Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-06-21
From the Lime Rock Gazette.


documents relating thereto taken from his ooa hand
r,itiag.
IHE ONLY FULL AND AUTHENTIC Ac-
COUNT PUBLISHED.
knowing that great interest is every
where felt TO learn the facts connected
with the plot Of Coolidge for the murder
OF Thomas Flint, just brought 10 light
through the vigilance of the officers Of the
State Prison; and that many conflicting
reports are in circulation relating TO it !:
we have taken much pains to gather all
the facts, and lay them before the public in
full. In thus laying open one of the dark
est and most artiul plots that ever held a
place in the records of crime, the officers
of the Prison have all due regard for the
feelings Of the friends of the late DR. Cool
idge, but justice to the public seems to de-
mand its publication.
We are indebted TO Mr. Carr, the Ward
en-, for the particulars in regard to obtain
ing the writings, and for copies of the
same. We are also under obligations 10
DR. Rose, the physician Of the Prison, and
DR. Buxton, one of the Inspectors for 9TH
er important facts in relation to the affair.
After the Communication of the sentence
Of Coolidge, it is generally known that he
was allowed the liberty of the yard, and
some light duties put upon him, such as
sweeping out the Prison. supplying the
cells with water, ETC., which gave him de-
cided advantages. For many weeks pre-
vious to the discovery of the present af-
fair, the Warden had just grounds for si,s-
picion that Coolidge was exerting an in
furious Influence among the prisoners and
that he was endeavoring to communicate
through the wall outside. This put him
upon the alert, and orders were given TO
watch Coolidge's movements closely
At this time young prisoner (whose
name is withheld) was confined to his cell
by sickness, and as Coolidge was passing
and re-passing, fine opportunity was af-
forded for conversing with him from time
to time when Coolidge, being convinced
that he could make confidant Of the sick
man, revealed to him his whole plot, and
the name Of the person whom he intended
to employ to ccnsnmmate it; this person
was prisoner whose term of confinement
expires in few months, but as there is
no available evidence against him as yet,
his name is not given. So confident was
Coolidge of having enlisted the sympathy
Of the young man in his behalf, that he en-
trusted to him the papers he had prepared,
for the purpose of reading. Upon obtain
ing possession Of them he refused to give
them back, stating as reason that he had
not finished reading them. Coolidge be-
came inpatient, and gave some threats;
but the sick man succeeded in retaining
the documents until a week ago last Fri
day, when he handed them over to the Of
fcers, whereupon Coolidge was placed at
work in the shoe shop, where more vigil
liant watch could be kept over him.
When it was first intimated to Coolidge
that he had been writing certain papers,
and holding unlawful correspondence, he
stoutly denied it. On Wednesday follow
ing he complained of being unwell, and
went toh his cell. This was probably done,
with the hope that his papers were still
in the hands of the person with whom he
left them, and he might possibly have an
to obtain them back.
AT this stage of the affair, the Warden
with the Inspectors upon the
best course 10 pursue in regard to the
writings found and it was thought most
advisable to recommit Coolidge TO close
and make his foul designs
public.
On Thursday morning he was accord
ingly placed in solitary cell. In the
evening DR. Rose called upon him, and
found him somewhat unwell, and extreme
ly low spirited; he appeared to have lost
every shadow of hope-expressed fears
that he should lose every friend he pos
sessed when his plan became public-in-
quired what disposition would be made of
his body after death land said he had no
desire TO live longer.
The next morning between Z and 8
o'clock, when breakfast was taken to the
prisoners, Coolidge did not answer TO his
call. The Clerk was Immediately called,
and upon entering the cell, he was found
upon the floor, having apparently rolled
from his bed, with his head partly in
bucket when taken up he exhibited slight
signs Of life, but soon after expired. A
post norton examination was held on Sat-
,irday morning, and Doctors Rose and
Buxton inform us that no signs of poison
was discovered in his stomach lis lungs
were slightly affected, but not sufficiently
10 cause death, his brain was perfectly
sound and healthy; his heart was very
small, weighing only 81 ounces. 1t is the
general opinion that lie died in fit,
brought on by extreme mental depression.
and the general prostra,ion of the whole
nervous system, caused by The sudden
Of his long fostered hope.
The principal papers found we have
copied entire. The first is pretended
'let,er of confession" which was 10 be
copied in Flint's hand writing by the per-
son employed TO carry out these designs,
and placed about Flint's person, where il
might be easily discovered after his death.
Then follow very minute directions how
to proceed 10 obtain a knowledge Of Flint's
writing, and to perpetra:e the murder
without exciting suspicion. These direc-
tions are, many Of them, most ingeniously
and prove him to possess cum
ming and art, without depth or capacity
1t appears that he used all the precaution
of " hich he was capable, to avoid even