The National tribune., 1896-11-05
ANOTHER RAIDER GONE.
Death of One oG1ttchers Men Calls to
Mind an Inci6%it of the Escape.

Mind an Incf6Nit of the Escape.
EDITOR NAr1os4I TRIBUNE: E. H.
Mason. who was opv& the Mitchell raiders,
died recently at his home in Pemberville,
o. That leaves b1t zine survivors OF the
expedition. Albert Wilson and / were the
only two that attended the funeral.
The death of Comrade Mason recalls an
incident connected with our escape from
prison at Atlanta that perhaps has never
been made public. 1t was arranged that
Mason, Knight, and myself were to travel
together to the Union lines. After we had
overpowered the guards and secured their
guns, we scaled the high fence that sur
rounded the prison, and started tor the
woods on q run. The timber was q mile
distant.
When we got about halfway I noticed
Mason was falling back, although making
heroic efforts to keep UP. By the time
Knight and I reached the woods Mason was
40 rods behind. We halted for few mo-
ments, and Mason came slowly up. He was
pale and trembling.
Said he: "Boys, I can't travel. Go on
and save your lives if you can"
NO." said Comrade Knight, Eve will not
leave you. We will carry you to house
and chance being captured"
Mason rejected the proposition, but We
assisted him as best we could for about q
mile, when we spied house. We picked
him up and carried him toward the house.
As we came near the house the blood.
hounds began to howl. This brought out a
boy, an old woman, and two girls. We
walked bodily up, and told them we had
sick man who could not travel; that we
wished to procure shelter for him.
avail" said the old lady, take him in
thar, and throw him on the bed" They
looked very suspiciously at us. We laid
poor Mason down; he was SO weak he could
not talk, and knight and were very tired
and hungry. But we had no time to lose. The
excitement was high back at Atlanta, and
pursuing party would soon be upon US. We
bid Mason good-by, and was about to depart
when, to our surprise, the woman of the
house asked us to have luncheon. we
helped ourselves from the set table.
whispered to Knight: Did you notice
that small boy ride away on horse?" Knight
said: IL did, Brown, and l believe that old
bag has sent him to bring someone to capt.
ure us. Keep a sharp lookout. If the rebs
appear before we dispatch this grub, it will
be fight or foot-race-perhaps both.
The way that food disappeared from the
table was caution. Just as we were rising
Knight looked out of the window and ex-
claimed, "There they come, Brown; there
comes two of the ,dnsky devils; let's give
them the best WEI ye got in the shop" and
we prepared to meet them.
They came rushing into the house, yelling
"You - Yankee engine thieves, we've
got you now. We are gwine to take you
back to Atlanta and hang you"
They carelessly set their guns up in 8
corner, and Bill Knight winked at me.
could always hear Bill wink. We bounded
like panthers and grabbed those guns, and
leveled them on tie rebs. They cried
Don't shoot, Yank don't shoot"
Promise us one thing" said Bill Knight
Zone of our comrades Ties in the room there
very sick and caf7t travel; will you swear
that you will NOT hurt him, and that you
will take care of Him until he gets able t.
walk" lis%f'o
1--WE will be good to him. Yank."
Welowered our pieces, but kept our eyes or
their movements. We entered Mason's room
and shook his hand and bid him good-by
and we dashed out at the door and disap
peared in the dense forest.
AS we crept along through the bushes
Knight said, l wonder what will be the
fate of poor Mason 2" But, as has beer
seen, he got through all right.-W. w
Brown, Second Lieutenant, Co. F, 21s1
Ohio, Bowling, 0.