Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-12-05
ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES.
THE STATE PRISON BREAK.

THR STATE PRISON BREAK.
1t is an evident fact that but for the
great vigilance and prompt action Of
the guard on the occasion Of the recent
break of the prisoners at the Peniten-
tiary. that the result would have been
fearfnl-more so perhaps than car be
realized at the present time. As we
have before stated, the plan IA to
overpower, disarm and kill all the
guards, as well as the officers and
everybody else in the prison, men,
women and children. Then, those
sixty-six eonvicts confined there,
would be able to possess themselves Of
arms, proper clothing, what money
and valuablcs they could find, prori-
sions, etc, and thus prepared they
could go just where they pleased with
out fear Of hindrance. as it would be
some little time before q Sherifs
posse. or any other force could be got
together and started out, prepared to
cope with such formidable and deSpcr-
ate scoundrels. Some of them doubt
less would be recaptured or killed but
a large number, to say the least, would
be turned loose among the community
willing and prepared for worse vii
lainieS than they were originally COM
mitted for. IL was indeed fortunate
for Denver, our Lieutenant Governor
elect. aud by virtue Of his Office War
den Of the State Prison, that the con-
yicts were underline wrong impression
that he was defeated. and therefore
instead of deferriug their outbreak
until he and his assistants should come
in charge. new and inexperienced,
they concluded that now was fully Is
good a time as any for the execution
Of their nefarioui plot.
We are informed, however, upon
very good authority, that the whole of
the prisoners were not concerned in
the plot, but 4 large portion, probably
the majority, were. These included
principally long term men, those in for
life. and the most desperate among
them. Pat Hurley. like an ingenious.
slippery rogue that he Il, tried to slip
out through the skylight while the fight
was engaging the attention Of every
body. as lie thought, but n of the
guards was TOO sharp for him. so Pat
had to get back. Chris. Blair, Bill
Stout and Others, were making demon
STATIONS In that direction. There
were seven prisoners who got outside
the grated door before 1t was closed.
although Only four were heretofore
particularly Northumberland was
shot inside the crate. The other three
who passed the crate and whose names
were not mentioned, were Cleveland
iforger,, Russell (foot-padl, and Free
man. These. like Mcclure, were EN-
plovcd rs cooks and kitchen hands. and
it will be recollected that it WAS TO let
ont these men only that the grated
door was opened ut that time in the
morning. Mcclure commenced the
attack rs he came out. striking llaw-
kins, one Of the guard. knocking him
away from the door. He was followed
and actively. seconded by Shea. He'll
o and Loor, and these four did all
the fighting. Loon, however, drew
ont early in the battle, ran away and
secr.ted himself in the cellar, where
he was afterwards found hid under a
lot Of old sacks. Cleveland, Russell
and Freeman, did not wait to take a
hand in the fight, but went directly to
the kitchen. where they remained till
found afterward by the guard. They
made no attempt to escape, and GER
tainly took 10 part In the fight.
As to McCluer. the apparent ring
leader. he evidently meant business.
He was a very bad man, and 1t Is well
that he was killed. The Reese River
Rereile of last Saturday says Of him
..Our readers will recollect that he
was tried here for the murder of John
III. Walker in CorteZ district, found
guilty and sentenced 20 be hung. \
STAY Of proceedings was obtained, and
through the influence Of friends Nc
CluerFs case was dragged in the Sill
preme Court n whole year after the
tlay appointed for his execution. when
4 new trial was ordered. lie was then
found guilty OF murder in the second
degree, aud sentenced for life. The
killing OF Walker was 4 deliberate,
cold-6looded murder. and showed that
McCluer was 4 very bad and dangerous
man."
Ii is against the rules of the prison
for the inside guard, whose duty is to
in among the prisoners, to carry a pis-
toll or any other weapon, rs it would
be easy for them to disarm him and
have his weapon 10 Use, yet IL was
through n violation Of this strict rule
that the rush Of the prisoners was
checked and their ultimate sue
cess thus most probably prevented.
Captain Dingman, the inside guard.
having let the prisoners out of their
cells into the main hall, was just inside
the gate a. the cooks We're being let
through 1t, and when the fight com
menced Garrett rushed upon him and
caught him by the whisker, with the
: remark, You little son of a bitch, I've
got YOU" but just rs quickly as posi-
6le bingham drew 4 deringer from hi
pocket and shot his burly assailant
snnare in the bowels. This dropped
him, aud the rest OF the advancing
raiders, finding him 30 unexpectedly
armed, and supposing he had 4 re
yolver, checked their rush for n mo
ment, giving him time to step outside
the crate aud fasten it-quite an UNI
hertaking. as it ftstens with a paddock
instead Of shutting and locking with 8
snap or catch. But for Dingman':
contraband weapon, good presence o.
mind and prompt action, the result
might have been far different. although
the guards, fighting hand to hand with
the desperadoes outside the gate,
showed a remarkable and most com,
mendable degree Of bravery, proving
that they are the right men in the right
place.