Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-12-20
Escape of Fifteen Prisoners from Jail.

From ihc Rochester Union aud Adsriti,or ben II
The prisoners in the jail Of this county had II
general turnout last night, aud nll who desired
made their escape OF the thrty-6ye prisoners in
confinement, fifteen left the declined To leave
The manner of escape was through aback window
facing the river. They sawed Of the iroa bars IN
five places, and 50 made an opening aiout ten hy
sixteen inches through which they crawlcd singy
aud let themselves down ten or twelve feet To the
water. The SANS they used were made II watch
springs, and two Of them were found in the jail
this morning How they obtained these imp!c-
ments we are 10, informed. They are small, but
very effective. The whole process vi snwing was
not done in night, They had doubtless WORK
el at ii for several nights. and concealed the cu,
Ting by tallow aud coal dust, which would e.lcc-
tuaily fill the track of the saw 1t is supposed
they fixed upon last night the time for the STAN
pedc, knowing that Mr.. Gateus, one of the night
watch had gone to the country to bee his family,
and so the force at the Jail was reduced
| We are told that Mr., Mcrrii. the iailor and twp
of his deputies, went through the jail ut Led time
last night, aud SUI posed that all was right They
did not discover that an escape had been made un-
ill after day Wight this morning 1t is thought the
rogucs escaped about midnight. If SO they hud
eight hours the start of the officers who have gone
into the country in all directions To seek for them
The prisoners wue mostly confnel in separate
cells. but tie locks used upon the dolrs appears TO
be worthless. They were easily picked and when
one gained the hall he had no difficulty in llcrn-
ling his companions In some cases they picked
the lock with wire in others they broke them
with.a stick Of wood All the prisoners were in
vited to escape, but more than half declined to
avail themselves of the protfer made. Yancient
du Plainly. the man who shot his wife, and who is
supposed to be insane. screamed that the men
were breaking Jail to arouse the jailor But he
was not heard, and the desperate characters who
were engaged in the affair soon silenced him by
threats of violence.
The rogues undertook to open the call of Orrcn
Whitney under conviction for forging canal
clearances, but he states that he orbid them doing
so, and actually drove them away by threatening
u give an alarm, if they persisted in lberatng
him.
John Mclean, charged with highway robbery
refused to depart, alleging that if he went it would
leave his mother liable on an old bail piece 70 the
amount Of 81, 700. and he had rather remain than
subject her to such penalty
The escaping party wanted a rope with which
TO descend to the river. so they took the halter
with which Ira Stout was executed 1t has, there
fore, served sixteen vilians--ftteen more than
were barganed for when it was procured BY the
Sheriff. The rope was saved, and may serve
some Of the party again. The water in the river
back Of the Jail is three or four feet Deep and
runs pretty swift. These fellows had to wade
some twenty rods more towards Court street
bridge before they could End place to ascend the
wall to dry land They must have heen in very
Uncomfortable predcament when they left the wa
tier, Those who have haunts in the city no doubt
repaired 70 them and changed their apparel before
taking flight. We do not hear that the party were
seen after they left the JAIL except on St. Paul
dstreet, and of that VIC are not certain
Among those who left was Manley Locke, The
murderer Of Benjamin Starr. who was awaiting
dlsposition Of his case nnder the singular verdic
lot granddaughter rendered against him in deHahc,
1ot me charge Of the court. He was engaged II
, lone attempt to break Jail before he was tried