The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-05

1l
An EXCITING SCENE IN Az, OHIo, JAII.-T
The Ravenna (Ohio) Democrat has an ac-
count Of the attempted escape Of Cooper,
the murderer of John Rhodenbaugh, from
the county jail in that town, some Of the
details of which we give below:
I, Gan things were orderly until about six
Sunday afternoon, April ed. AT that
hour, after the prisoners had been served
with their supper, but not placed in their
cells for the night, the sheriff admitted DR..
Graham to visit the prisoner Clark, who
had the quinsy. Sheriff Jennings and the
doctor entered the prison, having the outer
door locked behind them. Coming to the
second grated door, the sheriff unlocked
il, admitted the physician, and entered
the prison himself, standing at the UNI
locked door. Seeing this imprudence on
the part of the sheriff, Cooper at once
walked up TO him and seized him, calling
al the same time TO. the other prisoners to
draw that bar meaning bar of iron,
weighing fifty or sixty pounds, used as q
support the platform of the upper tier
OF cells. Lyman Berry, Eek, and DAVIS,
drew the bar. The sheriff and Cooper
struggled together for little time. DR..
Graham in moment realized something
of the peril of the situation, and called for
help.
" AS the contest commenced, Cooper de-
handed of the sheriff his pistol, but getting
no response, he changed his demand to a
threat to kill the sheriff unless he gave up
his pistol. Fortunately he was able to tell
Cooper he had no pistol, and having salts
fed himself that this was the fact, Cooper
released the sheriff, seized his bar, and
rushed to the outer grated door, and COM
menccd battcring at the lock with pur-
pose of bursting it off. DIR. Graham's cry
for help was heard by Mrs. Jennings, who
sounded the alarm at the outer door OF the
Jail, and such men as were on the street
hurried to the rescue. The courthouse
bell was rung, and crowd OF some Two
hundred men were soon on the spot. Inc
first men that entered the Jail closed the
wooden door which shuts close upon the
one from which Cooper was attempting 10
break the lock.
deputy Sheriff Buck arriving at the
jail, loudly called for pistol, and cooper
hearing and recognizing his voice, slipped
back into the prison, throwing his bar with
rathful vengeance at the door. Cooper
was i'm terrible rage at his defeat, and
cursed his cowardly contederates in the
most blasphemous manner. His face was
white with passion, and his eyes became
bloodshot with defeated rage. The mildly
hammered man was transformed into q
hideous fend, and several of the prisoners
skunk into their cells, covered by the de-
moniac department. of the bafiied murderer.
When Cooper withdrew and gave up his
attempt to escape, the sheriff and DR..
Graham retired from the prison, and the
great door was once more bolted.
"The crowd about the Jail by this time
attracted Cooper to one of the grated win
dows, from which he harangued those who
chose to listen for a few moments.
/" 1t was found upon examining the lock
which Cooper had battered that two of
the bolts by which it was fastened to the
door were broken loose, but two others
and they the most valuable-werc scarcely
loosened, and the lock was not in any other
respect harmed. Had the other prisoners
Joined Cooper with the vigor and dcSpcra-
ton he manifested, the result of the at
tempt would doubtless have been different"
CuLOROFoRM PUT TO \ GOOD USE.
On Wednesday there was evidence of
new plots to escape, and Sheriff Jennings
determined to pinion the arms of the pri-
soner. But Cooper, hearing of the plan,
tore up his bunk, barricaded his door, pre-
pared q heavy club from some broken
articles of furniture, and threatened death
to any man who should attempt to enter
his cell. The prodigious strength Of the
man, his violence, and perfect reckless
ness, had been proved by the experience of
Sunday.
No one could hope to enter the cell and
come out alive. At this juncture, DR.. d..
r. Jennings proposed plan for Subduing
him, as novel as it was ingenious, and per-
feet in its operation. Drs. keycs and
Graham having been called in, Cooper was
informed that, unless he submitted, he
would be subjected to chlorotorm. AT
this he became more and more violent,
raving like mailman, and defying them
and their "doctor stuff"
The chloroform was thrown into the cell
by two syringes, holding one pound each.
The clothing was saturated with the liquid,
and in three minutes he was limp and
helpless on the floor. The door was opened,
and his arms pinioned securely. Within
eighteen minutes of the time the expert
ment began, he was fully restored to con-
seriousness.