Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-02-11
E EVENING STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

in the workshops were m arshalled and marched
to their supper room, making rather pictures
que appearance from a little distance, in their
psrti- colored clothes The prison dress in
winter is black and white, and in summer
blue and white; the female convicts wearing
sort Of checkered stuff, or plaid, which Just
now happens to be the height of fashion, on
both sides of the penitentiaiy wall,
The guards upon the prison-walls have had
pretty severe service during the present cold
winter. Their orders are to cali out to any
prisoner they see attempting to escape and
order him back, and should he refuse, to shoot
him down at once. In 1853 pretty sy SYSTEMATIC
attempt at escape was made by seven men
employed in the blacksmith shop, and came
very near succeeding. They made an opening
through the earth from the floor of the shop
to sewer which empties in the river, but
when they attempted to pass down tie sewer
they were stopped by an unexpected obstacle
in the shape of a wall. They commenced
digging in the other direction towards the wall
of the peDitentiary, distant about thirty feet,
and the dirt thrown out in this excavation,
they disposed Of by passing it down the sewer
hole made with an iron bar, let in air suf-
fsient for them to work by. They had pro-
Vided themselves with change of clothes by
cutting up their blankets, 50 as to escape de-
lection In their prison costume; they had, also,
manufactured some knives from old files and
some sticks, loaded with lead, which were,
doubtless, prepared for the benefit of the
watchmen. When the arrangements for escape
were nearly completed, the whole plot was ex-
posed, by a convict, who passing the shop saw
man emerging from the hole in the floor.
Seventeen cOnvicts In all have made their
escape since the penitentiary was built. One
prisoner escaped up the fue, to which he pen
etrated through the brick work, then making
his way through the outer wall, he let himself
down to the street by tearing his blankets
into strips, and tying them together. Anothe.
cut passage through the top of his cell, and
crawling along between the roof and the CELL
ing, commenced cutting away partition wall
which interrupted his progress; but the noise
made in the attempt betrayed him to the ft z
male prisoners, who thought it a ghost, and
screamed accordingly. The prisoner dropped
his lamp, spilling the oil, which soaked
through the ceiling, and the marks Of which
are yet to be seen.
After the supper Of the convicts is through,
they are formed into line, and their persons
are examined to see that nothing is concealed
upon them; then each convict takes his water
bucket, fills it at the pump, and proceeds with
1t to his cell, where he is locked up for the
night. For few minutes there is a great
changing and Earring of bolts, bars and iron
doors, as tho watchmen pass rapidly around
the galleries and assure themselves carefully
that each prisoner is in his cell
In the female department we found the con-
victs circled around a large old fashioned
stove, and they were engaged in binding shoes
and ironing clothes. The female convicts do
the washing for the Penitentiary, and the
room was festooned and draped with clothes,
hung to dry, in a manner which indicated the
large amount of washing required by 50 many
people Since the appointment Of a matron
Mrs. Z II. Maceron, who entered upon her
duties July 10th, 1857 the condition of the
female convicts has been much improved
Formerly they were left pretty much to them
selves, owing TO a scarcity Of officers, and they
did little work and their cells were in consid-
cradle disorder. The matron states that
when she entered upon her duties she found
no furniture-not even a chair-in that de-
partment, and though the cells and other
apartments have been thoroughly cleaned,
there Is yet great Inconvenience experienced
Tor want OF proper appurtenances, especially
in the washing department.
Many things Of interest we have not time
and space to notice, but the sum of our OBJ
servations was, that the penitentiary is well
yentillsted, eleanly, and well regulated, and
that the convicts are cared for humanely
and considerably as is consistent with proper
discipline The Warden and his assistant
ofieers seem to have that proper moral control
over the prisoners which is so much more eff
fectual for good than physical coercion.
In conclusion, we subjein the list of officers:
Thomas Thornley,, warden; Noble Thomas,
deputy warden; Thomas Mitchell, superin-
tendent Of the shoe department; David G..
McComb, Richard Howe, Michael N ash, Thos
Robinson, William Dawson, Francis Garland.
j. Barr, Il. Jarboe, and Robert Goldman,
e guards; Francis j. Hayne, Clerk; DIR Garnett,
resident ply sician; Rev r. K. Richards, chap
lain; Z. III. Maceron, matron.
CONNITNfNTs.-Th following is the list of
commitments to the penitentiary during the
term Of the criminal court j. Z. Russell,
forgery, years and months; Jas. W SMALL
wood, GeolOred,) larceny, years; John W.
Moore, larceny, year; John Kershner, horse
stealing, years; j. Contee, (colored } larceny,
year and months; John T. Jones, larceny,
year; VIM. Dent, icolored, larceny, 2 years
and months; Adele Williams, (colored,) lar
ceny, years; Charles w hite, larceny, 2 years
and months; Sarah Dorsey, (colored,j lar
eeny, years; Mary Butler, (colored,) larceny,
year; Lewis Bell, (colored, larceny, years.
John Mayer, larceny, year; VIM Eliason,
leolored,) larceny, year and months; Geo
Humphreys, lcolored,) larceny, year; John
Jones, arson, years; Geo. Raglan, (colored)
manslaughter, years; HeEekiah Walker, as.
sault with intent to kill, years.
FOUNDRY CHOIR CoscERr.-The attention
OF our citizens, especially Of those residing in
the First Ward, is invited to the announcement
IN another column, that the Foundry choir will
give concert TO- morrow evening in Union
chapel, for the benefit of the church worship
ing there. Those who had the pleasure Of
hearing the concert given by this choir in their
own church some two months since, will not
require any assurance from US that the enter
tainment viii be Of an eminently pleasing and
gratifying character. Several of the pieces
sung on the former occasion will be repeated,
by request and such arrangements have been
made as to render il certain that those who
may attend will enjoy the double pleasure
of listening to beautiful music well performed,
and Of contributing to a worthy object.
NATIONAL THEATRE.-We would again re-
mind our readers that to- night those beautiful
sisters appear for the first time in five years
During the past two weeks they have played
In Baltimore to crowded houses, composed of
the elite and fashion Of the monumental. city
On this occasion, they appear as Romeo and
S9heI Romeo, Miss Susan Denim Juliet,
Miss Kate Denim also, in the farce of "The
youth who never saw a woman ~ Colin Miss