Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-09-07

Arthur Epson, In the Independent.
How General Eckert Escaped Hanging.
At Troy, Montgomery Co., N. c., in
the gold-ribbed mountains of North
Carolina occurred one of the most TO
mantle episodes in the early life of that
picturesque old veteran, General
Thomas T. Eckert. who is now the
president of the Western Union Tele-
graph company, says the Philadelphia
Times. While Mr.. Eckert was super
intending a gold mine near Troy In
1861, an official of the Louisville &
Nashville railroad company wrote MI
Eckert a letter, saying, among other
things, that if Eckert would accept
"the president would put him in COM
mand of his forces This letter fell
into the hands of the Confederate au-
thorities, and they construed 1T to
mean that Eckert was to have COM
mand of an army to operate against
the Confederacy, whereas the real
meaning was simply to have general
charge of the railroad company and all
it's employees A drum-head court-mar-
tial was organized and Eckert was
tried, and, Notwithstanding he ex-
planned what the letter meant, he was
found guilty and was sentenced to be
hanged on the 10th day of June, 1861
He was confined in the Jail in Troy
Things had now got to be serious, and
in this dilemma Eckert remembered
physician who lived in the county OF
Randolph, who was his stanch friend.
He sent for this doctor, who by some
means induced the military authorities
to accept bail for Mr.. Eckert in the
sum of two hundred dollars, to return
on the day appointed and be hanged as
his bond required he should do. The
Randolph doctor signed the bond and
Eckert made him safe against the de-
termined forfeiture of it, Eckert then
left and went to Salisbury, and made
his way from there to New York by
way of Asheville, Hot Springs and
Knoxville. A short while after his
escape FROM North Carolina Mr.. Eckert
had occasion to visit the city of Allan
ia, and as he went into the hotel
mob was in front, and he observed a
man hanging to the lamppost. He
inquired the cause, and found that the
dead man was Yankee spy in the
south. and that he had been hanged
without judge or jury. Mr.. Eckert
tiMn registered in his right name and
from some town in the north. AS for
tune would have it, as he registered
he observed the name of Alexander H.
Stephens on the book, and being per-
sonally acquainted with Mr.. Stephens,
he asked and was shown to his room.
The Georgia statesman was glad to see
Mr.. Eckert-his Yankee" friend, and
they entered into a general converse
ton. Very soon there was knock at
the door and it was opened by Mr..
Stephens. Several men were present
representing the mob down stairs.
They told Mr.. Stephens they desired
that he should send Mr.. Eckert-his
Yankee friend-down stairs, as they
had "a little business" to settle with
him that would not require much time.
Here was a second proposition to hang
Mr. Eckert, and Mr.. Stephens so I'M
derstood it. He politely but firmly
told the mob representatives that Mr..
Eckert was his personal friend, and
when they got through with their bus
mess Mr. Eckert would come down
stairs After some time had elapsed
Stephens and Eckert went down and
mingled with the mob. but no violence
was offered. From Atlanta Mr.. Eckert
went home with Mr.. Stephens in order
to escape from the mob, and from
there he made his way to the north,
where he remained until the war end
ed Early in 1862 Mr. Eckert was ap-
pointed by President Lincoln assistant
secretary of war, and while exercising
these duties he acquired the title of
general. General Eckert is now 81
years old
Chinese Simplicity
After General Chaffee and an adj