Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-11-18
Monroe Edwards Again.

| This notorious scoundrel has again al
tempted escaping from Sing Sing. hui
this time his plans were laid in such a
manner as cvincrd his determination 10
sacrifice human life. rather Than be fooled
! in his attempt, and had they moi been dis
covered, every soul in The hospital Of The
prison must have been bu rned alive -
The details Of his plan as communicated
10 US, ure SO characteristic Of the man !,
that we give them more n length than
we would under ordinary circumstances.
Ga Thursday j. W. Edmonis, Press.
dent Of the Commissioners, was at the
prison, and some OF the convic,s mae
known the fact that there was 4 cunspira.
cy TO fire tile prise, and escape. A. this
was story very commonly got up BY
convlcts either to ieaze the keepers. or 10
make capital for themselves. liiic at,cn.
ton was at first paid to it, but on rccriv-
ing additional Information, the prisoners
implicated were searched, Edwards being
among them. Or him were found long
sharp pointed knife, a pair Of spurs MADE
OF leather with shoe tacks for The roweIs,
heavily loaded thong and quantity of
loco Eco a,ches; also letters written
with q, pewter plummet and on wrapping
pnper from bis CO tonspira,ors. This oc-
Cured on Friday, and all the details OF
his plans having been made known, thu
keeper made his dispositions TO ,hwart
them. II appears TINT he has two cores.
pondenis in this city, (who are known 10
the officers) and they were in the prnc.
iice of leaving letters for Edwards in the
windows Of the shop where he was At
work. which are accessible to any person
at night The spo, at which the letters
were 10 be left was designated by coil
Of fine wire. which the prisoners left OH
the window. The party out side BY feel
ing at the different windows, would come
across the wire, and there leave the let.
ter. The plan arranged was TO have a
sloop o., in Tappan Bay. The conspirn-
tors were to fire the prison, and IN ,hs
confusion which would be created, tho
parties on the outside would come in ~
If to assist, ard carry of The convicts,
VINO were 10 be landed in RockIand coun-
ty, where they would steal horses and
make their way of.
The main difficulty in carrying out
this, was to fix definitely The time. This
was finally arranged in this wise: num-
Der Of grains OF wheat and cora were to
be left on one ofthe windows-each grain
Of corn to signify week, and the wheat
a day. The plan was then 70 Be carried
out on the first night when high south
wind was blowing, after the expiration Of
the weeks or days designated oy the corn
and wheat. The object Of waiting until
J southwest wind was blowing was that
when the cooper's shops, which are low
wooden buildings, and which It was in
tended to fire were burning, the wind
would blow the flames directly on the
roof Of the Chapel ana Hospital, and the
inevitable consequence must have been
hat every one OF the convicts in the hos
pilal must have persisted in the flames.
Tho wheat and corn were left on The
window, but IN opening the shop door u
he morning, the wind scattered them
about so that il was impossible to know
he exact number left, and thus this plaa
vas foiled. They next determined to 6w
he prison on the first day Of south west
wind, and seize the sloop which belooss
Q the prison, and after crossing the by
With her, sink her and make their way
nts the mountains. On Friday this slooP'
IS luck would have it, can,c from New
FORK, and in tho, afternoon high s. W.
Wind was blowing. Fearing that the at
empt would be made that night an extra
.uafd was put on, and three kegs Of pow
er were carried into the chare! 50 thss