The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-21
Judge Richardson's Harrow ing Experience During
 the Civil War
RESCUED IN NICK
 OF TIME BY FORREST
Was Wrongly Convicted and Sen tenced as Confederate Spy While Making His Way Back
 to Alabama
By WALTER HARPER

Washington, June D.-(special )-Ala- hama is represented in Congress by a man who once stood in the shadow of the gal lows
 He had been convicted of high crime punishable by death and the story of his miraculous escape rivals any that was ever imagined by Nick Carter or any of l his contemporaries.
 While taking his last broken sleep in the ugly prison help came and he was saved from the most disgraceful death that man can suffer.
 Today he is one of the most highly respected members of the Alabama dele gation as well as man who comma nds the respect and is honored by every member of the Congress of the United States
 But the story of William Richardson is not that of Caleb Powers of Ken lucky, who has had a similar experience, though differing in many respects. Judge Richardson was a prisoner of war and under most peculiar circumstances had been condemned as a spy.
 The story is worth retelling here.
 While still in his teens Judge Richard son enlisted for the war at Athens, Ala, with s7 other young men and boys in what was known as Company E of the Twenty sixth Alabama regiment. He was soon after made captain of his company.
 Captain Richardson was badly wound ed in the battle of Shiloh and was cap tured by the federal troops. He was sent north to an Indiana prison After his wound healed he escaped and made his way south to Nashville. He found the city in control of the Union forces, but found southern friends who assisted him in an effort to continue southward, where he would be able to rejoin his reg iment. Friends found a man who was about to leave the city and knew slfe by paths and whe would os able 10 csrrS him through the Union lines. They mad, | their way safely until they reached tn, vicinity of Murfreesboro. where they fel into the hands of the last outposts ot federal troops and were captured.
 On the person of Judge Richardsons z companion were found discriminating doc uments disclosing the fact that he was a Confederate spy. This was a surprise to Richardson and it placed him in a most perious situation.
 While no papers or other evidence was found connecting him with being a spy he was condemned to be hanged along with his companion. This was about July 10, 1862. On the night of July 12 the two men in prison were notified that they would be hanged at sunrise next morning. The opportunity was given Judge Rich ardson to take the oath of allegiance. but he declined with thanks, preferring to die loyal to the Confectionery.
 A minister from Athens who had known Richardson happened to be in Murfrees- boro and he did all in his power to save the life of his townsman. This failing he spent most of this last night in the cell with the two condemned men.
 In the meantime the Confederate spy had contrived to slip word through the guard to the south of the plight of him self and his innocent companion. It was forlorn hope, but 1t resulted in the means of their escape just in the nick of time, as Nick Carter would say
 Judge Richardson relates that while he was trying to take a last nap before the long sleep just before daybreak his com panon came tugging at him and ex- claiming, Wake up. Listen. It's For rest coming. We are saved" And it was true.
 General Forrest bounced down upon the | place. routed the federals, held back the | guards and dragged the two men from l their cells. But this was not without some difficulty. The jaler had fled with | the keys and the prison had been set on fire by the retreating federals.