The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-11-13
A New Libby Prison Story.

wartime comrsde OF Captain Samuel
T. Hamilton. the newly appointed police
marshal. of Baltimore. teas the Washing
ton Pest very interesting story OF him
IN connection with the Incarceration OF
Captain Hamilton and himself in Iabby
prison.
I'VE were quartered on the top floor OF
that hell-hole.' said the Old soldier, sand
from the top floor clear down to the cell
lar there ran a hatchxay. used In time Of
peace for lowering and raising hogsheAds
OF tobacco. One Of our fellowA who was
a goo deal OF deyn in his way. had
occasion 10 visit the edge of this hatcSa-
way one night. and noticed a guard in the
cellar squaJte1 on his haunches with hsa
musket In his arms and apparently fast
asleep on the edge OF the ha;chxay there
was a barred with rope handle on each
side This barrel was used as q reccps-
Gle for al sorts OF refuse. This dare 1evI
soldier quietly stepped among the sleeping
forms and touched sam Hamilton lightly
on the shoulder. awakened him. and beck
oned 10 h.n 10 follow to tho hatehway.
Then ne mo;ionsd to have Sam take ons
handle while he took the other. and an q
at the word three. both let go. That barrel
was aimed squarely at the head Of tAs
Sleeping sentinel. but by some occult
means ne seemed 20 realize that be vas
IN danger. and suddenly jumped 20 one
SIDE. and as the barre struck the ground
he gave the alarm BY firing his mnSket-
The shot was taken up and repeated by
the guards outside. and than two battal-
IONS OF artillery. stationed over at Belle
Isle. b-icled forth volume OF smoke and
fame In an instant the long roll was
sounded. and from the left 70 the rszhs
flank OF Lees army around Richmond
could be heard the alarm repeated from
regiment TO re regiment There was a great
cOmmoton. and. Of course. an invssuga-
ton.
Next morning when u was discovered
that the slop barrel was missing from ths
upper floor. an attempt was made 10 force
the confession from the culprit. Every one
Nas as mum as an oyster. No ono knew
anything about It. Finally tho governor
OF the prison announced that uDth the Of
Tenders made confession tast DOOR would
DE kept without rstions. This lasted "a
hours. Then Sam Hamilton asked 20 be
taken 10 the governor.
When he reached that august persons
presence he said; I "a no; 30 tlas thing,
but / going 10 confess that en9.
car not stand q 70 see my comrades starvs
% de8 "a. tho man who al IL II too
mean 70 confess that he was guilty % shs
accident. or crime. whichever yoa Ike
10 call q. am not guilty. but I p.B con-
fsss that I ga Il Just 10 stop thS stsTva-
ton"
We'll. n you are rot guilty saN ths
governor. who had something % s@ass
OF hnnOr. what DO you confess forT
Wel.' replied Hamilton. you can ,aks
me out and shoDt me, ~ you ike. I would
jrs as soon De in shsoI as this place.
not stand q 20 zee thsss poor fellows
here kept without food any ioHEsr'
Hamilton was confined in ne dungeon
for another twe1sy-fogr hours. AMI tSsa
be was released and the ra<ons we're re-
stored. ! have always suspected" con-
tinued the narrator. that the sovsruor q
l. boy was cgTf1ent that Hamilton vas
ihe man Who pitched that barrel down
there bat BE- Eas too much of a good fsl-
i7w ~ heart not 70 spgrec2ats ths ioxs
of the affftsffFr %