Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-12-02
THE YOUNG
TELEGRAPHER.


similar positions in history. General
John Morgan started on his military
career as commander of a company Of
young Confederates and operated al
ways in the middle southwest His
career was full of daring. He would
approach a Union picket, assuming to
be Federal officer reprimand him
for some negligence, get possession of
his musket and thus capture single
handed whole picket post.
1t was during the campaign Of Gen.
eral Halleck against Quaker guns al
Corinth that Morgan was operating IN
Halleck's rear in western Tennessee,
harassing lines Of communication.
This is a very important service. An
army must be fed That means that
the avenues Of communication must be
kept open and the supplies passing
over them to the men at the front
must be protected. In this work an
important feature to the protecting
force was the telegraph.
The telegraph Office at the town Il
F., station on the railroad supply
ing the army before Corinth, was in
charge of Tom Venable. who lived
with his family on the upper floor Of
the two story sta building, the tele-
graph and ticket Office being below.
One night when Venable was in his
office sending the dispatches necessary
to get a heavy tran load Of supplies
south he heard tap on the window
pane. Looking up. there stood man
in Confederate uniform covering him
with the muzzle Of his pistol. The Off
Ger had tapped with the pistol to at
tract Venable's attention and ordered
him to throw up the sash. Venable
did 50, and the officer climbed in at the
window.
"I'm John Morgan" he said.
Morgan usually declared himself in
this fashion. 1t was tho best possible
way Of striking an enemy with terror.
Meanwhile the station was surround
gan put his own telegrapher at the key.
who began to telegraph the train Ven
able had been in communication with
The conductor had been warned that
the Confederates were making a raid
in the region and was waiting to be
assured that it was safe to advance.
Morgan's telegrapher sent dispatch
that Morgan had gone off In an easter
ly direction and an order signed by
Union commander for the train to
come on.
Now. there is a hero to this story,
though he Is asleep in his bed above
the telegraph Office. But clatter be-
meath awakes him. Being not over
thirteen years old, he doesn't awake IN
a hurry, but his mother helps him by
telling him that the station is i'm pos
session of the dreaded Morgan. Jim
mie Venable was Of Il scientific mind
and had already miniature telegraph
outfit In his own little room. His cir
cult was but ten feet and was confined
to the room, but it was big enough to
play with, and he knew the dot and
line alphabet. His father was pris
oner downstairs. but he heard his
mother say that doubtless Morgan had
captured the telegraph in order to de-
coy q train into trap and destroy the
supplies intended for the Union army.
Jimmie got an idea. The telegraph
wires passed within ten feet Of his
window before entering the Office BE-
low. He told his mother what he in
tended to do, and she helped him. He
took his play wire, tied hairbrush to
one end Of it, threw 1t over the line
wire and completed his circuit by
means Of lead pipe extending to the
ground. 1t didn't make a very good
connection, but It sufficed. He didn't
know the calls Of stations nor what
station to call. He waited till there
was comparative quiet below. then
clicked: Up. station. Morgan here"
This he repeated several times. 1t was
heard at several stations up the road.
and the conductor Of the train was ad-
vised of 1t at once.
One man heard 1t for whom 1t was
not intended That was the Confederate
operating in the Office below Jimmie's
room. He was sitting near the key
when he heard the words clicked and
knew that some one had outwitted
him. He notified his commander, and
search was made. and Jimmies hair
brush was seen dangling from the
main wire. 1t told them the story.
Going upstairs, they discovered jim
mics device The general was the
first to enter the room. Jimmie was
still at his key.
"Have you been sending informa-
ton to the enemy?' he asked.
"Yes, | have" said Jimmie proudly.
He did not know the extent of the
service he had rendered, but was sure
he had done something valuable to his
cause.
"Do you know what we do with lit
tie boys who are spies? asked Nor
gan.
mo"
"Well, it's something very terrible.
But In this case the boy is Il very
bright, brave little chap. and We will
give him something for candy"
He drew a roll of Confederate bills
from his pocket. picked out ten dol
Il, 80