avenue. Thomas Martin, a
Kentucky guerrilla, was to lave been Slot
there at 1859 O'Clock p. M, on Friday, tho
fifth day Of May, 1866.
According to general order No. 80, from
headquarters Of the northern Department.,
at Cincinnati, dated April rs, 1866, by
command of Major General Hooker, and
signed by O. H. Hart, lieutenant colonel
n assistant adjutant general, it had been
found that Martin was a guerrilla, but
that he was innocent of nearly all the acts
that had been charged against him during
his career as a guerrilla.
This order No. SO, as printed, showed
that the findings of tho military commits
es>r, ,.,> J,-no @~k,. H.. n n q ~
Captain William c.. Rowolle president,
had cleared this young man of every accu-
sation that had been brought against him,
save that he had been a guerrilla. He was
an Ignorant young fellow of the back
woods, about 21 years of age, simply a tool
to be used by others. Previous to the re-
bellion he had worked ON a farm in Carter
county, where he was born, and where his
father, two brothers and four sisters con-
tinued to reside.
! The reader will naturally inquire how
it came that, now the war was over, such
an execution should be on the carpet rs a
possibility. The sentence of the commits
sion had been passed in September, 1864.
1t was that "Thomas Martin should be
shot to death with musketry, at such time
and place as the commanding general may
direct, two-thirds Of the members of the
commission concurring therein" Under
the date of April rs the commanding gen
eral had approved the proceedings, find
ings and sentence and directed that tho
sentence be duly executed at Cincinnati
between the hou of 10 m. and 2 D. IN.
Friday, May 5, 1866. This was signed s'by
command Of Major General Hooker, o. H.
Hart, lieutenant colonel and A. A. G."
At about 1880 that day a detachment of
the Thirty-seventh Iowa and Ono Hun
dred and Ninety-second Pennsylvania, I'M
der command Of Captain Booth, post ad-
%jutant, proceeded to this spot and took up
a position on the ground mentioned. De-
spite the secrecy with which the whole
affair had been conducted these strange
preparations were Of sinister import to
some of the many who witnessed them.
Gradually there congregated around the
spot q crowd of several hundred from the
northeastern part Of the city. At that
period of C~incinnati's history this location
was very difficult of access.
At l o'clock the escort conducting Mar
tin left the Mclean barracks. AS the pris-
oner, supported by Father Garresche, en-
tered the close hack there was visible upon
his c%ountenance an expression of stupcfica-
ton that concealed the sharp points of
fear. A hearse bearing a coffin preceded
the hack, while in front, at the sides and
IN the rear marched the escort, with slow
and measured tread. This escort, COM
posed of men from the same regiments as
mentioned above, was under command of
Captain McLeary. As tho procession took
Its way north on Sycamore street the OBJ
servers on the streets supposed it to be a
funeral of one already dead, to whom mil
itary honors were being paid. Upon the
spot selected the guard and firing squad
were awaiting the arrival Of the procession,
when, at about Las, amessenger on horse
back dashed up and handed to Captain
Booth u dispatch just received at General
Rockers headquarters from the president,
ordering the execution postponed until
further orders.
Captain Booth then dispatched this mes
senger to meet the procession and inform
the captain commanding of the order. The
procession was midway up the hill, and
thence it returned to the barracks, Father
Garrasche having the pleasure of communi-
eral Hooker was not in the city that day.
It was given out at the department. head
quarters that tho reprieve had come in an
swer to a dispatch sent to the president by
the assistant adjutant general, in his gen.
erals absence, at the earnest request of the
doomed mans friends and the positive
representations of certain legal gentlemen
that they could point out such a flaw in
the court martial proceedings as would en-
title the man to a new chance for his life.
The execution was Indefinitely post
poned, and Martin may be living today.
Perhaps if he is he may have a theory OF
positive knowledge of what 1t all meant.
Certain it is that Of the many thousands Of
rough riders who overran Kentucky, Vir-
ginia and Missouri during the rebellion as
guerrillas Thomas Martin seemed one Of
the most insignificant and inoffensive
specimens that could lave been selected
for an awful example. The war had closed,
and Andrew johnson had succeeded Lin
coin. This case had dragged and perhaps
been lost sight of until there came a time
when something must be done or the find
ings completely ignored. 1t ma be that
General Hooker had a complete under
standing with the powers at Washington
when he named the time and place for this
execution that it should never occur. AL
ready in the minds of many. Grant was be
Ing looked upon as a presidential probable
ity. and neOnla generally wera ready to fol.