Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-01-22

accOunt OF Gen. morgan 3 escape IrOb
the Ohio penitentiary and subsequent
adventures lie published in the Rich
mond Enquirer. 1t will repay a
careful perusai;
Their bedsteads were small iron
stools, fastened to the wall with
hinges. They could be hooked up
or allowed to stand on the floor, and
to prevent any suspicion, for several
days befor9 any work was attempted
they made it habit to let them
down and sit at their doors and
read.
Capt. Hines superintendent the
work, while Gen. Morgan kept watch
to divert the attention of the sentinel,
whose duty it was to come around
during the day and observe if any
thing was going on. One day this
fellow came in while Hokersmith
was down under the floor boring
away, and, missing him, said: "Where
is HokersmithP" The general re,
piled: "He is in my room SICK" and
Immediately pulled document out
of his pocket and said to him
"Here is memorial / have drawn
up to forward to the government at
Washington. What do you think OF
it?" The fellow, who, perhaps,
could not read, being highly flattered
at the generals condescension, took
it and very gravely looked at it for
several moments before he vouch-
safed any reply. Then, handing it
back, he expressed himself highly
pleased with it. In the meantime
Hokersmith had been signaled and
came up, protesting to feel every
unwell." This sentinel was the most
difficult and dangerous obstacle in
their progress, because there was no
telling at what tire he would enter
during the day, and at night he came
regularly every two hours to each
cell and inserted light through the
bars of their door to see that they
were quietly sleeping, and frequently
after he had completed his rounds he
would slip back in the dark with a
pair of India rubber shoes on, to lis
ten at their cells if anything was
going on. The general says that he
would almost invariably know of his
presence by certain magnetic shud-
der which it would produce but for
fear that this acute sensibility might
sometimes fail him, he broke up
small particles of coal every morn
ing and sprinkled it before the hall
door, which would always announce
his coming.
Everything was now ready to begin
the work. So about tho latter part
of October they commenced to bore.
All were busy-one making a rope
ladder by tearing and twisting up
strips of bedtick, another making
bowie knives, and another twisting
up towels. They labored persever-
ingly for several days, and after bor-
ing through nine inches of cement,
and nine thicknesses of brick placed
edgewise, they began to wonder
when they should reach the soft
earth. Suddenly brick fell through.
What could this mean? What in
ternal chamber had they reached ?
1t was Immediately entered, and, to
their great astonishment and Joy, it
proved to be an air chamber extend
ing the whole length of the row of
cells. Here was an unexpected in
terposition in their favor. Hitherto
they had been obliged to conceal
their rubbish in their bedticks, each
day burning proportionate quantity
of straw; now they had room enough
for all they could dig. They at once
commenced to tunnel at right angles
with this air chamber, to get through
the foundation and day after day
they bored, day after day the blocks
of granite were removed, and still
the work before them seemed inter-
minable.
After twenty-three days of unre.
mitting labor, and getting through q
granite wall of six feet in thickness,
they reached the soil. They tun-
nelled up for some distance, and
light began to shine, How glorious
was that light. 1t announced the
fulfillment of their labors, and il
Providence would only continue its
favor, they would soon be free. This
was the morning of the 26th day of
November, 1868. The next night, at
twelve o'clock, was agreed on as the
hour at which they would attempt
their liberty. Each moment that
interyened was filled with dreadful