Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-09-03
Tunnel Built UP to Escape Raiders

Tunnel Built UP to Escape Raiders.
Excavations for a sewer in Macon,
Mo-, recently led to a curious discov-
cry A gang of laborers was at work
in the rear of the Hotel Miller. When
about five feet down one of them
sunk his shovel in the earth and it
went out of sight. The laborer would
have followed his implement had a
comrade not caught him.
An investigation showed they had
tapped seven-foot tunnel, extending
northwest and southeast. Going north
west a few hundred feet the under
ground passage terminated in large
room, rooted with heavy timbers. This
had evidently been the entrance from
above, for there was a manhole cut
through the timbers. Boards had been
laid across this and covered with
earth to secrete the entrance.
The tunnel extended 10 the limits
of the city in the southwest. 1T was
carefully boarded on the sides and
rooted with railroad ties. A tall man
could pass through without STOPPING.
The entire distance was about mile.
The tunnel was finished from end to
end in a substantial and workman
like manned and the wooden roof was
in a fair state of preservation.
Although no one was aware OF the
existence of this queer subterranean
avenue, it is known that the entrance
is about the center of the old Harris
prison Stockade, and it is conjectured
that it owes it's existence to military
expediency. The Harris house prison
acquired considerable fame of GER
tain sort during the war. 1t was the
Andersonville of northern Missouri 1t
had been a hotel, and was large
enough to hold several hundred pris-
oners by little crowding.
Macon was the department head
quarters for northern Missouri. Gen.
Lewis Merrill was commander. Mer-
rill's Horse was constantly rounding
up bushwhackers, oath violaters and
marauders generally. Sometimes they
corraled men who came under neither
head. In September, 1862, there were
among the prisoners a lawyer and
banker of unquestioned character, but
with sympathies for the South. They
were charged with acts for which the
military law provided death penalty.
Their guilt had been pronounced, but
it was decided to execute only ten Of
the prisoners, the unfortunates to be
drawn by lot.
The lawyer and the banker had
high friends on the outside AT 3
o'clock on the afternoon of the twenty
| fourth day they were released and
returned home At 4 the provost mar
shcl entered the room where the con-
yicted were and superintended the
drawing. The ten drawing the death
| cards we're shot the next day. The
| lawyer and banker, yet following their
respective vocations, are both promf-
| nent in Missouri to-day
Owing to the rigor with which the
| bushwhackers were chased by Mer-
rill's Horse retaliation by the enemy
| was constantly expected Day by day
| reports came in of massing columns
1 O. guerrillas under the black flag.
| After QuantrelIs merciless work at
| Lawrence it was expected that he
would visit Macon, where the first
| Confederate flag Of the war had been
/ torn down and where there was a mill
| tary organization for the express OBJ
/ ject of running down predatory bands.
| Merrill's Horse was in no position
| to ask quarters from the guerrfl1as,
end it is thought that the ancient tun-
eel just found was constructed as a
/ wa of escape if the stockade failed
| to hold the enemy. Only one man at
> time could get through the entrance
and a rear guard in the room below
| could have held back regiment until
the defenders escaped The floor was
| hard and smooth and the width great
| enough for three men to walk abreast
i Here and there the tunnel was widen
/ ed out, probably for the storage OF
/ arms and provisions
After Bill Anderson had shot down
the invalid soldiers on the North Mis-
souri, train in September, 1864, and
annihilated Major Johnston's com
rnand of 300 men at Centralia he
shook his fist to the north and de
e2ared there was one more towr
| where the souls of slaughtered mer