The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-12-05
DEATH OF JOHN s. MAY.
The Well Known Citizen and Veteran
Passes to the Great Beyond, After
Months OF Suffering.

John S. May an old and highly respected
citizen of Saltwater a battle SCARED veteran of
the late war and a valued employe of the state
prison. died the morning of Nov. 27th,a few min
utes before ten O'Clock. His death was due to a
general breaking down caused by privatiOnS and
exposure suffered while prisoner in Anderson
vile during the war. He has been very serious
" i'll in consequence on several different Occa-
sOnS but with his indOmitable pluck he fought
against his maladies. all the more grim because
it batfled the knowledge and skill of his medical
attendants.
About six weeks ago he suffered another re-
lapse which obliged him to retire from his
duties as a guard at the prison. and it seems
that on this last occasion he seemed to have a
| premontiOn that the end was near. He grew
steadily weaker day by day but bore his suffer-
| ings uncOmpaningly until he at last
| mustered ont of service by the grim angel
| Death.
The deceased was % years of age. having
| been born in Allegheny county. Pa. in 1910. He
came to saltwater in 1857, and worked at his
| trade of carpenter until the war broke out
| when he enlisted. For the past eleven years he
| has served as guard at the prison. his service
| being broken by occasional attacks of illness.
| He is survived by a wife and one brother.
William NJ. May. for many years a resident of
this city
HIS PRISON EXPERIENCE.
| Mr. May WAS captured by the rebels in an
engagement near Petersburg. Va. on the 22nd
day of June. 1861 with 1000 of our soldiers and
taken into Petersburg that night. They were
| Immediately transferred to Libby prison. re-
naming there two DAYS. After being searched
and everything of value stolen. the prisoners
were then removed to Belle Island. remaining
there ten days. and were then transferred to
Camp Sumpter. at AndersOnvile, Ga.
His treatment was of the same general in
human kind with which all are familiar. and
need not be detailed here.
| Mr. May remained in this den of horrors two
! months and five days. and was then (Sept. ~
started for Salisbury, n. c.. via Wilmington
| Sherman was in that vicinity and the sound of
his cannon could be distinctly heard in Whining
| ton. On the 18th he started by train for Sails
| bury, and that night. when about 65 miles out
from Wilmington. he resolved to make one
desperate attempt to escape. The guard at the
door of the car was asleep and with his loaded
musket across the doorway. and John. taking
down his haversack containing about a quart OF
corn meal stepped lightly over the PROSTATE
guard; and after satisfying himself that the fel
low was really asleep, crept softly to the edge OF
the platform. peered out into the gloomy nigh,
and essayed the bold leap. The train was
moving at the rate of about twelve miles al
hour. and in the utter darkness il was impossi
BILE for him to even guess the nature of the
ground. He went whirling down an embank
ment and was rendered insensible by the fall
He recovered, however. in due time. and was
glad to find that no bones were broken. The
traiD WAC Of o. r. obliged
guess which direction to take. but fortunatel!
took the right course, and at daylight left the
railroad and, creeping into the bushes. SLEPT
soundly through the day.
He found the negroes invariably friendly
They were always only too willing to furnish
him food and shelter and to give him direction.
as to the proper route, and how to avoid thu
rebel pickets
Reaching Cape Fear river on the fourth day
ten miles from Wilmington. he found thai
stream swollen by recent rains, running with
swift current and about One-fOurth of mile il
width.
friendly darkey offered to assist him il
crossing the river but diligent search failed tt
discover boat, but finally they appropriated {
! big watering-trOugh which they rolled down tt
| the waters edge. 1t was an exceedingly diff
cult and hazardous undertaking to paddle across
the rapid stream; but freedom was too near
and too many formidable dangers had beer
encountered and overcome to think of falterins
now.
Johns experience in riding logs and navigat
ing all kinds of crafts on the Minnesota streams
was of inestimable value to him in this emer
gency. The darkey had narrowing doubts as tt
the journey across the raging waters in tina
sort of conveyance. but upon Johns assurance
of his own thorough knowledge of that style O
, navigation, and the further assurance that i
they reached the other shore in safety the slave
would breathe the air offreedOm, the poor fellow
braced up took fresh courage and the two Sc
out on their perilous voyage. They got across
in due time, taking diagonal course down th'
stream. Reaching the other side, the Negro
being familiar with the roads they had but LITTLE
difficulty in reaching our lines at Wilmington
He arrived there Sept. 23rd, having been fiv'
days and nights making the trip. His weight a
, that time was just LOG pounds. He received ;
furlough of thirty days which he spent at home
returning again to the front, where he remained