The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-03-29
4 visit TO the rrmiicntiary.

Yesterday in company with
friend, we visited the Ohio Peniten
tinry and took y leisure stroll withii
its gloomy walls. We looked int
the Chapel where tho Chaplain, Nj
Jenkins, was engaged in tcachin,
u school, composed, principally G
the younger portion Of the convicts
The school has been recently started
and from tho interest which wa
manifested by the scholars. we judy
that it will prove great benefit Il
them. Our attention was partiCu
larly directed to II youth by tho nam
Of Druen, we think from Ilighlan,
county, probably not over II year
of age, who was convicted for at
tempt to commit rape. TO is DO,
of pleasing exterior, and the ide,
struck us that he should not he sni
fcrod to remain there a day. !
Somati.nus happens that n jury il
order to save their country from
paying the coats of prosecution vii
render a verdict of guilty, whei
under othur circumstance thcy woulC
be constrained to show mercy, ant
save a youthful offender from being
contaminated and degraded by com
ing in contact with those who ar,
hardened and schooled in crime.
The Hospital is in good condition
and but very Jew conline to thei
beds. Doctor Kinsel has been yer,
successful in treating diseases Incl
dent to prison life, and has the en-
tire confidence of those in conGne
ment.
There was one famA2n face whicl
we missed in the institution, and OF
inquiry learned that the Supreme
Court had for some reason, or upor
some ground, set aside the formc
trial, and returned him to the jail o
Green county tor new trial. lii
name is James McCord, and NOR,
hardened villain and gracelcss scam
never was permitted to 90 unhung
He was tried at the November tern
Of the Green county Common Plea
Court, in 1854, for the murder OF {
negro named Cook, aud was convict
ed for murder in the second degree
and sentenced to imprisonment il
the PenitCntiary Tor lite.
Alter we returned from our visit
we noticed by the Xcnia Torchligh
that great degree Of astonishmen
was created there last Thursday
when McCord was taken back aitc
an Imprisonment Of six yeara-- 81
long, the 1oychijgM says, "tlat al
recollection OF the villain hal palsc,
from the public mind" McCord
after his incarceration in the l'oni
Tertiary proiessed religion. but every
otncrr in the Pcnitentisry was satis
fed hy bis conduct, ever since, tho
he il an unmirigated scounirel anc
arrant hypocrite.
The circumstances attending thC
murder, as developed by the tcsti
mony given on the trial in 1851
were briefly ~ follows: On the 25tl
OF May, 1854, McCord, while travel
ing in buggy from Nenia to Selma
overlook the negro, Eli Cook an,
asked him to ride. The negro 90
in, aud during the ride McCuri de-
tcrmined upon an attempt to kidnal
him and take him South. On III,
road, McCoId made repeated in
quiries tor abolitionists, and when
ever he found individuals who &C
knowledged their opposition to slave
.ry, he represented that ho had will
him a fugitive who was on his W /,
to Canada. and solicited means e
help him along. About three milet
from Selma, in Ross township, h
stopp d at the honsc OF one Johi
Chapman, anl first having ascertain
ed that Chapman did not sympathiz
with the opposcrs Of slavery, he in
formed him that Cook was u lugitiv,
for whom u reward wus offered, ant
upon this representation he engage,
John Chapman and his son William
to assist him in kidnapping the lie
gro-and at Chspman's house tn
murder was committed, or at leas
the negro was so severely beaten q
to cause his death. He was ORDERED
ont OF the buggy and into the house
where an attempt was made to Sc
cure him with cords. This the negr
resisted. and in tie contest, McCort
struck him on the head with a colt
as Young Chapman testified. ii
was finally overcome by McCord an
the two Chapmans, and his hand
fastened behind i'm. While the vii
lains were at dinner, or preparn
to carry him away, he succeeded /
loosening the strap, and escapin
from the house. His escape WA
instantly discovered, and the huma
bloodhouuds started after him, Mo
Cord armed with u club, and youn
Chapman with a pistol. The rae
attracted the attention OF some hand
at q brickyard near by, who jpinc
in it, and when they came up wit
the party, McCord had the negr
down, ard the two Chapmans wer
: holding his legs McCord had s'ruc
him on the head with his club, an
he was bleeding profusely. Agai
he was tied - taken back to tn
house--his head Washed and "a h
was found to be growing very fain
old man Chapman hurled McCor
, and his son away with him, for fet
he would die in his house, The
, took him across the country, and Ie
, him in the woods near Clifton. h
r