Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-11-20


a Concerted Plan to Escape From
the Western Penitensiary-Fif-
teen Prisoners In the PIot-They
nre Secured and Placed In the
DungeoD.
On last Monday evening Warden Camp
bell, of the Western Penitentiary, was
made aware of plot on the part of some
fifteen OF his boarders, by which, had it not
been for the timely discovery, several of
the cells in that institution would ere this
be tenantless. The following prticulars of
the attempted escape and its results have
been furnished us:
About seven O'Clock on the evening
named, or shortly alter the prison doors had
been locked for the night. one of the watch
men heard unusual sounds in the direction
of the lower tier of cells, in the right range
of the middle building. He at once noti-
fed the Warden, who quietly put promptly
summoned all the force at his command,
and proceeded as noiselessly as possible to
the spot whence the noises proceeded,
where he soon became satisfied that an ex-
tensiye concerted attempt to escape was in
progress, in which the occupants of large
number Of cells were industriously engag-
ed AFTER permitting the rascals to labor
for a brief time the Warden collected his
force and ordered grand rush on as many
of the cells as possible. So noiselessly mad
matters been conducted by those outside
that the prisoners were completely taken
by surprise, their tools in their hands,
bricks and mortar lying about loose; in
short. evidences of their undertaking were
abundant. Upon being discovered they all
welded without resistance, probably be-
cause of the, to them, disagreeable display
Of 'Colt's navys" which was made by their
captors.
c,,hc N
has developed the following facts with re-
gard to their plans and the workings
thereof:
Ten of the prisoners had managed to
communicate with each other, by means OF
a heating pipe, with sufficient distinctness
for all to thoroughly understand the plan.
The other five occupied cells in separate
section, and showed by their work that
they did not half comprehend the situation.
The piaIl of the ten first mentioned COM
pretended, first, that the prisoner occupy
ing the cell nearest the Office should cut
hole sufficiently large through the wall be-
tween himself and the corridor; second,
that in the meantime the others were to
cut passages, each from his cell to that ad-
Joining, each man to work in the direction
of the cell that was to admit them to the
corridor. The wall between the cor
rider and the cells is twenty inches
in thickness, while those dividing the
latter are fifteen inches. The parties max
iLg the attempt are shoemakers, and the
tools pertaining to that trade were brought
into requisition-that known as the 6 last
hook q being found the most useful, as witt
cis they were enabled to dig out the brick:
and mortar with surprising rapidity. Some
idea can be formed of how near ten of the
Furisoners were to obtaining their liberty
when we state that the one whose work wal
to reach the corridor had succeeded In re-
moving the wall to the extent sufficiently
large to admit of the passage of his body
only leaving the eoutside LAYER of bricks, the
displaciny Of which could have been ac-
complished In minute and the others haC
made the same progress In the walls divid
ing the cells.
not to have been fully advised of the plan
of the others, operated in a different man.
ner, and to no purpose. They commences
by attempting to cut through the flag
stone floors, a somewhat difficult jot
which, had they accomplished, would hav
placed them just no where, as they woul.
have struck solid earth, and after that, witt
the tools they had, they could not, by an,
possibility, have succeeded in digging ou
in a single night. Among these latter wa
the thief and burglar. Ellsworth, who op
Grated SO extensively in the borough o
Washington, during last spring.
The ten who were so near the goal the.
sought Warden Campbell thought it bes
to place beyond temptation, for time a
least. So they were confined in the dun
geon, place from which there is no escape
The other five, whose efforts were not OF al
alarming character, were placed in irons.
Warden Campbell is entitled to credit fo
his prompt discharge of an unpleasant duty
and for the summary manner in which h
disposed of these troublesome, not to say
desperate and dangerous men.