The Portland daily press., 1867-07-09
Letter f.ses Aasss,tn,
PARTICULARS OF TIE JAft BREAKING sAruR'
DAY NIGHT.

PARTICULARS OF TIE JAIL BREAKING sAtoH
DAY NIGHT.
AUGUSTA. July 8, 1867.
To the Editor OF the Press:
An event has just transpired in this city
which may have tendency to impair the con-
fidence OF the public in the security anofded
by our "peerless jail" Five state frison con-
yicss. for whom Thomaston did not afford good
accommodations, were incarcerated here on
the eth ult: but finding this life rather mo-
infamous. and thinking, probably, that the
iudoe erred in fixing their term of confinement
so long, they resolved to obtain q remittal by
the summary process of escape, which they
accordingly effected between the hours OF 2
and yesterday morning. Their plan was
skillfully devised and well executed. Three of
the other two cell second to the former, both in
the fourth ward on the second floor, and north
side of the jail. The door of each cell, con-
sisting of iron bars, nearly two inches apart,
held in place by three transverse bars is hung
about eight inches from the outward face of
the doorway. A strong iron band then extends
from the edge of the door to the corner of the
outward face, where Kershaw patent spring
lock is attached by a hinge and fitted into the
wall ut right angles with the band The cap
plate of this lock is secured ty four screws,
which can be easily taken out by the aid of
table spoon, as screw-driver. This plate they re-
moved, fastened string of double linen thread
| to the back end of the spring bolt, passed it
| through little notch made with file at the
| end of the lock, and then replaced the cap.
| All this was the work of three minutes, and
was probably done some morning previous
when the door was kept open for an hour for
the purpose of washing the cell So artfully
| was this thread concealed on the outside by
black paint scraped from the door, that the
jailor who carefully examined the lock at ten
o'clock the same night, failed to detect any
thing unusual. Thus, when all was quiet,
probably about one o'clock Sunday morning,
the thread was drawn between the bars Of the
door, the bolt easily moved back, and in mo-
menI the prisoners were standing i'll the open
gallery. Passing into the poor debtors room
| in the northeast corner, the farthest possi-
| BILE distance from the iailor, they met and per-
| formed the most difficult part Of their work,
the removal Of portion of one of the iron
bars, an inch and a fourth in diameter, which
protect the glass windows-Hoc opus. hic labor.
This they effected by filing the bar half way
off abouta foot above the SILL and then wrench
ing it aside with tremendous force, by means
| of stick of cord-wo ID as a lever, until it was
broken asunder. The lower portion was then
removed, leaving an aperture about eight
inches wide and twelve high. Crawling through
this they descended to the ground, a distance
Of more than twenty feet, by means of blank
cts. There they received quiet congratulations
and change Of clothing from friendly accom-
plices and all fed into the darkness of kindly
fog. ai
No n eglisence or misconduct of any kind
can possibly be imputed to Sheriff Hewins, or
| any subordinate officer Far more daring and
more difficult schemes for Jail breaking have
been executed, and the keenest vigilance elud-
| ed, in other places. Believing that all penal
ties are imposed, not SO much for the punish
ment Of the guilty, as for the prevention of
| crime and the protection of society. Mr..
Hewins has regarded the safe keeping of his
prisoners the chief object, and has accordingly
allowed them all the light and air consistent
| with that object. But in no case has prison.
| er escaped or attempted an escape in conse-
| quence of any such Indulgence.
The names of those who escaped are, James
Dunn, John Mcguire, Calvin Smith, Henry
Scott and William Lawless. They were all
confined for either larceny or burglary. Scott
is said to have been previously confined in the
Portland Jail, from which he also escaped.
Prompt and active measures are being taken
for their recovery.
Mr.. Francis j. Weeks, the manufacturer and
vender of xxx beer, has been arraigned again
for violating our "sumptuary law" DR.. A. A.
Hayes, of Boston, has pronounced this liquor
more Intoxicating than lager, and as much so
as London porter; and this opinion has been
confirmed by practical results, which have
made Marshal Jones exceedingly nervous. Un-
less Francis can appreciate the advantages Of
thirty days imprisonment he will probably
conclude to close up his brewery and deny his
customers. 1t is not improbable, however, that
all those convicted under the new law will
take an appeal, hoping to be relieved from the
intensified penalty by repeal of the law.
The Capital maintains it's weary routine of
business; nothing of special interest has trans
pired since my last. About nine hundred ap-
plications have been received at the State PEN
sion Department, six hundred and fifty of
which have been granted and certificates issu-
ed, involving probable expenditure of $780,
600. 'a-'es
A brief hearing was had at the last session
of the Executive Council in relation to an i'm
portant criminal case, from which startling de-
velopements may ultimately result. 1t is not
proper to 'file bill of particulars" this time.
DAMON.