The identity of the purloiner of the sweets was discovered quite by accident, as well as the fact that there had been a theft committed by the Yankees, who infested this section. It all came through the removal of the last the eleventh layer of wall paper from the Madison High School building (1), which is now being improved to comfortably house descendants of some of those who were perhaps actively engaged in the great struggle represented in history long ago. The handwriting was apparently done under a strain since the author was one of those in the building, which was at that time converted into a hospital. Directly after the interrogation is the name C.D. Henderson (2), also the intelligence that he was not only a prisoner, but a sufferer in the hospital. He was a member of Co. E., 45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and hailed according to the pencil statement, from Auglaize county. The answer to the important question as to "who stole the honey," was doubtless a confession feverishly made and after all apprehension pertaining to the theft has subsided, for the writing was in a bold hand and the name and address carefully presented immediately thereafter. There were many inscriptions on the walls, some depicting sorrow, others indicating a cheerful mood. They had been preserved during the past years by the first application of wall paper, when the hospital had been renovated and rearranged. Old residents tell of the experiences of many in and about this historic building at the time, and while the honey episode was perhaps an important one at that time, it would never have been solved, even for the satisfaction of the public today, had it not been for the removal of the paper from the walls. There was one date of 1863 which is supposed to have been made by Wm. Rea, who grew poetic, and then perhaps delirious, since the poem, which had been started, was ended by a nervous scrawl and was never finished. Many discoveries of interest were deciphered from the inscriptions and the mementoes of those strenuous days which were obliterated Wednesday by the hand of progress. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) During the war this building housed the Madison Female Institute. When it was incorporated in 1858, a large brick residence located on a hilltop south of downtown Richmond was enlarged to accommodate the school, and ten acres were divided into lawns, gardens, and tennis courts. Following the Civil War battle of Richmond in 1862, the building served briefly as a Union army hospital where teachers and students helped care for the wounded. Madison Female Institute attracted students from all over the South and became famous as a finishing school. The property was leased in 1919 to the City Board of Education for ninety-nine years; today, it is the location of Madison Middle School. In 1939 Model School of Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College merged with Madison High School. The merged schools remained until 1962. In the 1960s in response to federal court rulings the old black high school in Richmond, Richmond High School, was merged with Madison High School. In 1989 Madison High became Madison Middle School and high school students went to Madison Central High School. In response to population increase Madison Southern High School was created in the 1980s. Berea Independent School continues to be the only independent public school in the county. From Madison County Kentucky History <http://www.iclub.org/kentucky/madison/history/schools.asp> (2) This was Clinton D. Henderson who was a sergeant. He enlisted July 16, 1862 at the age of 21 and died Nov. 20, 1863 of wounds received Nov. 18, 1863, in action near Knoxville, TN. This regiment did not serve in the Battle of Richmond, but they were in the area a few days in February, 1863. The following entry from the journal of Charles W. Durling of Co. G mentions their time in Richmond. Tuesday, Article kindly supplied by Jackie Couture, Editor, Heritage Highlights, Madison County Historical Society |
Civil War Secret is Finally Barred "Who Stole the Honey" Mystery Solved by Confession Handwriting on the Wall Transcribed from The [Richmond] Daily Register, September 10, 1920 |
"Who stole the honey?" a much mooted question and one that exercised the already suffering patience of men in the ranks of the Southern army during the Civil War in the city of Richmond, or rather, the site occupied by the city at present, has been solved, that there will be no action of any sort taken, unless the fertile mind of some old resident who can command details of the battle that raged through this immediate vicinity in those eventful days. |
The identity of the purloiner of the sweets was discovered quite by accident, as well as the fact that there had been a theft committed by the Yankees, who infested this section. It all came through the removal of the last the eleventh layer of wall paper from the Madison High School building (1), which is now being improved to comfortably house descendants of some of those who were perhaps actively engaged in the great struggle represented in history long ago. The handwriting was apparently done under a strain since the author was one of those in the building, which was at that time converted into a hospital. Directly after the interrogation is the name C.D. Henderson (2), also the intelligence that he was not only a prisoner, but a sufferer in the hospital. He was a member of Co. E., 45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and hailed according to the pencil statement, from Auglaize county. The answer to the important question as to "who stole the honey," was doubtless a confession feverishly made and after all apprehension pertaining to the theft has subsided, for the writing was in a bold hand and the name and address carefully presented immediately thereafter. There were many inscriptions on the walls, some depicting sorrow, others indicating a cheerful mood. They had been preserved during the past years by the first application of wall paper, when the hospital had been renovated and rearranged. Old residents tell of the experiences of many in and about this historic building at the time, and while the honey episode was perhaps an important one at that time, it would never have been solved, even for the satisfaction of the public today, had it not been for the removal of the paper from the walls. There was one date of 1863 which is supposed to have been made by Wm. Rea, who grew poetic, and then perhaps delirious, since the poem, which had been started, was ended by a nervous scrawl and was never finished. Many discoveries of interest were deciphered from the inscriptions and the mementoes of those strenuous days which were obliterated Wednesday by the hand of progress. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) During the war this building housed the Madison Female Institute. When it was incorporated in 1858, a large brick residence located on a hilltop south of downtown Richmond was enlarged to accommodate the school, and ten acres were divided into lawns, gardens, and tennis courts. Following the Civil War battle of Richmond in 1862, the building served briefly as a Union army hospital where teachers and students helped care for the wounded. Madison Female Institute attracted students from all over the South and became famous as a finishing school. The property was leased in 1919 to the City Board of Education for ninety-nine years; today, it is the location of Madison Middle School. In 1939 Model School of Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College merged with Madison High School. The merged schools remained until 1962. In the 1960s in response to federal court rulings the old black high school in Richmond, Richmond High School, was merged with Madison High School. In 1989 Madison High became Madison Middle School and high school students went to Madison Central High School. In response to population increase Madison Southern High School was created in the 1980s. Berea Independent School continues to be the only independent public school in the county. From Madison County Kentucky History <http://www.iclub.org/kentucky/madison/history/schools.asp> (2) This was Clinton D. Henderson who was a sergeant. He enlisted July 16, 1862 at the age of 21 and died Nov. 20, 1863 of wounds received Nov. 18, 1863, in action near Knoxville, TN. This regiment did not serve in the Battle of Richmond, but they were in the area a few days in February, 1863. The following entry from the journal of Charles W. Durling of Co. G mentions their time in Richmond. Tuesday, Article kindly supplied by Jackie Couture, Editor, Heritage Highlights, Madison County Historical Society |
