The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-01-27
Death in the Ohio PeniteMiinry---A
Very IkeaaarkabI bic Case. ~

The Columbus Gazette, Of recent date,
gives an interesting account Of Adam Crow
der, who died recently in the Ohio Peniten-
tiary, having been a prisoner in that Institution
fer the last II years. Crowder as he was call
ed, was tried in Hamilton, Butler county, il
| 1881, for killing man in drunken frolic, con.
vlcted Of murder in the second degree, and sen.
fenced TO the Penitentisry for life. lie was 8
Stout powerful, energetic man, and for l7yeaIt
was. remarkable for tie vast amount OF labor he
! performed in the service OF the State, For ter
! years past he was a cripple and was treated by
all the officers the prison at privileged char
acter, doig pretty much as he pleased among his
/ ellow prisoners. He never could be prevailed
upon 10 60 outside the walls tearing that ifhe did
| so, the gates would be closed against him TO pre-
] veut his return. Visitors to the prison willrec-
ollect him, as the old fellow who attended to the
Bear, and at whose command the animals excu
ted so many queer antics. By his exhibition,
with the bear, he picked up considerable smal
change from strangers passing through the pris
on, which he boarded with miserly care. He
was ever In great dread of being robbed by his
associates, AZ to protect himcefand his proper.
| ty he spent much ofhis time in the manufacture
oi fire arms. These were kept in his cell, which
no one besides himself was permitted to enter
The night before his death, he carried to hi,
cell pan of charcoal for the purpose OF tinkcrie
up Some Of his little jobs, and as the door was
tightly closed, it IS supposed. that the fumes o
the charcoal smothered him in his bed. The
post mortem examination held the next day
gave all indications Of Asphyzia, Around the
body otthe corpse, was found thick heavy leath
| er belt in which was contained, one hundred anG
sixty half dollars and forty.six cents in silver
| change, The belt and the money must have
weighed, at least, ten pounds. The poor old tel
| low, had carried this load about him constantly
for years, for fear OF being robbed lie had 81,
| pistols in his possession Of his own manufacture
curiositieS, as giving evidence Of his nlechanica
skill
| In addition to these rude weapons, he had con
stantly standing behitid his cell door, gun, the
barrel of which was made of nearly six ieet 0
gas pipe, upon which he relied mainly to deiehd
himself and his property, from the attack ofrob'
bers He had run any amount o(bullets. but az
he had no means Of procuring powder, his anu
niton was rather harmless. Upon examining
his cell, nearly cart load OF miscellaneous arti.
ces Were found clothing, chains, ropes, agrcul'
tural implements, and almost every thing he
considered valuable, that he could gather up ii
the course Of his long imprisonment. Adam
Crowder was great lavoritc. not only among The
officers, but among all the prisoners in the Peni
tentary, and his death is deeply regretted by al
connected with the prison, The money found
upon his body, $S0,43, will be paid over into
the State Treasury as he has long since beer
forgotten hy all his relations and friends, and i
is-supposcd that he has no hers. He WAS born il
Virginia, in 1901 ,and died December 18th, 1851
Nothing is known Of his early history.