Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-03-18
A SCENE AT sING-SING.


saunterins about the place where the prisoners at
Sinr-Sing were pursuing their a,ocatiOns. He
was dressed in a rough roundabout Jacket, loose
,rowsers and tarpaulin hat, and lie strosled
around, noticing the industry and skill of the
prisoners in hewing aud chisselling the blocks OF
marble on which they were employed, his coun-
tenance wore an expression OF approva!of their
l,hors very different from that which one OF our
New York s.oae cutters and anti monopoly men
would have exhibited in the same circumstances.
II was early liz the morning, and as the scntneis
walked 10 and fro their posts, their well-ciean.
ed musket barrels glittering in the rising sun.
thew now and then cast sidelong glance to the
stranger, to see that held 10 communication
With the conyicts over whom it was their duty to
keen a yiuiant guard. The stranger seemed lit
tie dismissed To enter into conversation with the
rompulsory lanidares; but walked deliberately
around from ore part of the grounds to another,
with the air of one Who merely desired to graft
~ his curiosity as to the details of the lar-famed
prison discipline of Sing Sing.
While he was thus engaged. a sl0op which had
been living at wharf not Tar oil, showed out into
the stream. its ib and mainsaiI were run up. aud
swelleJ out by the breeze, and boat belonging
10 the vessel which had been detained at the
dock. apparently waiting for some one. seemed
on the point of leaving it, and pulling OF to the
~. y
seeing at glance the situation of affairs. an ex-
preston of anxiety passed over his countenance.
..My stars" exclaimed he. ''there goes the
sloop, aud the j"lly-boal - going to shove Off
,haii he left to u dead CERTAINTY" As he spoke
thus. he stepped quickly tovards the shore at a
poiut where one of the sentyies was walking TO
and trO.
stand there" said the sentinel,-you can
not pass this y"
Bet, My dear fellow, there goes the socp,
and shall De left behind, unless you suffer me
To pass. have Just returned from an India roy-
age. and am taking bit of round turn,up the II
yer, TO see the OLD ones, before Im Gil TO sea
again. Pray let me pass
at is contrary to ORDERS said the soldier,
dropping his musket to a horizontal position. and
bidding III. sailor stand of. You must 90 out
wonder, where YOU came IN. No one is allowed
70 pass here"
The stranger thus repulsed, turned and walk
ed hastily to another part of the grounds, where
he met with an equally prompt refusal from anO-
Their sentinel. In this dilemma nothing was left
for him but to turn, and pass through the usual
place of egress and entrance. As he approach
ed this place. one of the deputy Keepers, who &C
cdentally happened to be on the spot, was no'ic
ed to cast sundry doubtful glances upon the stran
ger, and as he drew near and was dartins rapid
" through he called out
Here-stop--stay, my frend-who are you,
and where are you goins:'
For heavens sake don't stop me, cried the
tar. - the slo"p's oil. and if | don't bear hand
| shall fail ast,rn Of the lighter.''
The keeper, surprising him really sailor, who
mad been passing the time that the sloop had been
detained at the wharf III examining the prison
and the surrounding works, was about To let him
proceed, when another glance seemed to awake
fresh suspicious.
Hold, my friend said he. having his hand
on the sailors collar ali may be fair and above
board. but must looa little closer into this. =
As he said this. he raised the tarpaulin hat from the
STRANGER brad, and castin5 searching aud scru-
tinizia- glance upon Tvs face, suddenly exclaim
Ell. By Jove, it Is the VILLAIN Jacksoni"
The exclamation brought several by-standers
to the spot, and little further scrutiny left no
doubt of the fact that the stranger was indeed no
other than the convict Jackson, who, our readers
will remember, was short time since sentenced
TO hard labor in the Sing-Sins prison for fifteen
years being live years on each of three several
indictments. The sketch which was then fur
nished BY our Reporter Of his career of crime,
must have convinced the reader that he is q per-
son of singular address and ingenuity, and this |
last effort 20 escape shows degree Of skill and
daring fully equal to any of his former feats.-
How he possessed himself uf the sailors suit is |
not known. 1t il supposed that he made por-
ton of il Of the bed clothing with which his cell
was furnished. as only few small remnants of
those articles were LETT.
His hat. it is thought, he found means to tar or
blacken with materials secreted whilst he was |
employed in one OF the shops connected with the |
prison. On being taken out Of the prison on the |
morning in question, he probably found means
unsupported to carry out with him, in the bucket
with which each cell is supplied, the dress which
h. afterwards assumed, and the change Of appa
rel was effected behind rock that sheltered him
from observation for few moments, and in which |
place his Prison dress was afterwards found.
We have this story of the ingenious rogue's
defeated attempt TO escape from an undouSted
source, and in all its main particulars it may be
relied upon as correct.-N. T. Post.