Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-08-12
RICHMOND. AUGUST IL, IS23.
TIE PE.VITE.VII4RYB BURNT!


has drawn ST. much of the attention of citizens
and strangers, is now in ashes.-The loss to
the commonwealth, and the Inconvenience il
imposes on the citizens, is SD great, and the
questions which grow out of them so new,
that we think it our duty ~ give as minute an
account of the event as we have been able To
collect:
a few minutes before - o'clock on the night
Of Friday, the 9Th inst. the appalling cry of fire
rang through our streets. II was soon dls-
covered to be at the State Penitentiary. The
Public Guard from the Armo,y, the iir- com.
paues with their engines. and crowd of citi-
zens Immediately rushed to the scene of con-
Migration. The roof of the centre range of
buildings, as well as M the eastern extremity
OF the circular building, were wrapt in a tire
mendous sheet of flames, which were rapidly
communicated to every part of the Edhce.
The Penlteniiary was built in the form of
a seniiclrtle, the two extreuties of which
were connected by high wall fronting the
south, about the centre of which stood the
spacious bu!dins designed for the residence
OF the keeper, but which had been of late con
ycrtrd INTO Il ore house &c Parallel to this
wall aud building stood what was called thr
centre building, of the same height with the cir
euar building and connected with il at each
end Il WAS exclusively used fui work shops.
The circular bliidiag WAS three stories high,
with three ranges Ot galleries extending from
one extremity 10 the other. The two upper
stories were used for lodging rooms and the
hospital, sc. and the lover for work s!i -
and cells.
The flames soon rose in awful grandeur
along the whole extent of The roofs of these
several ranges. What pen can fully describe
The distressing scrue " hich was here presented
10 the anxious spectators, vino feeling every
disposition tn restrain the progress of,he de-
vonrn5 element felt, from the first monrnt,
tina. their utmust Efforts would be unavailing
in the extreme The affrghIcd cnnvicts had
been released from their confinement and
grouped together in from, of the building,
guarded by The Public GIar,l and Il crowd of
unarnl"d ciIHrns. They were subsequently
remuved 10 the ,atsy below illuminated by
the glazing light OF The flaming building, until
sufficient number of the citizens had been
armed when they were marched To the
spacious pnriico of the Capitul, where they
were counted and remained under guard un-
oil morning.
Daring this interval, the occasional release
ola wrr,chcd being from the cells, by cutting
through The wall, icn on the mind the dread
fat apprehension, that many uf them bad
perlshcd and the flames. 70 this apprrhcn.
sinn was added Unn, rot less calculated 10 add
excitement and interest 10 The scene. IL was
feared that so many dr,ravcd aud desperate
men turned loDsc ut thr dead huur of night,
nnder such circumstances ur alarm and confn
SION, a"d so lnddrqWately guarded, would
make Il bold, though haZard"uS, effort tn re
gam their iibrrty and ila blood must be shed
~ the conflict. These fears too were ncruas
ed by suspicion That ibe FIRE was commune
caird 10y them under concerted plot of at
tempting their escape during the confusion of
siit.l a scene.
Thesc fears, apparently 50 well founded
wee; however, suUu dissipa,ed. The con, lets
as we have already observed, were removed
10 place of comparative security. They
we're counted, aud the whole number, called
for hy the register of the Institution t2i4
were found either tn be prescnl or TO be safe
whiting The knowledge OF the officers. There
verr ! | women. Or the men, rs were on tn,
sick lisi some of them in an EXTREMELY help
less condition.
Mr. Pcndrton, the Superintendent, and the
other officers who slept without the building
were among the first persons who arrived aitrl
the alarm was sounded. They rendered eve
~ service IN their power.
Ii Is due 10 Governor peasants to state that
he was present, add gave orders throughout
the whUIe scene, and did not quit the convict.
Hniil he was assured of their safely, by guart
at proper numbers.
me prisoners manifested at no period dis
posI"n to make their escape they remained
silent anI ohedeDt Ia orders--and down &c
the present moment we have heard of no i'm
proper conduct OH their part.
On Saturday murning, the Executive
Council were convened To take into conside
ration Ibe measures which ough; ia be adopt
ed, under state Of things so peculiar anC
uu"xanpled, The laws nf the state have no
provided for such event. The executive
are not clothed with the legal powers nrerssa
ry 10 such a conjuncturc. That body, howe
Yer, directed that the most desperate uf tn,
c"n'IciS should befronrd, aud thrt they shoult
he confined in the Armury under strnn,
guard CONFUSED of details from the militia
and tie public guard. The females and In,
SICK were confined in the public Barracks.
The board of directors of the PenilentIary
aisS convened on Saturday for the purpos,
OF adopting measures for the preservation
% such of the public property as had been res
cued from the DANES aud f0t the furlhe
purpose of enqniring into the origin OF the fire
MS Investigation chiefly occupied their alien
non ca > iiurday, and yesterday, and will, W.
understand, be continued until they have eli
c'ied all the ficts and circumstances necessary
I" enable them To- make full and detailed re
port to the Executive. The 10, es;igatiOn thu
lar, seems Ia have resulted in nothing satsfac
iory' According to fir routine Of duty anon;
y me officers, 1t devOved on 1seph Kimbrough
~ Daniel Toitey, 81, and VIM. Simson, Oh
assistant Keepers, aud Andrew NJ Crew, imr
h'y ana delivery clerk, 10 sleep within tn
Interior of the institution ON the night Of h
ON duty which they accordingly discharged
al Tie officers concur ~ representing lha
we customary dutics and ceremonies Of th
PRISON had been performed the pre- ss.ing day
'hal uuthing had occurred to excite the least sus
l,..I 81