The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-02
Letter from ROcklaud.

RoCKLAND, Feb 26, 1870.
To the Editor Of the Fress:
The past week has been made peculiarly sad
to the people of this vicinity. The news of the
murder of one man and the death, by drown
ing, of two others has been transmitted by tel
egraph. We have also to chronicle the death
OF MIR. Joseph Fish of st. George, who had
amassed property of half a million by untir-
ing industry, rigid selfdenial, and, perhaps,
by grasping and oppressive dealings with 9TH
ers. He had employed large number of men
in shipbuilding, trade and navigation, some OF
whom thus obtained the means to provide for
themselves wealth and comfort But it may
be asserted that very meagre was the portion
of his wealth dispensed in charities A wife
and daughter succeed to this snug fortune; but
can two persons enjoy half million? Might
not generous donation have been taken out
of this sum for worthy public institutions2
But probably it would be found that generosi-
ty is rare quality, if all had the means to be
generous,-as rare, We'll say, as charity in
criticism is now.
AT THE STATE PRISON,
yesterday, we saw the working tools of Bart
lett and Simms, by which their egress from
foSSAD-S'
possible, for all that can be done to effect an es
cape these men will do. They had studied the
habits of the officers and prepared all their
contrivances with the most minute accuracy.
and they took advantage of the only ten min
utes in twelvemonth, perhaps,-wind, noise
ladder, and absence OF officers being in the
conspiracy this escape could have been
so far successful. Warden Rice explained the
whole case to us, and proved the statement
just made. But then his expla nations not on
ly led us to admire the skill of the convicts,
but to note the fact that the Warden is "mas-
ter of the situation" We regard it more as
the push of desperation than the shrewdness
OF calculation which opened the way out of
prison for these men. Notice the fact that the
men, after all, didn't succeed. They never
can.
The windows which were migrated are now
secure; the ladder permitting SuperdsQae eya-
dere dd derds-that is, to climb up through the
scuttleMhas departed the vigilance OF the Off
GERS VIII be even more sleepless; the walls are
s sigm ana strong; and it will take Bartlett and
Simms twelve years to reach the outside.
Siihins wears chain and ball now; as soon as
Bartlett RECEIVERS from his lameness he will bo
equally favored. We saw, too, that which cnt off
escape: IL IS a Dreech-loading rihe-"Clark's
Repeater"-into the stock of which where the
ramrod is usually placed, sixteen cartridgeS
are put in magazine. They can be seen fren
the outside and are made to travel aromnd ;nta
the breech of the barrel. They can be removeJ
before entering the barrel. These sixteen car.
tridges can be discharged in less than mimic
The young man who was on guard and used
this rifle so OPPORTUNITY is Justly proud of il
He has measured 1.-THE distance Bartlett was
from him-one hundred and twenty yards.
OF THE OTHER PRISONERS
l have time to remark, that Cleveland is ill,
has consumptive cough, wan and weary look,
and probably will not live year. He pretends
to a clear conscience. He is in solitary
Cushman, OK thief, is obstinate and rebellious.
He hasn't yet got tired of lazy cells" and
dungeons. BENNETT.