Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-04-24
Caught Fast.

Gen. Thomas Rose who has recently
died, made himself famous by his re-
markabe escape from Libby prison.
The record of the work on the tunnel
which led to liberty shows it to be
marvel of patient, heroic endeavor In
Mr.. Moran's account of the enterprise,
published in the Century Magazine, one
particular incident stands out, fraught
with especial horror and possible ira
gedy
Before the actual tunnel, which was
to burrOw its way under the f0unda-
tons of the prison. could be begun,
starting point in the cellar had to be
reached. The only mode of access to
this place was through kitchen fire
place the bricks Of which must be dug
out, one by one, replaced every morn
ing and all traces of work removed,
until hole large enough for man to
slip through was ready for the nightly
exit of the tunnel workers.
With an old chisel and a jackknife
Rose and his comrade toiled between
the hours of 10 and 4 every night, in
the dark and without noise. Every bit
Of the SCOT from the chimney was
swept into a rubber blanket. Each
morning with sickening tediOusness,
every brick was put back in it's place
and mortar carefully rubbed into the
chinks. All went well until one night
a circumstance happened which nearly
revealed the secret.
When the opening of the fireplace
was thought to be large enough, long
en- posts, and Rose prepared to descend
the chimney and reconnoiter. He got
through the hole with ease, but he lost
hold of the rope, and his body slipped
so as to pinion his arms and render
him powerless to drop or return. A
bend in the hole cramped him fearfully,
and prevented his breathing. Each eff
fort only served to fix him more firmly
in the wise.
Hamilton, his comrade, could not
bulge him. Rose gasped for breath,
but refrained from an cutlery. Hamil-
ton saw that without speedy relief his
friend would expire.
He dashed upstairs, and disregard
ing consequences, made his way over
the forms of several hundred sleeping
men, trampling on stomachs, arms, legs
and faces Unheeding the furious re-
marks hurled after him, Hamilton kept
hn q fpinnH tO w a
hurriedIy whispered his trouble. Both
flew back to the kitchen, and by their
united efforts, Rose was drawn up, half
dead and unconscious.
When the tunnel was fairly under
way. the prisoners had to resort to
much trickery to prevent the absence of
the relays of five diggers being discov-
cred. When the daily count of the pris-
oners was being made, some Of the sol
diers would slip back in the line, and
thus be counted twice, The irregular
ity of the result often puzzled the
guards, as for example, one day 1t was
reckOned that three men were missing
while recount found fifteen prisoners
too many Perpl exed and angry, the
guard shouted:
"Now, gentlemen, look we're! l can
count a hundred as good as any man
in this we're town, but l can't count
one hundred of you Yankees. Now, gen
tlemen. there's one thing sho', there's
eight or ten Of you-uns that amt yere!"
The world has read the story Of how,
after weeks of patient toll, Rose at
last broke through the earth crust, and
saw the blue sky overhead, and heard
the sentinel's cry, "All's we'll :" The
general was soon after recaptured, but
later exchanged and saved for further
service.