| Show THE TRAITOR OF LIBBY PRISON HE HB beame NEAR BEING HANGED BY HIS FELLOW PRISONERS FOUR BOUR YEARS AGO twenty four years ago one of the most remarkable trials in ull all history took place in this city it was held hela in liboy prison under the leadership of col strait who is now a bookseller in a little indiana town a plot was f firmed the union auers iu in libby prison to effect a general g en escape the plot not only involved the liberation of the mass of prisoners but the capture of the guard and a battery at the prison and the release of union prisoners at belle isle across ross the james river the burning ol of richmond and the capture of the confederate cabinet was also a part of the plan nine nida officers were in the undertaking and it promised to be a success the day before the start was to be made one of the officers betrayed the plot A court martial was at once held field and he was found guilty As the vote was being taken on the question of guilt strait alt was seen twisting a rope out oat of pieces of calico when the verdict was annoti announced he be said i there can be but one sentence gentleman and I 1 am ready to execute it I 1 he advanced with wilh the rope the prisoner turned pale at anis a cavalry officer by the name of bf louis thompson stepped in front of the prisoner and said this court is not a legal one and ancl you tou dare not hung bang this map man strait insisted that the culprit be hanged banged he has had every chap chance pe for his life and the verdict is a lust one he shall be hanged down thi this hatchway I 1 1 ather men joined thompson and t the h e more mo moderate diprato view prevailed preserve the record ot this court said he be and when we get apt take it to secretary tary standop bt anton and if this man has done wrong we ail M know the old 1 man will pu punish fisli him biro the next day the traitor was removed from the prison 0 the record was kept and when strait escaped a few months later he be took it with him in due time it was placed in St antons hands bands and when the betrayer was exchanged the war secretary had bad him dismissed from the army andy johnson restored hamaud lie he is stid in the service those who know the affair will not reveal his name thompson was killed with custer strait and an officer named hamilton now out on the frontier are the only ones living of tile the nine officers except the man wino who betrayed them and who came so sear near being hanged that I 1 sultry august day with the pieces of an 0 old id calico bed quilt richmond climond Ki special |
