The Sunday globe., 1901-05-12

geon to make him tell where he got the
knife. Those were anxious days for US
all, and in particular for me, but | was
assured by the men that Major Bullltt
would never tell. They kept him in the
"hole for forty days, and then carried
him to the hospital TO save his life, But
he never told or hinted as to how he
came by the knife, think the Major
was in the hole when Morgan escaped.
A few days afterwards they asked me
to send over two or three knives just as
they were, but to get the longest ones l
could. l did so, and these were the tools
they used to dig their tunnel. But |
knew nothing about their plans, as did
not ask, but when, on the morning of
November 2Sth 1868, heard Of the es.
cape, understood for what purpose the
knives were used.
That evening | got a message from
Captain Roberts, who told me of the fuss
they had when it was discovered in the
morning that Genaral Morgan and six of
his men had escaped Said he in his
note "Merion, the vigilant, came rush
ing down to their quarters and ran to cell
35, on the second range, revolver in hand,
duh lObhluk III saw NOlDhNi DAAh hOA ERhg
and thinking it was the general, went
back, saying: 81 don't give drmn If
they all had got away so Morgan is left.
Then we commenced to sing such
songs as Lock Your Stable Door Morgan
is Around, and Look Out Morgan is
Coming for we saw that he had not yet
discovered the change made by General
and Colonel Dick. But they soon found
Ia. g.. 49, -
gone. Then our feathers went. up and
theirs went down. We have been locked
up in our cells nearly all day, and sol.
der IS marching up and down each range
all the time. We will have to be very
careful for few days until the Yanks
get over their soreness.
For three or four days we did not use
our telegraph" when one evening
Captain Roberts gave me the signal that
there was message. | sent over the mail
bag and it soon came back with notes
from Captain PEI kns and Captain Rob
erts. Captain Perkins was sick and
asked me if l could get HIM an apple.
Captain Roberts wanted to know if l
could get my mother to come and visit
me if they gave me money to pay her
expenses. They wished to send some
more letters out, and had no way to do il
but by me. | could get any letter Of my
own tahen out and mailed by the dray
man fer our contract, but | was afraid to
risk any Of their letters with him. had
the drayman bring me in some apples the
next day, aud also mail letter TO my
mother, telling herto come here imme-
diately. She came the next week and
was ready for her with several letters my
friends had written. Captain Roberts in .
structed me to be careful of them, and il
there was the least chance of being dis
covered to burn them, But ! got them
to my mother all right. ! gave my
mother $50 of my money, as | was then
making over a dollar day overtime.
The evening that gave Captain Rob
erts the message that the letters were
safely on the way, he wrote a long letter
on the love of mother for her child.
One part Of it will never forget; it was
as follows: "0h, who can measure the
depth of a mothers love like the
boughs of tree that are ever extended
to receive the weary of wing, so are the
the arms of a loving and devoted mother
ever extended to welcome to her heart heI
child. No matter if he has broken all
laws-human and devine-he is still hel
boy, and her mother heart goes out in
welcome to him"
Some time in December of the year
1868, an unexpected change was made,
or rather two changes, for about this
time Colonel Basil Duke was taken to
the old Illinois State prison at Alton that
prison having been turned into a military
prison. The authorities considering him
the brains of General Morgan's s command,
General Morgan having been nothing
more than the workman to carry out Col
onel Dukes plans. They also said that
Colonel Duke being removed from the
others there would be no more well laid
plans for escape
Shortly after Colonel Duke was taken
away all the others were placed in the
west hall. The prisoners there having
deem brought from that hall and locked
up in the east and middle halls. In the
west Hall Morgan's men had it all tC
themselves, and after this saw them nc
more"
5. d. Miller was sent to the Ohio peni.
tentiary in 1852 from Cleveland, on the
charge of kidnapping. He was sent up
for seven years and was in the peniten
tiary under the name of 5. d. Monty.
He is now residing at Lancaster Ohio,
and quite recently forwarded to the
writer, in pursuance of promise and
agreement, the foregoing confession,
which there is hardly the slightest d)ubt
is the true story in every particular of the
celebrated escape of the no less cele.
brated Confederate partisan, General
John Morgan, from the Columbus, Ohio,
penitentiary, on that eventful night in
1863. Editor Globe.