Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-10


Tampering with COnvfcts-Unfaithfui
Guards PeuitentiRry Convict
offered Freedom = The Tempfer
Brought 10 Grief
There has been considerable said of late
in regard to the escape of convicts from
the penitentiary, and the remarks INDUCED
have gained additional force from the fact
that several escapes have been effected.
We know that the present lesses Of the
penitentiary, at This place, are gentlemen,
not only of tact, experience and admins,
trative ability, bat are in every sense above
suspicion in their official capacity. We
know farther, that they, when they took
charge Of the institution, had difficulties Of
no ordinary character TO combat aud over
come.
A short time since, there appeared in
one of our city papers, a letter purporting
10 have been written by one Of the conviets
10 friend, stating that for hundred doll
lars he could secure his freedom. This
was a grave matter, and developments
since made, show clearly that there have
been dishonest, unfaithful guards at the
prison, who unknown to the officers in
charge aud to the lesses, have been clan
destinely tampering with the prisoners.
One of these has been detected and brought
to grief. His nefarious rascality was
broughi TO light in this way: There
is negro convict in the peni>
Tertiary, named Wilson Seay, who
had formerly rendered service in the
army. One Of the guards named John
Haynes guarded that part Of the prison
where the negro Seay was confined Ii
appears that there was a hundred dollars
coming to the negro for service, and that
the sum had been left by the Freedmen's
Bureau agent with the clerk of the peni-.
tertiary. Haynes determined 10 get this
money. He told the negro that for hun
dred dollars he (Hsynes) would get him
his liberty. On pretext that he.was going
TO send the money to his wife, the negro
got the hundred dollars from the clerk,
which was 10 be forwarded through the an
faithful guard. Haynes thus got the
money in his hands and sloped. Suspicious
at once fastened upon the proper person.
Captain Welsh, Of the Freedmen's Bureau,
procured a warrant and forwarded it to
Knoxville. Under this warrant Haynes
was arrested in -KnoxvilIe, and brought by
officer Osborn of that city TO this place.
Thew reached here on yesterday at IL
o'clock and Haynes was turned over to the
proper authorities. The money it is
thought will be recovered, and Haynes will
incur the Just penalty of the law. There
has been a diligent investigation at the
prison, and we are assured that every guard
and person who is not thoroughly trust
worthy has been gotten rid OF, and that
none but tried and faithful parties will in
future be on guard at the institution.
THE LATE JAMES HEwITT.-The New
Orleans Podyarne of the 9th contains the
following in reference to the death of this
eminent merchant, a gentleman who was
well known in this community:
Mr.. Hewitt was at the head of that ex-
tensiye commercial firm, which had houses
in Louisville, New York, Liverpool and
New Orleans-here under the title of
Hewitt, Norton a Co. For many years il
was highly prosperous under the manage.
ment of Mr.. Hewitt, whose business capa-
city und energy were unsurpassed The
house was shaken by the var and went
down few montlls since, overwhelmed in
the disasters which broke so many of the
great cotton houses. These reVerses over
taking a man of nearly three score and ten,
after a long career of prosperity, were
lightened to him by tokens of sincere SYM
psthy which were shown towards him in
every circle in which he was known, in
America and Europe; and by the recogni-
ton everywhere Of the unsullied integrity
which he preserved without faint or sus-
picion through the struggles under which
his fortunes finally sank. From the day
when the house stopped payment he has
been deyoting himself TO the task of settl-
ing up its affairs, and was in this city
engaged in that matter when death over
took him. His life had been one long
career of activity and usefulness, and he
died doing his duty.