Litchfield enquirer., 1857-02-05

II tgSsl nc following account E rom the New Eng land Galaxy of 1928.
 A more impressive exhibition Of moral cour- age, opposed to the widest ferocity under the most appalling circumstances was never seen than that which Was. witnessed by the officers of the Mass State Prison u the great rebel;on which occurred about five years ago. Three convlcts had been sentenced u.lder the rules of the prison, to be whipped ill the yard, aud, by some effort of one Of tIe other prsoners, Q door had been opened at midday, commuuc;i- I ting with the great dining hall, and through ! the warden's lodge into the street. The dinner hall is long, dark aud damp from its situation near the surface oF the ground. aud in this all the prisoners assembled, with clubs ard such tools as they could seize in passing through the worksAeps. Knives, hammers, and cLiSels. With every variety of such weapons We're in the hands of these feroc;ous spirits, who were drawn away from their encroachments on soci- cty, forming q, congregation of strength, of veneSs, and talent, that can hardly be cqualled on earth, even among the famed brgands of Italy. Men of all ages and characters guilty of every variety of infamous crimes, dressed iu the motley and peculiar garo of that institution and displaying the wild and de,uoniae appear ance that always pertains ta imprisoned wretch es, were gathered together for the sugle pur- pose Of preventing the punishment to be inllict- ed on the morrow upon ther comrades The Warden, the surgeon, and some~~otler officers | Of the prSon We're there at the time, and were | alarmed at the consequences likely to ensue from the co;ililct EeccesSaly to restore order. They huddled together, but could scarcely be said to consult, as ttc stoutest of tiem lost al! presence of mind in overwhelming fear. The ] news spread rapidly through the town, and ! subordinate officer, Ot most mild and kind dis position, hurried to to the scene, and calm and collected into the midst of the olIicers. The most cquable tempered, and the niidest in the government, Was, Ill this hour of peril, the firm est. He instantly despatched a request to l Major W WaiuwrlSht commander of the marines stationcd at the havy-yard for assistance, and declared h.s purpose to enter the hail ald try 1 the force of firm LeneanCr and p>rsaasion upon the enras,d mul itule All of hs brethren cx- cll!ned against al at. .mlt so fail of hazard; l; but in van. They ,derred iim &rruS, a sword and pistols, Lut he reused them, and said that 1 he had ho fear, ald ill case ot danger, a,ins l woa.d do him no sefvtce; and alone with only d rattan, Which Was his usual walking stick, he advanced into the hall to hold pariey With tLe selected, congregated and cnruged v.lilails ot | the commonwealth. slie demanded their ;ur- pose in violation of the Pr.>oa lams The re- mission Of the punishment ot tlicir t1lfee con- rddes.' He said that It was impossible, the rules et the prison must be effected, aEd they 1 must submit At the hint of submission they drew hearSr tegethcr, prepared their weapons for serrlce, anu us they wtre d.lniy seen lii the farther end oi tue hali, Ly those who observed from the gratlnSs that ui,eued up to the day,
 Il more arpaiilng stsht cahilot bc. conceived, nos one oi uorc granlluer, thaI that ot sil,glu man stanJng Mltnin the, grasp, and cxluseu 10 bc toIu iunb from llmb instantly, if word or look should aud to the aileady iuteIlsc vx- c.temeht. Aud tla, excitement, too Was ouc ot the most dangerous kind. 1t bsske tot forth Id nose and inprtcaton. tut Was seen ouly in tie dark 10 ks, and the stlained Mry,s that showed q deep deter1hiuat oi. Tine officer cx- postuated. He reminded them of the hopelcs : ness of escape that the town was alarmed aud that the govrument of the prison would sub mt to noth ng but unconditional surrender He said that ah those who would go quietly away should be forgiven this offence: but that Ii every pr.scicr Was killed Ill the contest, DOW CT enough would Dc obtained to cntorce the re- gulatIoils of the prison. They replied thut they expected some would be killed, but that dcutn was better tilau such Imprisonment, aud with look and loae winch bespoke all inaolu- table purpose, they declared that not q man i should leave the hall alive until the fogglIg was reunited. -s
 At this period of the diseusson, their evil
 passions seemed to be more luilamed and one or two offered to destroy the officer, who still l! stood friner aud with mere temperate inl- pulse than did his friends who Saw from above Tout could not avert the danger that threaten ed him.
 Just at this moment and about fifteen nain- utes from the commencement of the tumult, tue officer saw the feet of the marines whose presence alone he relied cn for succor, filing by the small lights. Without any apparent anxl- ety, he had repeatedly turned his attention to their approach. and now bs knew it vas his