r, J. A. Purnell, the first any had had
since leaving Fort R---- and shortly after dark, the jailer leading with
a lantern, the prisoners closely guarded, and the three citizens (?)
loudly protesting in Chimmie Fadden's vernacular: "Wot 'tell"!--and then
adding: "What's the use"! etc., the astounded ranchers of H---- saw this
strange procession proceeding to the county jail to give them protection
from the howling, icy gale--still blowing-- All jails in Texas were then
made of huge, square-hewn, green logs--built up solid, and the outside
thickly studded with sharp nails-- Upon the outside a flight of rickety
steps led up to a door heavily padlocked and barred. We entered by file,
a sort of chamber or loft, about 12 or 14 feet square. In the centre of
the floor was a large trap door with a ring in it-- This trap being
lifted a ladder was lowered down to the ground floor inside, and the
prisoners were ordered to descend into this ground cell in which was
but one small grated window, high up--for air only. The ladder then
being drawn up and the trap door secured, they were supposed to be safe,
as it was eight or ten feet from the floor of the cell to the floor of
the loft-- In this Hillsboro jail, however, the ladders had been broken
and had disappeared, so that the deserters had to be let down by hand,
the little short old wagoner coming last-- It was most amusing to hear
this well paid old scoundrel's squeals and whining, and his piteous
appeals for mercy as he hung dangling in mid-air through the "Man hole"
before dropping him the four or five feet to the ground. He kicked,
squirmed and wriggled in his agony of fright; he moaned,
groaned--grunted and sighed; begged, implored and prayed--in the most
ridiculous manner-- All the time the deserters below him, realizing how
fortunate they were in being sheltered from the icy blast of the
"Norther" now howling around the corners of the old log jail, were
mocking--"_booing_" and sarcastically commenting on the little man's
lack of sand--grit and courage-- Having heard much and seen little of
these Texas jails, except the outside, and at a distance, my curiosity
was aroused to more closely examine one-- The jailer tried to persuade
me not to take the risk-- But after assuring him that I had nothing to
fear from these men in going down among them as I knew every one--and
handing him my pistols--he lowered me down--passing the lantern down
after me. After carefully examining this