Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-11-10
Enbezzlement at the Penitentiary

This morning the room OF Esq rieiu WAS
densely crowded with throng Of curious
spectators 10 witness the trial of ]. S. King,
for stealing the property Of the State from
the Ohio Pententiary. The prisoner is
good looking individual, about forty.Gve
years of age, and would be almost the last
man one would suspect of being guilty Of
larceny. The evidence of Mr.. Huffman,
the Deputy Warden, showed that King had
been in charge of the shoe shop in the Pris-
on until about six weeks ago. and that after
he was arrested, there was found in his
house rolls of calf-skins, boots shoes, thread,
tacks, bed ticking and sbirting-in all to
the value Of about $3.50.
Elijah Mets--a convict in the Penitentia-
ry-being sworn, said, that he was foreman
in the shoe shop-that nothing could be
taken away from the shop without bis
knowledge-that King and bis predecessor,
Van Vert, who had charge of the Prise.
ners in that shop, had commenced taking
away from the prison mems boots. shoes.
women's CATERS, and rolls of leather, and
that he himself rolled up the leather for
them TO carry away. He said that he was
sent to the Penitentiary for stealing, three
years ago-that no inducement had been
offered him to testify in this case, and that
he had no expectation of being pardoneG
out. He did not know whether lie was a
prisoner at present, or whether he had been
pardoned. King, who was the Guard in
;be shoe shop, ordered him whenever Van
Vert wanted anything out of the shop, tc
let him have it. About the time that Mr..
Mr.. Dimmock left the Prison, good many
pairs of shoes we're taken away. They
were sent out in boxes as a company con
cern between Van Vert and King. About
100 pairs of boots, or more, we're taken out
by them, in all. They were worth from
$500 to $3.50 pair. He thought, if he
had been an outsider, and was to steal 6
box of that kind. that it would be peniten
tiary offence, as he knew it was worth more
than $35,OO AS far as he was concerned
} be felt himself bondman, subject to the
orders of his superior, and bound to dt
what was told him by the officers of The
prison.
. He told Mr.. Wilson, the present Warder
} of the Prison, what was going on four Of
FIVE months ago, for be thought he was th'
: right kind of a man, and he thought it hi
duty 10 tell him. He did not think at the
time that Wilson would get him a pardon
but he has thought Of it since. Van Wer
aud King both promised him if he assisted
r them in getting the property away from
: the prison, that they would assist him ii
getting a pardon, but when they failed h'
thought that Wilson might succeed. III
did not tell Mr.. Dimmock abou: the prop
} erty being taken from the shoe shop, for b
thought the fountain head was corrupt, ant
|, he dare not tell him. Mr.. Wilson, tn,
: Warden, being sworn said, that King wa
: the officer in charge Of the shoe shop in tn
: Penitentiary, and that there are no charge
F; on the books for the goods taken from King
: house by the officer.
Mr.. Buttles of Trumbull county, bein
j sworn said, that he was one of the Direc
+ tors of the Ohio Penitentiary, that upon eS
u animation of the books he found the amour
t of leather charged 10 the State far exceed
ed the value of the boots and shoes manu-
>. factured, which caused him to suspec
y something was wrong, and led him 20 in
vestigate the matter closely. This led I
e the arrest.
The prisoner was bound over in the sur
It of $1,000 to appear before the Court {
Common Pleas The examination was the
continued on the charge of assisting con
vict to escape.
e 1t was in evidence that he had secrete
e a suit of citizens clothes in the shoe sho
!. and had made arrangements with brothe
:, Of the convict on the outside, to break
= hole through the wall. through which th
q prisoner was to escape. He was require
Ir to give bail in an additional $500 for b
N appearance at Court; making the eutil
sum for which he is bound over $780,
He was committed TO prison to await h
J. trial before the Court OF Common Pleas
u o. S. Journal.