The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-12

all again allowed exercise I'm the outer yard
of the prison. which on entering forced as
TO be confronted by that huge machine OF
death. and a little TO the south side OF IL
the eye rested upon four mounds Of new
heaped earth. testifying the undeniable
fact that beneath those cold and cherries
hillocks rested in the quiet sleep Of death
all that but a few days before were life
and sensibility. Day after day We con-
fronted this scene. the scafold remaining
in all its hideousness. involuntarily caus-
ing the eye 10 wander and gaze upon the
small mounds. marking its feast OF death.
Every day we passed through these evolu-
tions, all anxiety TO learn what decision
the court had arrived at in our own re- :
spective cases. On the afternoon OF July IL
we were summoned separately to the pres
ence of General Hartranft the military
custodian. who was seated at the farther
end of the yard, and the sentence Of each
was made known. as found by the military
commission, falling. however. TO disclose
the fact. and concealing from each the
sentence modified by Andrew Johnson.
President OF the United States.
ASSASSINATION AVENGED.
The military commission had fulfilled its
mlSSlOns the Qeatn Ol ADIdndIl 1<lilCOtii hra
been avenged. the public cry for vengeance
had been appeased and the long drawn out
trial. which for two months had heaped fuel
TO the fire to add 10 the public excitement.
passed out of existence and the Nation at
large became pacifed.
The midnight hour, which had been set
apart for removal in every instance. was
again resorted TO and we were silently
lying in the Potomac moored at a wharf.
Each side Of the wharf was lined with
armed sentinels and soldiers emerged
from our prison gates, and as We passed
between them on our way to the boat.
clanlsing irons in the solemn midnight SEEM
ing to pierce the vaults of heaven. crying
out TO the living God for vengeance on
those who had traduced, DETAINED and vic
timized us to satiate the public cry for
venge
On arrival on board the steamer which
was in waiting to receive US we were swift
ly conveyed down the river to what desti-
nation was unknown On the afternoon of
July IS we arrived at Fortress Monroe,
when we were transferred from the steamer
to a small tugboat, thence under heavy
guard to the gunboat Florida. Captain
moved temporarily from our wrists, and.
shackled about our feet. we were COM
PEELED to ascend the ladder to the deck OF
the gunboat. where the entire crew of sea-
men stood about gazing in mute wonder.
| On landing upon the deck OF the gunboat
| Capt William III. Dutton. in charge of the
| guard. directed that the Lilly irons be re-
placed upon our wrists, They had been
/ plo nd Il the order
| of Captain Dutton was countermanded by
| General Dodd and the irons were removed.
CHAINS CAUSED TORTURE.
No sooner were we upon the gunboat
| than we were ordered into the lower hold
of the vessel. 1t required. in our shackIed
condition, the greatest care to safely reach
| there. owing TO the limited space. eight
inches of chain being allowed between our
ankles. After leaving the second deck we
were forced to descend upon a ladder whose
rounds were distant far apart that the
| chains bruised and lacerated the flesh and
| even the bone of the ankles. We remained
| in the swelteripg hole during the night in
| an atmosphere pregnant with disagreeable
| odors, arising from various articles of sub
| sistence stored within and about o'clock
| next morning we passed through another
| ordeal In our ascent TO the deck. which was
| attended with more pain than the descent.
| owing to the raw condition OF our wounds
| All intercourse with the crew was pro-
| hibited, guards being stationed around US,
and we were not permitted to move without
| being accompanied by an armed marine.
| Subsistence of the grossest kind was issued.
| in the shape of fat salt pork and hard tack.
| We remained on deck during the day, close
| iy watching far able. the steering
| of the vessel by the sun, and found we
were steaming due south. The course was
| unchanged the next day and I began 10
suspect that fatal isle, the Dry Tortugas,
| was our destined home OF the future.
From this time out we remained on deck,
| our beds being brought up at night and
| taken between decks in the morning. Ar
irving off Hilton Head, S. c.. and whilst
lying in port. we were informed by General
Dodd that he was sailing under sealed or
| ders but as soon as we left the port he
| would announce our destination. We re-
NAMED there during the night. having re-
| ceived some guests on board, and the off,
GERS amused themselves with dancing and
| carousing. About Il o'clock in the day We
were informed that the Dry Tortugas was
our destination.
OF il had no idea beyond that gathered
1 through the columns of the press, In which
| it had been depicted a perfect hell, which
fact was duly established by imprisonment
on its limited space. After the second day
on the ocean the irons were removed from
our feet during the day, but replaced at
night, and we were permitted from this day
out the privilege of being on deck on ac-
count of the oppressive heat OF the climate.
where we could catch the cool sea breeze
as 1t swept across the deck in the ships
onward track over the bounding ocean.
| ITO be Continued To-morroWl