Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-13
MURDERER OF THE JOYCE CHILDREN.
I'll ow zEe was Discovered.
AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.
ROMANCE OF CRIME
The Most Depraved Wretch Alive.


years and half and her brother John, 10 years old.
They had gone, it may be remembered, from their
aunts in Boston, the 18th of last June to gather
flowers in the Roxbury woodS-going ont the horse
cars; and while making wreaths in the woods we're
fouy murdered, the girl being first shQckingly out
ragged. Their bodies were found stabbed each in ff-
teen twenty places. Ali attempts to ferret out the
wretch who committed this most fendish deed were
unsuccessful at the time, but he has row been found
out. He proved to be an inmate of the ChaTleStown
Grayel'-a Spanish lankee-born in Boston, of un-
certain parentage, but believed to be child of
Spanish and American parents, Ho,was arrested on
the hth OF August Tor burglary in Ashburnham, near
Worcester, and alter his arrest, told the officer that
he didn care to be arrested for stealing $50 watch
but Mr.. Officer, if yOus knew Of crime haze COM
taken to the officers house Marshal Wetherbee OF
Ashburnhaml and given some supper.
After partaking heartily of the meal, lie was allowed
to go into the room where the officers wife and chill
dren were, and soon afterwards commenced to sing
was very fond Of little children. Mr.. Wctherbee's
wife, not aware of the character of the customer she
him Testament. Scratch Gravel" refused to read
it, remaTking that sre nothing in ii that would
do him any good: 1 have done that, sad he, Since
have been in Massachusetts which is past being for
given; God nor man will never forgive me-. do not
want the Testament;r This singular speech excited
the attention OF Mr. Netherbee and the consequence
was IS. G. was, as soon proper accommodations
could be had, taken to Fitchburg.
ATTEMPT TO MURDER FRUSTRATED.
At the time of Scratch Graycls' committal to tho
Jail in Fitchburg there were four persons confined
there The irsttime the jailorsa Scratch" he made
West Roxbnry murder There was guilty look on
his cOuntenance which told him SO. But he kept his
suspicious to himself and waited developments. The
turnkey kept d sharp eye on his new prisoner. but
saw nor heard nothing unusual about him until one
morning early when proceeding to discharge his
toInary duties his attention was arrested by the
prisoner in tho cell nearest to the door who directed
him to 60 to the window and find note that he
had left there for him. The turnkey picked up the
.tn ito
tents. which revealed plan coDcocted by Scratch
Gravel to murder the turnkey get possession of the
keys Of the jail and escape with two Others who had
agreed t? the arrangement. This prisoner who had
communicated this information overheard the whole
scheme and thought it his duty to put the officer
his guard. he plan was deep laid one, and if it
had been carried into execution. serious results would
have followed. Scratch Gravel" was to take leg
out of his stool and conceal it under his Jacket and
lay in wait for the turnkey, and after dispatching
him, take the keys fr0m his nocket. gain access to
other parts of the institution, and kill promiscuOusly
to gain his freedom. But the plan failed. The turn
key after receiving this information let out only
of the prisoners at time TO wash &C.. and then only
murderoas design frustrated. Nothing was said to
Scratch Gravel about this matter until Yesterday
afternoon at the State prison, MIR. kimball, the
scheme TO murder the officers OF the jail The reply
was in the affirmative. Al the circumstances as
above narrated were acknowledged.
SCRATCH GRAVEL" TELLS \ PRISONER THAT He did
THE WEST RONBURY JOB"
It was evident that the men confined with Scratch
Nh'"'S' @AA ''~ 'A~N4s' =" -
comrade and, from fear of violence ct his hands
watched him closely, and kept their eyes and ears
open to all his movements and sayings. Just before
the attempt to break jail, the prisoners whose afda
wits arc attanable at any time, communicated the
following startling and important information to the
jaiior In discussing the chances of getting out of
JAIL Scratch Gravel was heard TO accuse his fellow
prisoners of want Of nerve to 90 the Job aaG related
with much gusto the murlerous exploits he had per-
formed during the past twelve sixteen months
Among other things he expressed his great like for
children, espe6ially girls lie said he could XIII
may If pac % the
iail-and emphasized Ii, ey T~s2-rling, DO you
think that the man VINO has done that job In Rox-
bury would hesitate to get his liberty 2? He straight
ened up as he said this, as though proud in being
able to make such declaration. That" he
continued. was some Of my work; dono that job;
and that old knife ofmine has sent two damned an
KEGS to hell since came TO Massachusetts. I am
willing to go TO State Prison. because an suspected
in the back good many times the knife went clear
through him. A man who has pluck enough to do
such JOB as that has pluck enough to get cut OF
here" Two ef the prisoners who with S. g.
and heard these admissions IL custody, and the
other is available. The circumstances were at the
time carefully noted down, and Mr. kimbai to-
gether with Mr.. Wetherbee, were satisfied that IS.
g." so called. was the murderer Of the Joyce chill
to serve opt his sentence for breaking and
terine =" addition to this, rs. g." admitted that
one Of the parties ~ had murdered was female,
and having had his way in 10 LFansactioA' ne iad
put her out of the way"
1t was now arranged to inveglo him into confess
sion before detective. For this purpose a man by
lQe name OF cllnS allowed HllsSll 10 nc taken INTO
the prison as prisoner, in handcuis-hGve his hair
and moustache shaved of-and be confined amonE
teOns La the course Of few weeks he partially got
the confidence of Scratch GrayeI,' and plan was
laid to effect their escape, Quito = correspondence
ensued with an imaginary cOmraue outside, the let
ters coming hid in tobacco in the back of loci ct,
and in other ingenious ways, and written as
r, ad two ways-sometlmeS by dottng certain letters,
at others by skipping every alternate line Sirnms'
outside comrade tthe Warden and others managed
the correspondence well.
The last letter to "Bill' reported good progress,
IL,
Gravel the nature of which are suppressed from
the reporter Suffice it TO say. the warden at this
stage OF the game. had ACQUIRED that tCr which he
had long sought for. Other letters subsequently, fol-
lowed in quick succession, and it aSceraned that
row plaHning deer lid scheme to escape and with
outside assistance, expected in few days liberty
would again be theirs and they would then salox
Scratch Gravel" had by this time conceived Iii T.
as terrible fellow, daring end Ingenious and Just
THE PAPER OF TOBACCO.
About the seventh day, some fruit and TOBACCO was
stating that he seen who would agree to assist
him in efecting the proposed eScape and that it
communications through the window the street,
(which window had been accidentally (?) left an
lasted. Agreeably TO this plan Bill got the fol
lowing note at the window the next morning. 1t
Il sent friend the day before to make some in
quiries about him, and had learned that he was to
work in the prison instead the shops, and that it
would bea very easy thing to communicate with him;
that could come to the window near the road and
put note IN, so that he could get it the next morn
I" Bill" accordingly had the following note from
under tho window sash the next morning. It read
IF this comes safely to you, put note in the same
place Tomorrow night, informing me if you have
found any that you can trust. 1t is serious
matter for me il | am caught and for myself insist
that whoever you agree upon must give some secu-
rity that he gont turn against us when we get out
| bn hp IS | VI do far mn IN,
be recognized in this State that you know as well
l; aud if place ourselves in his power you must
give you the whole plan Tomorrow II you are pre-
pared 1t will certainly succeed; and before Satur
day night we will be out Of the State"
The ostensible object of the Of these letters
was for the purpose Of drawing ont of Scratch
Gravel" the connection he had with the horrif deed,
and to give Simms an opportunity to accuse him of
not possessing sufficient nerve TO engage III the
terprise, Notwithstanding his pretended courage to
do anything diaboical and although he had cor
stantly intimated that he had committed the crime.
Ii told him of "BilPs' lack of confidence in him
that nc was afraid he would blow" upon him and thus
get him into trouble but that If he could be satisfied
that he 'S. g., bold enough to do such thing
he would have implicit confidence in him. In the
meantime SimmS reported progress, but stated that
he had not yet succeeded in getting the secret from
him-that he had not received in answer to his ques
lions an unqualified affirmation or denial. On Fri
day, February 10th,
THE LAST LETTER
was sent into prison. and in answer to a note put
under the window sash, was the following note from
"Bilr':-
Il have your note, and if can get up early to-
morrow morning you shall have this 1t is lucky you
work IN the prison instead of the shop, for now
shan,t want the assistance of any one else-there-
fore II you have not said anything about this affair to
any one. don't; still, should have no objections
to ones coming with if he can give you any Sc
curity. You know l shall be in his power and
willing to risk TO help poor devil, but if
do he ought to place some confidence in me. But
L leave it entirely with yor. Now my plan is
this-I will come to the window when you get these
notes, ssme night agreed upon, and saw of the
bars just under the first piece; and the first
thing in the morning after you unlocked, you can
and get out. | will be- there with carriage and
clothes, drive Immediately to my crib, where you can
remain quiet until the excitement is overland then
for new start l have got a splendid job on hand,
and perhaps have another and must have your
sstance. 1t is one if successful, can settle down
with plenty of brass. propose going South, pur-
chase farm, lthey be had for mere song,) and
turn honest. You may laugh, but am serious, that
Is for time. But these Yankees have to suffer
little more yet for the misery OF many of us Let
me know Tomorrow what you will do. BILL
SCRATCH GRAVEL" HAS HIGH HOPES.
This last letter from Bill'' produced great effect
upon 80 u" be digested its every word and line
with intense enthusiasm. He already feels that he
is Free His veins Dulsate with the electricity OF lib-
erty The beautiful world is before him; and while
thus msditating and specializing, he starts up with
elasticity and unfolds to Safns his whole personal
history, and lntlmateS that II he were now going
through that window he would show his courage BY
putting knife through the heart of his keeper Mr.
Hale. But soon his spirit takes another shape.