Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-07-21
Ohio Penitentiary


A bold attempt was made on Friday
night last, by the celebrated counterfciter,
Charles Ulrich, to escape from tho above
institution. de had been sentenced to The
Peniteutiary, on the l7th Of Jane, 1868,
for twelve years, BY the U. s. Court fol
the Southern District Of Ohio. Two Of
the night watch are implicated ms render
ing assistance to Ulrieh, in order that he
might make his escape, for which, accord
ing to the Statements, Of Ulrch they
received $4,000 in good money, This
eounterfciter is said to be a good cngrayer,
and had been employed by these watch
men toencraye plates for cards and sucl,
like things.
On being notified by Babbit that Ulrich
had escaped, the Captains instinct took
him In pursuit ut once toward the Chapel
The door was locked, but he insisted that
the key should be sent forand the door un
locked, He then ran quickly up stairs and
discovered Ulrich in the act Of climbing
into the attic, through trap door or open :
ing In the ceiling. He drew his revolver
ordered the man down aud took him to The
dungeon.
Ulrieh stated that he had been betrayed,
and therefore had no hcsitancy In making
full statement in regard to the affair He
said that he was assisted in bis effort to
escape by A. P. BabbitAnd r s. Rochelle
night walchmcn IN the east hnll, Ulrich
Is ono Of the best ongravers in the country
and the guards had communicated with
him 10 regard 70 little jobs of engraving
nnmes for carda, &e They secretly pro-
cured Cor him the necessary tools and light
and be worked after hours in his cell, the
guards Watching and giving signal on the
approach Of the Captain orthe Warden, so
that the Eight might be eStinguished, This
arrangement continued for sumo months,
Ulrich doing many jobs aud receiving pay
for the mme.
Finally the guards made oyertarcs to as'
sist him to escape. Several plans were
suggestcd in the talks between theguOrdt
and the convict, One was TO cut through
the bars Of one Of the front windows of the
mRin building, with n certain acid prepn'
ration. This acid was procured, but vi.
rich objected 10 its use on account of It's
explosive qualities, or iuSiSted In great
care 10 It's use. After hearing his cxplana
ton, tllia project was abandoned
II was finally agreed that the escape
should be made BY way Of the chapel,
Tho convict wal furnished with drills
chisels, ropes, and after getting out ofhis
cell was to be furnished with duplicate
key to the chapel door He was, once IN
the chapel TO make his way to the roof Of
tho buildings adjoining, and thenby ropes
TO the prison wall, ae was then 10 pass
round the walls to The southwest corner
and lower himself by rope TO The ground
A man was to be 1t this place to receive
him, with a eitizen'a suit Of clothes Hel
was 70 be conducted TO certain house
whcrehe was to remain concealed until the
excitement had blown over. He made q
key to the chapel door, using the original
key as a pattern but this duplicate would
not unlock the door, II was then agreed
that the original key should be uscd' ooe
Of The guards seeing him safe inside and
then locking the door. For this assistance
the guarda were to receive five thousand
dollars.
Ulrieh accepted Ahe proposition, and en-
tered At once into correspondence with
The clief eounterfeiters in the country,
with view 10 securing the money, Let.
tsrs in vply were addressed to JnO +
Hanson and others, and were taken from
ihe Postofiee by some young man, name
unknown and given to the guards, who
conveyed them 70 the convict. On wi
day night, be elaims that be paid Rochelle
fye thousand dollars in good money, ana
thatin accordance with the agreement the
escape vac attempted For some reason
the guards concerned failed to keep their
part of the contract, aud gave the alarm
This is the Substance of the statement
made BY Ulrieh IIe had with him roTs
tools d various kinds 70 eal through the
brick wall ~ the chapel to lft him on the