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Story
December 25, 1898
The Times
Washington, District Of Columbia
What is this article about?
Discovery of the tunnel used by Confederate Gen. John Morgan and raiders to escape Ohio Penitentiary on Nov. 28, 1863, confirming tunneling over warden collusion, as revealed by survivor Thomas W. Bullitt's lost knife found in the cell block.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
HOW MORGAN ESCAPED.
Discovery of the Tunnel Through Which the Confederates Fled.
Columbus, O., Dec. 24.-The tunnel through which John Morgan and his fellow Confederate raiders escaped from the Ohio Penitentiary on the night of November 28, 1863, was discovered today.
One of the survivors of the band of raiders who had been imprisoned here, Thomas W. Bullitt, of Kentucky, in an after-dinner speech, recently referred to the story current at the time that Morgan and his men had not tunneled out, but had escaped by the collusion of Warden Merion, then at the head of the state institution.
Mr. Bullitt, to refute the story, said he had left his knife on a ledge in an air passage leading to the tunnel through which the escape was made. Superintendent Laney and a squad of men worked all day yesterday and part of today tearing up the wall of the cell in the east block, where Bullitt was confined.
They found the old knife badly rusted and another. They also found the old air chamber and followed it until beneath Cell No. 21, which was Gen. John Morgan's. A large pile of dirt was found and also the stone which had been loosened from the wall. Beyond this the tunnel had caved and had been filled up long since.
Discovery of the Tunnel Through Which the Confederates Fled.
Columbus, O., Dec. 24.-The tunnel through which John Morgan and his fellow Confederate raiders escaped from the Ohio Penitentiary on the night of November 28, 1863, was discovered today.
One of the survivors of the band of raiders who had been imprisoned here, Thomas W. Bullitt, of Kentucky, in an after-dinner speech, recently referred to the story current at the time that Morgan and his men had not tunneled out, but had escaped by the collusion of Warden Merion, then at the head of the state institution.
Mr. Bullitt, to refute the story, said he had left his knife on a ledge in an air passage leading to the tunnel through which the escape was made. Superintendent Laney and a squad of men worked all day yesterday and part of today tearing up the wall of the cell in the east block, where Bullitt was confined.
They found the old knife badly rusted and another. They also found the old air chamber and followed it until beneath Cell No. 21, which was Gen. John Morgan's. A large pile of dirt was found and also the stone which had been loosened from the wall. Beyond this the tunnel had caved and had been filled up long since.
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
Crime Story
Extraordinary Event
What themes does it cover?
Triumph
Deception
Survival
What keywords are associated?
John Morgan Escape
Confederate Raiders
Ohio Penitentiary Tunnel
Prison Escape Discovery
What entities or persons were involved?
John Morgan
Thomas W. Bullitt
Warden Merion
Superintendent Laney
Where did it happen?
Ohio Penitentiary, Columbus, O.
Story Details
Key Persons
John Morgan
Thomas W. Bullitt
Warden Merion
Superintendent Laney
Location
Ohio Penitentiary, Columbus, O.
Event Date
November 28, 1863 (Escape); Dec. 24 (Discovery)
Story Details
John Morgan and Confederate raiders escaped Ohio Penitentiary via tunnel on November 28, 1863. Tunnel discovered Dec. 24 when Thomas W. Bullitt revealed his left knife, refuting warden collusion claims. Knife and dirt pile found under Morgan's cell.