The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-12-21
The Executions nt chnrIes.own.

The Executions Mt ChnrIestown.
CHARLEsrowx. Dec. l6.-At half past
eight O'Clock this evening, two oT the con.
demned prisoners, Cook and Coppic escaped
from the jail snd were fred upon by the SEN
tinels and driven back to prison. They are
now in the custody of Sheriff Cumpbell.-
The prisoners had mounted the Jail wall
when they were discovered by the sentinel
on the outside, who immedistely gave the
alsrm and fired upon them. They had saw.
ed their manacles asunder with the blade OF
o Barlow knife which they had concesled
and made into fine saw. It is sscertsined
from their confessions that they have been
engaged in preparing for their escape during
the last ten days. They made hole in the
wall near the window, which they conceal.
ed with paper, hiding the bricks they remoV.
ed under the bed. Upon the alarm being
given they made no resistance but surren.
dered as soon as they discovered By the shot
Of the sentinel that they were detected
The event has prodeced the utmost excite.
ment here and all are on the alert. Major
Gen. Taiaferro is directing everything in
person and will maintain an uninterrupted
supervision of affairs until after the execu.
tion. We do not apprehend any further diff.
fculty.
LATER.-The prisoners now say that they
got the shackles off their ieet by saving
them with an old knife and then forced the
bars.
A misunderstanding occurred several days
ago between General Taliaferro, and the
juilor in regard to placing sentinels inside
the Jail. The jailor claimed the right to
have his own men. The General gave way
to him but placed guard on the outside
which has thus prevented the escape of the
prisoners. Cook says he could have made
his escape had he jumped down and throttled
the sentinel.
CHARLEsTowN, Va, Dec. Is The SEN
tinel stationed near the Jail reported that at
quarter past eight o'clock he observed
man on the Jail wall whom he challenged,
and receiving no answer he fred at him.
The heOd of another man was also seen
above the wall, but he returned as soon as
the first one had been fred at. The man on
the top OF the wall seemed at first determn.
ed to resist, and was about making an at.
tempt to jump down when the sentinel de.
clored his intention of imp4ling him on his
bayonet. He then returned into the isil
yard with Coppic and both gave themselves
up without further resistance. Cook after.
wards remark that If he could hive got
over and throttled the guard he would have
made his escape. The Shenandoah noun
talns are within ten minutes run of the jtiI
wall' and had he reached them, with his
thorough knowledge of the mountains, his
arrest would have been difficult, especially
as but lew OF the military could have follow.
ed him during the night. They had sue
ceeded alter two weeks labor, whenever
alone, and at night when their bed clothing
muff1ed the sounds of q saw which they had
made out of on old Barlow knife, in cutting
through their iron shackles, so that they
could put them off at any moment that they
should have their work completed.
They hid also made sort of chsel out of
an old bed screw, with which they succeed
ed, as opp ortunity would offer, ia removing
The plaster from the wall, and then brick
liter brick until space sufficient for them
to pass through was opened. all except the
removal Of the outer brick. The part of the
wall on which they operated was in the rear
OF the beds on which they slept, and the bed
being pushed against the wall completely
hid their work from view. The bricks they
took out were concealed in the drum of a
stove and the dirt or plaster removed in the
course of their wolk was placed between the
bed clothes.
Thy acknowledge that they had been at
work week in making the aperture in the
wall, their cell being on the first floors the
aperture was not more than five feet from
the pavement of the yard and when freed of
their shackles their access to the yard was
but smooth brick wall about Is feet high,
to scale this, the timbers OF the scaffoId on
which Brown was hung they placed against
the wall and succeeded in reaching the toy,
from which they conId have easily dropped
to the other side had not the vigilance OF the
sentinel on duty 50 quickly checked their
movements.
They were arrested in the yard by Gen.
Taiferro and an officer OF the d,y who
rushed to the yard the moment the alarm
was given.
Sheriff Campbell and Capt. Avis are OF
course chagrined at this narrow escape es.
pecialy as they had resisted all interference
OF the military with the interior discipline of
the jail.
The prisoners were shrewd and cunning
fellows aud were undoubtedly without &C.
cemplIces in their undertaking.
Their friends who had not yet lett Charles.
town were fearful that they might be sus.
pected OF having knowledge OF the attempt
The impression is that had the prisoners
waited until midnight or later they might
have reached the mountains, but it is pre-. !
sumed they were fearful, OF being watched
during the night or desired to have as much
ol darkness US p 'ssble to gain a good dis
ance before daylight would allow OF gen
eral pursuit.
CHARLEsTowN, Dec. l6.-We have had
an exciting time during the past twenty-four
hours, which has ju closed with the execu.
ion OF the four prisoners.
Throughout the day yesterday there was
great influx of strangers and citizens OF
he country, who were fockIng to witness
he last act Of the Harper's Ferry tragedy.
tbe latter came thus curly experimenting
hat they might be detained at the outpost,
's was the case the day of Browns execu.
ion.
The vigilance exercised it the railroad de.
rot On the arrival Of train was not 80 strin.
gent as on the occasion of the execution of
8aown, and but little difficulty was expert.
'nced in getting into the town.
L.. IA