The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-16

1t was long after the war before 1
ascertained what happened him. He
mended SO rapidly that he would have
\ returned to US on the seventh day, but
was unfortunately included in a draft
4 of prisoners for exchange. He had no
way to send US word. and we had nc
/ list of names, and for many years be-
4 Iieved he was one of the thousands bur-
4 led at Andersonville
4 During our wait of ten days the Con-
i federates came in twice to probe and
search for tunnels, but fortunately miss
ed US both times AS many as eight or
4 ten others We're discovered, however.
and a number of men were taken out
and punished. The sentinels were eau
toned to extra vigilance, and 1t was ru-
mored than any one found emerging
from a tunnel would be shot down ana
4 the shooter rewarded.
Yet our greatest danger was from our
fellow prisoners. A man named Sharon
who belonged to a New England regi-
f ment in some way got a suspicion thai
we had a tunnel, and one day entered
our tent ana announced that II he was
/ not allowed to escape with US he would
him off. when he made straight
course for the gate, presumably TO tut
/ fl his threat.
He was not permitted to go far be-
\ fore being overtaken and charged with
attempted robbery. 1t would have gore
i hard with him had we pressed IN
4 charge, but we dropped it with the IN
i Outstanding that he should keep his
mouth shut regarding us. From thai
4 hour he was kept under surveillance
4 by two men hired by US, and was nos
4 permitted to go near the gate. Perhaps
he would not have carried out his
I threat. but prison pen brings out tn
4 baseness in human nature very fully
/ 1t was three days after the trouble
with Sharon before the weather became
favorable. and we had not taken any
/ body into our confidence. Nevertheless
/ we argued, as we had done before, thai
! if a dozen or more got out the chances
of escape would be increased. We wait
ed until we saw that the night was TO
4 be dark and drizzly, and then We
passed around among such acquaint~
\ anceS as we felt could be trusted ana
invited them to call at our tent at .
4 O'Clock. Each thought he was the only
one invited, and each believed he was
I to be let into a plot to overpower the
guards and free all prisoners.
/ At exactly o'clock my chum creps
into the tunnel. and I followed Not
more than ten minutes later we
4 emerged from the hole outside of the
stockade and set off into the darkness.
If those who followed on had been as
cool and cautious as we. all would have
gone we'll with them, but an inciden.
occurred to unnerve them. Six others
had wriggled their way through the
hole when the relief guard came march
ing along SO close that one of the pris-
oners cried out and brought detection
to all. OF course, an alarm was raiseg
the tunnel discovered and all further
escape cut off
The escape of the six greatly favored
us, however. as they scattered in diff
ferent directions, and none of them was
recaptured for two days while one went
as far south as Albany.
At 3 o'clock in the morning the man
Sharon heard of the tunnel and sneaked
away and gave information a t the gates.
1t was at first believed that over 200
had n nd f4o xs-iI1
excitement prevailed inside and out. It
was not until o'clock in the morning
that the true number was discovered.
and then the Confederate force at hand
was too small for vigorous pursuit
Of all.
MY chum afterwards told me that his
trail was followed for some miles by a
bloodhound, and that twice he caught
had no reason to believe that my own
trail was ever picked up.
BY the time the six who came out
after US had been recaptured we were
graph was no doubt used to notify
various points to look out for US, but
that did not result in our recapture. My
fellow prisoner was twenty-seven days
in reaching the Federal lines While I
was thirty-one.
Of more than 200 men who at one
time or another escaped from that prison
pen not more than ten ever got clear off
We were two of the ten Luck assisted
us here and there. but success was real
" due to the fact that we knew the
geography and the topography of the
country, had our route carefully planned
and neither of us Travelled a single mile
except under cover of darkness.
Miss Charlotte Lyman, recently grad
uated in music from Bethany college.
Lindsborg. will give a recital Wednes-
day evening at the First Christian
church She viii be assisted by the tai
ented reader. Miss Ella Bacon. also