The National tribune., 1910-05-26
JOHN MORGAN'S ESCAPE.
A COmrade Who Knows Tells OF the
Rebel Cavalry Leaders Escape From
the Ohio Penitcntiary.

RcDel cavalry Leaders Escape From
the Ohio Penitcntiary.
Editor National Tribune: I have seen
so many absurd stories about the escape
! Of John Morgan from the Ohio State
Penitentiary that / have concluded to
give you the facts in the case.
Up to the time of Morgan's escape
| the duty Of guarding the rebels had
been divided between the regular prison
guards (who were not soldiers) and a
guard of soldiers detailed from Cos l.
+ and G, SSth Ohio. The soldiers went
on duty at Z a. m, and were relieved
at 8 p. M, the prisoners being locked in
their cells for the night at that hour.
There was not soldier on guard be-
tween those hours, and the regular
prison guards were stationed inside the
walls. The Captain of the prison guard
for the night was an old man by the
name of Heavy. The soldier guards
were in charge of Serg't Jesse Moon
tknown as Big Jesse), of Co. +, SSth
| Ohio. The prisoners were confined in
a block in the prison building, which
was in turn surrounded by a wall 22
| feet in hight Each block was seven
| or eight cells long, six or seven tiers
high. in regulation prison style, tho
prison being capable of accommoda-
tions for about $500.
For six weeks prior to Gen. Morgan's
escape / was stationed as guard at the
southwest corner, and the morning
after his escape was transferred from
the wall to guard of the north door of
the building within. Under the block
of cells in which Morgan was confined
was sewer, which was under six of
the cells. This sewer was large enough
| for man to stand erect within its
| walls.
The story current at the time of Nor
gan'S escape was about as follows: "The
I N rfGsnr r1Et- N1sn4,N
| that their cells were damp. The Cap
| tain replied that they could not be so,
| on account of the sewer underneath;
but from a. m. until 6 p. m. he al
| lowed them the freedom of the corri-
dors. While the prisoners were march
ing up and down the corridors a few
of them would step in their cell and be
gone for awhile, and (as it afterwards
deveioped) were engaged in cutting a
hole thru the cement floor into the sew
| er. The brick and cement were dropped
into the sewer and the hole covered
with an old carept sack, the work prob
ably taking several weeks to complete.
1 cannot recall the names of ali who
escaped. but among the number were
Gen. Morgan. Capt. Hines and Capt.
Taylor. The night of the escape Serg't
Jesse Moon was Sergeant of the Guard,
and locked the prisoners in their cells.
Dick Morgan, brother of Gen. Nor
gan, was confined in one OF the ground
floor cells. and during the locking-up
process had managed to exchange
places with his brother, who occupied
a cell on one OF the upper tiers The
soldier guards marched to their quar-
ters which was Sibley tent, to remain
till morning, when they would be re-
auired to go on guard again at Z
1 o'clock.
After everything had quieted down
the Johnnies let themselves into the
sewer thru the hole in the floor, and
followed the sewer to the wall OF the
main prison building, and came up
thru hole they had provided near a
large pile of coal close to the female
prison, but still inside the outside wall.
Following the wall around to the south
east corner. they came to tho gates
There were two Of these gates, one
opening from the top Of the wall by
the guard with q rope and pulley and
the other from the inside by the
| 'trusty"
The inside gate was made OF AKA
pianks. The escaping prisoners climbed
this gate, and were then on top of the
22-foot wall. Tying their blankets to-
gether, which they had tied to the iron
railings, they made their escape.
Serg't Jesse Moon lived, the last ]
knew of him. at Kelse. Cowlitze Coun-
y, Wash.-C. w. Thomas, Co. F, s8th
Ohio, Mason City. Ill.