The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-03-31

pom the Auburn Advertiser, March 20.
Insv4rection in the Auburn Prison--Three
Convicts Shot---Two Dead.
The convicts employed in the hame
shop of the Auburn prison, broke out
in rebellion against their keepers, about
4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The
immediate cause of the outbreak was
the attempt of one of the keepers of
the prison to take colored convict
from the shop for the purpose of pun
ishing him for violation of orders. |
The convict, in the first instance, was
taken out peaceably, but after reaching
the hall of the prison, broke away from
the keeper and ran back to the hame
shop. The keeper pursued him, and
reaching the shop, was advised by Mr..
Austin, the principal keeper, to let the
colored man remain for a few hours
until he had got over his excitement.
This occurred about IL O'Clock A. NJ.
The convict was allowed to remain in
the shop until about 4 o'clock p. NJ,
when the keeper ordered him to the
hall for punishment 1t was at this
point that the rebellion commenced.
The convicts in the shop left their work,
and armirg themselves with such tools
as they could lay their hands upon,
declared that this colored convict
should not be taken from the shop.
At this stage of the proceedings, in
formation was conveyed to Mr.. Kirk
= patrick, the agent of the prison, of the
instruction. Mr. X. Immediately is
sued orders for the guards on the wall
to repair to the shop, there to await his
directions. These orders were promptly
obeyed. When the guards reached
the shop, the agent, who had preceded
in the east end of the shop = with the
exception of the negro : to march to
the west end. This order was obeyed
by all except some six or eight of the
convicts. The negro, contrary to or
ders, attempted to follow the other
convicts, when Mr.. Austin stepped in
front of him to arrest him. At this
instant the negro raised a hammer and
gave Mr.. Austin hard blow, Mr.. Aus
tin at the same time knocking the ne
gro down with his cane. The convicts
who had marched to the west end Of
the shop, discovering the difficulty with
the negro, turned and commenced
throwing all sorts of tools at the keep
ers and guards, and threatening their
lives. The order was given by the
agent for all the conivcts who were
peaceably disposed, to lie down on the
floor, or remain standing at their peril
A few of the convicts obeyed this or
der, but large majority Of them still
continued in rebellion.
The order was then given by the
agent to fire. This was promptly
obeyed, and three convicts-includine
the negro-were shot.
The agent then informed the con
yicts that unless they Immediately laiC
down their weapons and promised ODE
dience, every man of them would b,
shot. The convicts responded tina
they would obey. and suiting the &C
ton to the word, laid down their weap
ons. Two Of the convicts shot hav,
since died. The negro has sever
flesh wound in the thigh, just abov,
the knee. The entire community sus
tain the agent and his deputy in tn
course they have pursued. 1t is ad
mitted on all hands that the manage
ment throughout was faultless. 1t i
believed that order has been completed,
established, and that no further diff
Guilty will occur. The principal keepe
and one of the shop keepers wer
slightly injured during the insurrection
The name of the negro, who wa
the cause of the difficulty, and VIII
was shot, was w. w. Caesar. TIL
two cOnvicts who were killed wer
named Loop and Gilbert.