Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-04-10
THRILLING PRISON INcIDENT.
sr 1ns GOVERNOR or As ENGLISH JAZZ.

EFT Tfr GOVERNOR or AN ENGLISH JAIL.
Comparatively honest rogues-mcn who
have BEEN sen, 10 prison for their term Of inn
prisonmens. and no feel the bitterness and
shame Of their posi:ion--mcn who shudder as
tho BARRIERS scissors cynp their hair, and soon
show in their appearance how their punish
mcnt is telling upon them. They don't look
fat and sleek, and jump up and make bows
when you enter their cell, bat hide their
troubles in their hearts, and 60 about their
duties silently and dsggelly. had such a
man here not long back uow--Amos Kidding,
in for poaching-and how that poor fellow
beat against his cage bars. Poor fellow.
believe he was not . bad one nt heart, but he
got himself mixed up with poaching gang.
anl keeper having been half killed, Amos
was taken, rightly or wrongly, sent here for
six months. can soon pick ont what I call
caniers, and act accordingly. While, where
see poor fellow taking his confinement to
heart, Why, knowing how it tells on his mini.
do ell can for him TO brighten. him up
setting him at odd iiohs about the place, gard
ening and so on; while, if he knows trade,
one that can be Mo,ked At in here, | set him
to doing something in that way never letting
him stand still for tecls or material. But this
poor fellow MAS unn,ana geable; he would
work as hard as ; liked, and as long as lik-
cl but the moment be was by himself he was
pinning again, frctting for his wife and child
rem, and wearing himself away TO skin and
bone. did not know what 10 DO with him,
and grew quite troubled at last, for I began
to DO afraid Of having summons from orc OF
the warders, telling mo lha.in fit of that
weary, dsspairing madness which comes upon
men, poor Kidding had made away with him
self. The summons came at last, bat in a
different form for ono morning was reused
nj Eve clock to be told that the bird had beat
en- down the wires, and had escaped. "Why,
how did he manage it?" exclaimed argri>
". Come aud see, SIR said tho warder
and went 10 the cell where the prisoner had
been locked in the nigh, befor,, at eight o'clock
and then apparently he npst have gone to
work ct once with an old nsil. at the setting
Of one Of the iron bars in the window till he
picked it slowly out and then wyenched out
ist one end then another, leaving passage
big enough to allow his body to pass. The
blankets and rug were gone, while piece Of
one Of tie former set hung 10 ono ofthe bars,
cyident!y having been used to lei The prison>
cr down into the yard below. We were not
long il rcachipglthe lesser yard, which was
about twenty feet beneath his window, end
surrounded on all sides by high bnilding..-
Here it was evident that he had made his way
into the long passage between the workshop,
a p.ace covered in for the whole length with
iron hars. Batabout half way down We found
where hs had leaped up and caught the bars,
and evidently by placing his fact against
them and forcing while he held on with his
hands, s.rained till the iron gave way snsoi-
emily for him to force his body through, when
he would be able 10 lower himself into the
large yard, where the i,igh wall is, whose top
is covered with loose, heavy bricks, which srs
sure 10 fall il an a.tcmp. at escape is made
Not : brick was out Of place, though, as far
IS could see, tin oac Of the men pointed out
whore three had fallen, and then, feeling sat
ishsd in my own mind that the prisoner had
escaped, returned TO my Office. and sent out
notices to The police. All at once one Of the
men ran ia. Found him, sir he said. How
where p I said IA he in cell?' no, sir,
said the warder, he 5 a top of the prison I
jumped up, and hurried into the yard, to find
men II watch, for como people had caught
sight ef the poor fellows head from neigh
bortne house, and given notice to the gate,
keeper. It was now plain enough that the
prieoner had reached the top of the high wall,
ana then, probably from lis being daylight,
6ssa afraM to descend, 20 he had climbed
fron thence, BY means Of a water-pire, right
% . ths TOP Of the prison, and nov lying
concealed In one of the cutters. am too old
and weak % take part in such matters, 50 \
sent up three men to the top Of tho prison, and
tAea veat upon one Of tho buildings to see the
capture made. did not have to wai.Asong
before '6rst. one head and then another appear
ed above thc.trsp door, tillthe three men were
upon The roof, which is raiher extensive, con-
sisting Of high Slated ridges, separated by