The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-13
lRHOLD'S STORY OF
THE LINCOLN PLOT
The Only Survivor of the
COnspirators Imprisoned
at Dry Tortugas Gives
His Confession to
the Public.
SILENCE OF YEARS BROKEN
THRILLING CHRONICLE OF THE
FAMOUS CONSPIRACY.
SILENCE OF YEARS BROKEN
THRILLING CHRONICLE OF THE
FAMOUS CONSPIRACY.

Il SAAAGO4aAS1<< III @@@@@
FAMOUS CONSPIRACY
Arrival of Arnold and Other Prisoners
at Dry TOrtugas-"A Soft Plank" for a
Bcd-spancIsr a Handy MANI cod
Horrible in the Extrsme-Dr. Mudd's
Attempt to Escape Results in All
Being Put In Dungeons and Shackled
Alleged COnspIracIes to Rescue the
Prisoners.
We arrived in sight of Fort Jefferson,
Dry Tortugas, Fla, on July "a, 1865.
When nearing the grim-looking walls,
a signal gun was fired from the gun
boat, which was responded to by the
officer in command of the fort and
soon the officer of the day made his ap-
pearance on board, and was informed
of the object of the visit of the boat,
etc. Within very short time we were
placed within small boat, were con-
veyed to the fort, and placed within
one of the many classmates existing
there.
The officers who had had US in charge
remained at the fort sufficient length
of time to have, as it is called, lark
After three months of torture both of
body and mind we thought that we had
at last found haven of rest, although
in a government Bastile, where, shut
out from the world, we would dwell
and pass tine remaining days of our
life 1t was a sad thought, yet it had
to be borne.
We were now left under the charge
of Col. Charles Hamilton, One Hundred
and Tenth New York Volunteers, who
was at that period commandant of the
post He gave us instructions relative
to the rules in force, stating the conse-
quences which would attend any breach
in discipline, finally impressing upon
our minds that there was dark and
gloomy dungeon within the fort, to
which offenders against the rules were
consigned, over whose entrances was
inscribed the classic words: Whose
entereth here Ieaveth all hope behind"
We asked him if there were any spe-
cial instructions relating to us, to
which he replied: mo, you have the
same privilege of the island as any per-
son confined here, no instructions to the
contrary having been furnished by the
War Department in your cases." Our
bed that night was constituted of "a
soft plank and, in fact, so continued
for months, until, through our own ex
fv,A, homo
we were able to purchase pieces Of can
vas wherewith to nail up rudely con-
structed bed.
SPANGLER A HANDY MAN.
Spangler's trade was a godsend at
this time, and proved SO on more than
one occasion afterwards. The next
morning we walked around the enclos-
ure of the fort and towards evening
strolled around the breakwater wall
for the purpose of forming some idea Of
our desolate condition The Dry Tor
tugas Is a small island isolated in the
Gulf of Mexico in about Is degrees
north of the equator comprising in all
seven and a half acres of land, and ly-
ing directly beneath the rays of trop-
ical sun. 1t is located 65 miles north
west from Key West, 95 miles north
from Cuba and about 200 miles directly
south from Tampa, Fla, this being the
nearest connecting point with the
mainlands of Florida.
Upon it's limited area was erected a
huge and massive structure. hexagon
shaped, of brick and mortar, in an I'M
finished condition, called Fort Jeffer-
son. When completed, If ever, it would
mount 4S0 guns. On the outer side of
the fort there existed a wide and deep
moat, to prevent the surging Of the
sea from washing against the main
structure and intended at the same as
a defense against assaulting columns.
1t is ocean girt on either side, strongly
protected by coral reefs and intricate
channels Of approach.
On our arrival the island was entire
~ destitute of vegetable matter, with
the exception of some few bushes of
small growth, and about a dozen CO.
coanut trees, which had been planted
many years back by the hand of man
Beyond this there was naught to gaze
upon inside save the white, glittering
coral sand, which had a very injurious
effect upon the eyes in many cases
causing men to become totally blind
after dark, a. disease known there and