The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-04
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STEALING
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loriginal.l

been put in type"
Half a dozen pipes were withdrawn
from as mant mouths. and the smok
Ing comrades prlcked up their ears.
Never heard o. that raid" remark
Cd one Of them.
Lets have IT," said another.
"Me and my friend Bill Acres tun.
neled out o. Andersonville prison pen
aud made successful escape-that is,
we escaped from the prison and had
the whole south % roam In. Gettin'
into northern territory was far diff.
ferent matter. | found dead Confed.
crate that hadn't been buried and ap.
proDriated bis clothes. There wasn't
much uniform about 'em, but they had
the southern cut, and the coat at least
was gray. with c. y. A. on the buttons.
well, Bin and concluded to sepa.
rate. We wouldn't be Of use TO each
other, and It might give me away az q
Confederate TO be seen associatin' with
a miserable escaped Yankee prisoner
30 when We came to fork In the road
Bill took TO one fork and TO the other.
! didn't see anything Of Bill FOR two
weeks, and In meantime I'd gone
over good deal OF ground. When
did see him IL was this way:
"0ne night-I always Travelled nights
and hid IN daytime-I struck rail.
road. ! was pretty near worn out and
determined TO follow the track TIL
reached a station and try TO beat my
way on train goin' north, reiyin' on
my cheek and Confederate uniform
for protection. Fact Ia. was so des.
perate that ! was even wiliin' 10 run
the risk Of bein' taken in for spy.
! walked on the ties for an hour. when
! came TO sleepy little station A
freight train stood on side track with
a locomotive headed south. walked
along TIL came TO the rear car, box
car. and heard voices inside Of Il. II
listened and soon learned from what
they said that they were lot OF I'm
Ion prisoners OF war on their way to
Andersonville. But what startled hle
most was hearin' Bin Acres voice
among the rest. There was no guard
about, which surprised me- and call.
In for Bill. ! made myself known to
him. He told me OF his capture and
said that the prisoners had all given
their parole to the guard not to escape
on condition that they be furnished
with FIRST ciass meal the next day.
Then the guard had gone OF to a
dance ina barn. There wasn't much
use takin' the prisoners parole, for
they couldn't git out nohow.
while we was talkln' l heard
puiiin' below and knew there was a
train comm up from the south. I
made up my mind TO play desperate
game. l told the boys in the car TO
keep still. Seem lantern on the
station platform, swung It and stop.
ped the comm train, freight
"'what dy' wsntr asked the con-
ductor. gittin out O the caboose car
In the rear and comm forward with a
lantern.
~ want that car coupled on to your
train
"'Got an orderT
"'Not a railroad order. The army
can't wait for railroad red tape That's
what brought II down here when it's
wanted farther north It's full of
This settled the matter and the man
rave the necessary orders. had learn
ID from the men In the car that we
we're between Raleigh, N, c., on the
south and Lynchburg, Va, on the
north. told the conductor that l
wanted the car pulled to Lynchburg
When 1t was coupled on behind the ca
,oose and we had started, the conduct.
IT invited me to ride In the car with
lin, but l told him that | wouldn't
cave the ammunition out Of my sight
or moment had my plans all form,
d, My intention was when we reached
convenient point to uncouple the car,
freak open the door, free the prisoners
nd all make tracks for the Blue Ridge
"0f course the nearer we could get TO
he mountains the better, but Of course
II the time we stayed with the train
ve were at great risk and under terri
lie suspense, As soon as we got into
'irginla l began to think Of droppin
way from the train. Luckily at q
tation where we stopped | was able
steal a crowbar for openin' the gar
nd laid 1t on the roof. Since all was
DIN well, Kept with the train till we
cached a point ten or dozen miles {
rom Lynchburg and as many from the ,
then went to the couplin'
he door OF the caboose was right up
gainst the coupled end of the prison
ar but the caboose door was shut, and ,
II the risk | took was of its bein' sud !
enly opeaed, ! couldn't pull the coup !
n pin, so | got my crowbar. and
his helped me out, After drawin' the t
In waited while the car fell slowly I
ack, not DARN to make a sound with
he brake. | tell you | watched that
lhOOSe door with Terror fill my rpr {,