Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-07-13
ATTEMPTED ESCAPE At OUR
STATE PRISON,

On Tuesday night, an attempt was
made to carry out one of the largest
consplracies ever got up among the
convicts at the Prison to effect an es-
cape. About three o'clock in the
morning, Capt Benjamin. the cell
room guard, heard an unusual noise, as
he was passing around til cells on an
upper tier, and looking over the rail
ing, saw man attempting to unlock
the bar that fastens the cell doors.
Being n moment satisfied that some
thing was wrong, and not receiving
any answer to his hailing, h. fired at
the man, but without effect. BY this
time the bar was sprung, and the man
began to unlock the cell doors. Capt.
Benjamin knowing that his only course
was to give general alarm as soon as
possible, got down from the tier as soon
as he could, and before the two con
7icts who had got out of their cells
could reach him, he had made good his
escape to the guard room, and immed-
lately rung the bell giving the alarm
and calling up the full force of officers
Upon his return to the door Of the
cell room he again fired at one Of the
convicts, but just missed him. AS
soon as the alarm was given and the
officers began to gather the convicts
were aware that their game was up,
and returned to their cells.
Tie plan, as it has since been ferret
ed out, was as follows The convict
who first got out Of his cell, was one
who had been employed in the cell
room, and was well acquainted with the
manner Of opening the cells. Some
how he had managed to get impressions
Of the keys, and some half dozen
duplicate keys had been made. In the
mean time he had by drilling out rivits
SO fixed the door Of his cell that he
could take it off the hinges, and get
out, even though the door was locked
perfectly. How stealthily all this was
done is shown by the fact that guard
is in the cell room constantly, andlooks
into every cell as often as once an
hour. 10 carry out the plan, large
bars of iron had in some way been con
veyed into certain cells and mufled, SO
that man could be killed with them
and not the least sound made. The
intention was for the man whose cell
door was loose to get out, and having
the keys they had manufactured, to
let out a few others, while the guard
was attending to his duties in an upper
tier, who would then secrete them
selves, aud with the weapons provided,
make away with the guard as he re-
turned, then one, taking his hat and
clothes, to ring at the guard room door,
and in this guise gaining admittance,
to as noiselessly make way with the
guard there, and then obtaining the
keys, to liberate as many as they choose,
unlock the gates and walk out only
quietly putting an end to anybody that
opposed them. North Young and
others, who would think as little of
killing a man, as they would a cat,
were in the conspiracy, and had not
Capt. Benjamin been more than ordi-
narily vigilant, ana discovered the first
movement, or had be been FIVE minutes
later in making the discovery, there is
no telling what would have happened.
The plans had been long maturing,
and the only wonder, when we take
into consideration the desperate char
acter of the men to sbe dealt with, and
the almost unearthly cunning and
shreWdness that long schoolingin crime
gives them, il that they were complet-
ely foiled in the attempt.
Credit is due Capt, Benjamin for
his courage in meeting the case, and
to the officers for their promptness, es,
pecially Deputy Warden kelsey, who
was the first on the Prison
city Leader.