The Sunday globe., 1901-05-12

from General Burnsides to allow no one
to visit them, to allow no clothing what.
ever except needed underclothing. No
newspapers were allowed, and all their
letters were to be examined
They were very anxious to obtain news
OF the war; and did everything they
could to- obtain news. But they were
closely watched, and there was only one
way in which they could-by running a
great risk, talk to the State prisoners on
the north side of the block $50
When this cell block was built the ar
chitects intended to improve the ventila-
tiOn in the cells by having an air cham
Der running under the lower cells, the
length of the block; from this air cham
Der there was a hole running up to the
top of the block. This chamber ran up
to the Point where the corners If four
cells met, two cells on the south and two
on the north side. From this center hole
there was an opening to each cell. This
hole was made small enough to prevent
an ordinary sized hand from entering it.
Through this hole the prisoners could
talk to each other, but it had to be done
in whisper, for it was certain ard Sc
we're punishment to be caught at it,
| was here prisoner when this cell
block was built, and saw Just how these
holes were arranged, and | concluded
that if could get my hand up to the
first turn / could get a wire over to the
opposite side. | was but a boy and had
very small hand, and by little turnin g
and twisting | succeeded, and after fish.
ing around my wire entered the hole
leading to Capt. b. +. Roberts cell, No.
10, He drew the wire over and to this
was attached thread, which we left in
the hole. ! then prepared bag or sack
from oilcloth, about six inches long and
in an elleptic shape, the ends being gath.
cred together and wound so as to make
the ends come to point, each end hav.
| ing wire ring fastened in it to hook a
strong cord. The white thread that was
| left in the hole all the time was broken off
high enough to prevent it being seen, and
| to each end was attached the bobbin of a
sewing machine. When either of us
wished to call the attention of the other
we would pull the thread gently up and
down, and the noise the bobbin made
notified us that there was a message.
always kept the sack in my possession,
for fear it might be found if left with
Captain Roberts, as they were searched
quite often.
We cerresponded every night, and
received notes and letters from Colonel
| Basil Duke, General Morgan, Captain
Perkins, Hines, Taylor, Colonel Dick
| Morgan, Major Built and several others,
and was assured by them that there was
not another man on our side correspond.
ing with them in this way, for none
could get their hand into the hole, They
/ 70 nat no no qr1
and gave me the money to get them.
got them through the drayman for De
night & Ide's contract, by paying him
well. But il was the next thing to death
to have even piece of newspaper found
on us those times.
One evening received note by tel.
egraph," " as we named our way of cor.
responding, from Colonel Basil Duke, in
which he asked me if l could draw a
plan of the prison, and, in particular, oi
the cell block we occupied. Heasked me
about the air holes in our cells, and
where they started from, if under the
cells or Just from the lower range up,
drew a sketch of the prison yard as it
| then was, and also explained to him all
about the air chambers under the cell
| block, telling him was here when they
were dug, and saw just how they were
arranged. | sent this and note the next
night, and in few days received note
of thanks from him.
Captain Roberts wrote me one evenin 2
that his companions, as well as himself
would like to see what kind of a loOkin 9
boy | wvs, and asked if | could manage
to get where they could get look at me.
No prisoner was allowed 10 go on that
side of the block All the prisoners who
occupied the cells above them were put
into other cells But thought of plan.
Morgan ind his officers would go to the
dining room for their meals Immediately
after the prisoners had all left ii. On ac.
count of my being only boy, and the
youngest prisoner in here, | was allowed
a great many privileges. So wrote him
that next day while they were eating din.
ner | would come to the dining room
and would have a paddle painted red
with the word "pass on it, and bottle,
as | would make the excuse that wanted
some vinegar did So and that night
received a note stating that the men were
all favonbly impressed with my appear.
ance.
About the LIST of November my mother
came to visit me, and |, of course told
my friends on the outside of IL, and sent
over what | could to Captain Roberts OF
the "good things she brought me.
They asked me if | could slip some let.
ters to her, and if she would mail them.
My mother was going to be there for
three or four days, and they allowed me
to see her every day during that time, so |
told him to have letters ready the next day
as knew mother would mail them if /
asked her. l intended to tell her they
were letters written by State prisoners
to their friends, and she would be more
apt to do so from the fact that we were
only allowed to write once every three
months, and then only six lines besides
the address.
The next night received over our
| telegraph route three packages,
twenty-one letters in all, addressed to
people in Tennessee and Virginia. can
only remember one address, which was
to Miss Emma Oats, Monticello, Wayne
County, Va
These letters / did up in as small a
package as possible, and when mother
came that afternoon / slipped them into
her muf as | sat by her side in the
guard room. For in those days the
guard room had no bars to separate us
from our friends. told mother to mail
part of them in Crestline, part in Mans.
field, and the rest in Wooster. Ina week
or so after | received word through Cap
tain Roberts that every letter safely
reached its place Of destination.
Shortly after this they asked if could
procure some knives for them, such as
we used at the table only sharpened to a
a point. They explained that before
they left the table every knife and fork
was taken up, to prevent any of them
secreting one and taking it to their cells.
There was no such rules with us, and
ayarxy Ia,r I rrtaJ