Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-12-26

| HORRIBLE MURDER AT THE STATE
PRIsoS.-Thc State Prison at Charles
town was again made the scene of a most
melancholy tragedy yesterday morning.
resulting in the death of Mr.. Galen c.
Walker. Deputy Warden. The partic-
ulars of the horrible affair are as follows !:
Between : and s clock. just after the
usual morning devotional exercises had
been concluded in the chapel of the pris-
on, and while the prisoners were passing
out in file, convict named James Niece.
stepped from the ranks and handed a
note to Mr. Walker, on which was writ
ten the words, You have not treated me
like a man. or something of similar
import. While Mr.. Walker was in the
act of reading it, McGee drew shoe
knife. which had been concealed in his
clothes, and quick as thought, plunged
it into him. the blade penetrating the
abdomen, inst above the groin. At the
moment of the wound, Mr.. Walker Crap
pied with MCGEE, and several of the
prisoners Immediately sprang forward to
seize the murderer, but ere they could
master him, he had again stabbed the Of
f,cer. the knife entering below the left
ear. severing the jugular vein, and caus-
ing immediate death. None of the reg.
ular officers of the prison were at hand,
and the chaplain, Rev. Mr.. Hampstead.
rushed towards McGec and struck him
over the head with the large Bible. in
an attempt to knock him down, but fail
ing to do so. he then seized him BY tn,
hair of the held and held him until tie
arrival of further aid. when he was put
il irons. and conveyed to dungeon.
Mr.. Walker had serve in his official
capacity at the prison about eight years.
He had always borne an excellent reputa-
ton as disciplinarian, and those under
his charge were uniformly satisfied with
his manner of treatment. He had been
familiar with criminal institutions for
ANY years. having served in an official
capacity at the State Prison in Concord.
y. H., and in like criminal institutions
in Connecticut. He was a brother OF
DR.. Clement A. Walker. Superintendent
of the Lunatic Hospital at South Boston
was a native of Bethel, Me..-about
IS years of age, and leaves wife and
! four children in Charlestown.
McGee is serving sentence of twelve
years for an attempt to murder his wife
in this city on the 9TH of Nov. 1851. and
during his confinement has always been
regarded as dangerous man, having
once made an attempt to murder fell
low convict, for which he was sent to
the Lunatic Hospital at Taunton, as it
was then thought he was dcranged.-
During his stay there he made an unsuc.
cessful attempt to escape, but was after
wards returned to the prison as a sane
man.
No cause was assigned for the bloody
act of yesterday, though it is known
that some months since MCGEE remark cd
in the hearing of other prisoners, that ii
he ever had the opportunity he would be
the death Of Mr.. Walker. He is c.',on,
81 years Of age.
, This is the second officer of this nris.
on Killed by q convict within the pasr
twelve or fifteen years. In the year 1913
while the Warden, named Lincoln, wa,
passing through one of the workshops,
! prisoner named Rogers, fatally stabbed
him with knife. Rogers, however, es
capped capital punishment on the GROUND
of insanity, and died finally in an insane
asylum.
The last tragedy in the prison was the
killing of a convict named Adams by 2
fellow prisoner named Wilson. who, it
!, will be remembered, was convicted ar
sentenced to be hung, but on the ground
of insanity had his sentence committed
to imprisonment for life, and he is now
an inmate Of the prison.-Atias, 18TH.
~ Minnesota is about to take the
initiatory steps for admission into the Tn,
ion as State, through its delegate, Mr.
Rice. 1t is estimated that census te
determine the number of representative.
to which she would be entitled, if taker
now, would show a population of nearly
or quite two hundred thousand, and that
by the time it shall be taken it vii
= amount to number sufficient to give thi
flourishins territory right to at leas
three representatives. In 1860 it is es
: timated that her population will have be
come half a million, and that, even witt
the highest probable ratio of representa-
ton, she will be entitled to four represen
tatives.-Boston Atlas.