The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-11
MoReAS's FAMOUS ESCAPE.
The Death of Judge Hines, of KEN
lucky, Revives the story.


From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Bx-chief Justice Thomas II. Hines OF
the Kentucky Court Of Appeals, who died
in Frankfort a few days ago, planned the
famous escape of Gen. John Morgan from
the Ohio penitentiary. On the night of his
death Gen. Basil w. Duke. Morgan's
chief lieutenant, told this story to re-
porter. He said:
THE escape from Columbus was plan
ned. and in great measure executed. by
Capt Hines and Capt. James Hooker
smith of Madisonvile, Ky. Hines had
heard I'm some way that an air chamber
extended under the lower range of cells,
and he thought this the more probable, as
in no other way could he account for the
dryness of his cell. Subsequent investiga-
ton proved this TO be correct, and, after
consultation with Gen. Morgan, it was de-
termined to cut into this chamber from
Hines cell and dig tunnel into the pris-
on yard. A number of men were taken
into the plot. Five besides Hines were
| selected to do the work.
They began digging through the eighteen
! Inches OF stone, cement and brick that
composed the floor of the cell, using case
knives that had been distracted from the
| dining ROOM The dirt was concealed In
| handkerchiefs and under the beds until IL
\ could be disposed of. Hines swept and
| cleaned his room every day and threw an
I old sack over the opening that was being
made. The guards would look In, and,
4 seeing the cell so neat and tidy, would
pass on. Finally, the air chamber was
| reached, and, after much labor, the tun-
mel was finished, extending to the point
In the yard whence 1t was intended to
make the exit
THE men selected to attempt the escape
! with Gen. Morgan were Capts. Thomas II.
| Hines, Ralph Sheldon. Sam Taylor, Jacob
| Bennett, James HockerSmith and Gustav
| us MCGEE. They all occupied cells on the
! ground floor except Gen. Morgan, and il
was arranged that ON the night of the es-
cape Gen. Morgan was 10 exchange places
with his brother, Col Richard Morgan who
occupied one Of the ground-fioor cells and
between whom and the General there was
a striking resemblance. Men working from
| the air chamber had cut away the stone
and concrete beneath the floors of the ave
cells, from which other occupants besides
Capt. Hines were to escape. Only thin
shell was left, so that II was only neces-
sarV for the occupant OF the cell to stamp
on the floor and break through. 1t was a
little after midnight when the men enter
ed the air chamber. leaving stuffed dunn
mics in their beds.
They made their way, each armed with
Il Stout kHiIe as a. weapon OF uelenSe.
| through the tunnel. and cut away the sod
| that closed the aperture leading into the
yard. IL was rainy and cloudy and they
| passed to the outer wall the bad weather
| having driven the sentries and the dogs
that guarded the yard at night to shelter.
! BY the help of rope and an imorovised
hook they scaled the wall and, separating
| into pairs, took their departure.
The escape was not discovered until the
next morning. when the rope was found
hanging from the wall, and there was hub
hub and confusion among the guards and
| rejoicing among the prisoners
4 Gen. Morgan and Capt Hines iTnme-
diately on their escape took the train for
Cincinnati In the suburbs Of Cincinnati
Gen. Morgan pulled the bell cord, ana he
at one end of the car. and Capt Hines at
the other. put on the breaks, causing the
train 20 slacken speed so that they could
| jump off. They then went to the river ana
paid boy 81 to row them across to the
Kentucky shore, and went through KEN
lucky and Tennessee reaching the Confed-
crate lines after many adventures