The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1911-05-31
SAYS QUANTRELL
IS STILL LIVING
And a Wealthy StOckman
In Mexico.
STORY OF FAMOUS GUERILLA
And His Alleged Escape from
Hospital Which Reads
Like Romance.
WILL YET REVEAL HIMSELF


be read with interest by every Con-
federate soldier who reads the Her.
aid, was printed in the Little Rock.
(Ark.) Gazette of May 16, but it
will be doubted by many:
That Charles Quantrell, the IA
nous guerilla who figured in sew
eral raids in Missouri and Kansas
and whose skull has been exhibited
in a museum, is dead, is emphatical-
ly denied by Col. w. o. Coleman, of
the Fourth Missouri Cavalry, who
has been an intimate acquaintance
of Quantrell since his early youth.
Col. Coleman, who is in Little Rock
for the reunion, said yesterday that
Quantrell was not only alive but
was a wealthy cattleman and mine
owner in Mexico, where he has lived
since 1872. Col. Coleman was his
guest for several days only last
year, he said.
Recalling Quantrell's escape from
the hospital in Louisville, KY,
where it is generally believed he
died, Col. Coleman said:
Charles Quantrell served as an
adjutant to his uncle, Bill Guam
trell, who led several guerilla raids
in Kansas and was killed in that
State in 1858. The youngerQuantrel
was captured near Louisville, KY,
in 1865, by Federal troops and in
an effort to make his escape, was
thrown from his horse and badly
injured. He was removed to the
hospital at Louisville, and his life
was despaired of for several days.
I'm the meantime, l was work
ing to bring about his escape, and
made an arrangement with an r.
ishman, whom I told to apply at the
hospital for the position of nurse
This he did and was accepted, and
he proved an efficient ally. He kept
me posted on every point, and final
ly one night when a man on an adj
joining cot died, it was planned
that Quantrell. who was reported
very i'll, should to all intents and
purposes be reported dead. Collins
were provided. and graves dug in
advance, because the death list was
large each day. This fact also serv-
ed our plan we'll. That night when
the dead man was placed in a cof-
fin, Quantrell also occupied one and
was taken to the cemetery.
The Irish nurse was fortunate
enough to find a sympathetic coun-
tryman, who assisted in carrying
out the escape. When the cemetery
was reached the coffin containing
Quantrell was opened and he was
spirited across the Ohio river. How
ever, the Irishman took the precau-
ton to see that he was furnished
with the discharge papers of the
dead soldier. The empty coffin was
buried, and this has been generally
accepted as the end of Quantrell.
81 did not see him again until
1873, when he came to see me az
JacksonpOrt, Ark. He told me of
his travels, which had included
tri1 throJqh Canada, Central Amer
lea and california. A fow of MY
friends kept his identity a secret,
and decided to start him in the cat
tie business in Texas. He went to
that State and was fairly successful
until 1872, when he moved to Mex
leo.
He changed his name, married
and has an interesting family. He
has also gained a high position in
the confidence of business men and
is regarded as one of the leading
men of the section in which he lives.
"He told me-" continued Col
Coleman, that he would like to re-
turn to this country and make his
home, but feared that old Kansas
charges would be worked up against
him. However, he said that two
years hence. which will be the 50th
anniversary of the battle of Law
renee, Kan, he intended to meet his
old comrades at Independence, Mo-,
where they meet every year, and
reveal himself. After the expiration
of half century. Quantrell declared
he would feel fairly secure in return
ing"