The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-30

then making their way through that to the river into
which u emptied There was seldom 4 keeper with
them, and by working at the digging oniy one nj .
time, they got along very well. After a while one
OF them entered the sewer, but 70 his SURPRISE after
proceeding some distance, he encountered wall
which obstructed his progress Thia led to q change
Of plan; and they determined 10 dig In the other
direction, about thirty feet to the wall Of tho yard
ont in making this excavation they carried back into
the sewer; and by sticking nm iron bar down through
the earth from the surface, they obtained SUFFICIENT
air 10 breathe and TO keep their lamp burning. The
which they had made from files. and Ed then
In the blacksmith bellows they made some
canes, and loaded the heads heavily with
lead-sbowing That they intended to defend
themselves Il oycrtaken In their flight Thoy tore
mp their blankets and made clothes. 10 a. 10 put on
Their prison uniform. just IA they had got their
work nearly finished, and had dug almost 70 ths
wall another prisoner, not in the secret happened
TO be passing the shop, when he saw Of the mon
coming up out OF the ground through the hoor. He
thought II was the devil. and screamed "liko muir
der" The officers came, and the whole plot and
operations were exposed
Wells, the murderer, whose case was argued u
the supreme Court today, IN confined In the pcni-
!entiary:, lie was in the Marine barracks q The
time of the murder. One afternoon, which wAs a.
lowed 10 him for recreation, he joined party who
were going over the Eastern Branch To hunt rHh-
bits. Wells and two or three other marines had no
guns. while several boys In the company had bcen
supplied by their parents with 70 ~ling pieces The
marines had been drinking, and they soon became
Jealous OF tho better equipments Of tho boys.
o@ having s' no s sss An TAINTED WHILE 1 wsii:
became enmged with beautiful little fellow
about twelve years old snatcbed his fowlln9
piece out OF his hands, and shot him dead
ON the spot He was tried and convicted OF muir
der. Several clcrgymcn and other citizens interest
ed themselves IN his behalf on the ground that Tho
circumstances Of the murder indicated suddsn
outbreak Of passion, rather than deliberate malice.
n
tory 10 his execution when he received from Prcsi-
dent Fillmore communication OF his sentence to i'm
prsonment for life.
Ills counsel now apply TO the Supreme Court for
habeas corpus, alleging that the power OF pardon
d,es not include the power 10 commute. and that
the statute establishing the Penitcntary for the
District OF Columbia specially excerpts murder from
the crimes for which persons may be confined
therein.
Wells IL employed at the prison to cook for the
officers. and Is regarded AZ one Of the most useful
men they have. lie IL OF medium size, about forty
years vi age, aud With Mild rather than wicked
expression Of counienance Tho front windows OF
his neat kitchen were ornancntcd with some
nourishiDg pcraninms, and noticed that hc had u
cat for his companion.
II Is interesting rather than surprising 70 notice
how prisoners became attached 10 cats or any other
p.ts which are allowed them. Illuminate objects.
too, sometimes asanme relatively Increased I'm
purtnnce ] was struck with the story Of poor old
man who had added crime "a
Old hpr and poverty. that III ma ehcd psir,
and was Obliged 10 watch the last few sands Of his
houfglase drcnrily running out within the walls OF
rfison. One dry the warden VIVA told that tho old
nan had pack Of cards ia his cell. Wondering
What Ia make oil II, the warden went 10 the cell and
hunted Up the pack OF cards They were made III
leather. One by ono the pri oncr had cut them out
and marled them IN. until the pack complete.
What on earth do You want Of q pack Of cards IN
your oolls VIVA, can you do with them here aoncr"
hsked the warden why" aid the old man. II
can, read, and by playing oe hand against tho
other with these cards ! have con,riyed to Ind
some 4 lace Ia my ionrlnc.s.N The warden took
thsm away. II could mol have been pleasant duty.
for he SCENE Ike kndhcaficd man: but tho rules
~ the pfa1n required Il. lt reminds one OF the
cfueity VII crushed the lone, loved spider In Pc
hseou'6 Go and broke The tiny. soft and silkcn
h ead o Joy vhich he was weaving Into the rough
NoOi of the prisoners life.
observed While in the bakery msnat work viii
his shirt sleeves rolled up and his arms covered with
India Ink. I called the Wardcn's attention 10 10.
and he remarked That nine tenihs Of tho prisoners
who come here have such marks on their arms:
women. ships. anchors. initials. or soneshinH.
picked Ia With India Ink. The pictnres are iadcli-
Ii ,he fact meu,ioped ~ she Warden s"rlsts v ~
penitentisries an well N 10 this. II would b wei.
before employing n str niger 10 have him roll up hs
sleeves aud show whether be has India ink printe
The conversation Of The prisoners With the omesss
= sometrpes characterized BY considerable ongss-
ity and point. oDs man nAid 70 the wardsn. De
e e 10 ss. .ssS sf 70 ass q: .s :
you do ~, said ,ths warden. "why." aaId us pd-
snrr, ~ would Just sentence every mss Tor oss
night. and they felt - bad ~ did The
first night ! WAS hrre. they would never come
back again. The first night I came Jon put
the prison drcss me. and locked ne
up In dark cell. Then heard tbe iruu door.
and heard you lock up all the other prisoners. Ths
saIne evening two men punished. ! wAo
scared and felt nwfully; and N could have got oss
the next morning. you would never have SEQ me
here again Now have been here six months. asA
got used 10 IL and don't care anything sboGt ~"
Not only did and these matten worth, trust,
the brief mention" which I have made Of them.
within the walls of She penitsnsary. but the very
ground on which u stands n not devoid u Interest,"
In fact the pcnite Itself may lie regarded
sort u monument o. the memory ~ oar fallen
foes reared over their rcmains--and In the
opinion Of many. quite tasteful the one
niw In stagnation.~i going " asy
LA process OF etccttot-to Washington. In 1910,
when the British were about entering the capital.
beie wss well within the limits OF the pscnrst
yard OF the PcDiirDiiafy. large quantity Of pow
der. which soldiers obigcdsto abandon, Vas
thrown into tbs well The water In the well
not deep enough 10 saturxte u all IL happened
thst when . large number of British scldierS had
gathered round. an officer who had been sn0k ing,
tbres the stump u bis scgar Into the well. sup
posing that Mt leas, " We safe place. The powder
ignited and blew them AL up They were barcd
on the spot. This IL n tra1iiion. Homc circum.
stances occurred Lar, year going far 10 oonarn ~
truth. An excavation for some purpose ~ repairs
vac made In the yard In making II q quantity II
human bones and several skulls were dag up, aud
also a number Of bntioDs Of the British uniform.