Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-11-02

ftof TANK, - the c0oWeUe u&s - y NET
worn over the taak wszs- bfsasmra Ad dis
turbed, and other indications, Of hiA having
made this his hiding -place were visible THU
morning. In this lumber room he must have
remained till between one and two o'clock
Thursday morning. At that time the nigh,
Waterman, Benz. c. Allen, was passing Along
the corridor % usual, to. see that AL was
right. The desperado concealed In the eel.
| Lar below had possessed himself Of pfece gas
pipe about fifteen inches long and weighing
two or three pounds, this being probably the
most effective weapon he was able 70 secure.
The watchman had passed to the end Of the
corridor, and had taken some dozen stsps on
his return, when Peck ascended the stairs,
stole softly behind the unsuspecting man and
dealt him q fearful blow upon the back Of the
head with the piece Of the gas pipe. MI.
len has but vague recollection Of the events
that followed, but it IL certain that he turned
and resisted the rufiain as long ~ he could.
Marks of blood upon the floor indicate ter.
ribie struggle. The buttons we're torn from
Peck's shirt, and lay scattered on the door
this morning. Aliens cries were heard BY
the prisoners in the cells along the corridor,
and some of them think they heard Peek tell
Alien to desist from crying or he would kill
him. The prisoners would not be likely to
pay much attention to noise Of that KIDD, the
rawlings of the other prisoners suffering from
delirium tremens being not very infrequsnt
Allen continued his resistance till completely
overpowered. Peck struck and pounded and
jumped upon him, inficting internal injuries
that are likely TO prove serious. Having
beaten his victim till he was entirely sense
less, and no doubt believing him to be dead,
he tied his hands together with spspender,
and dragged him to the stairs leading from
the hall to the basement. Having taken Mr..
Aliens nsensible body down the stairs, Peck
left it in the old kitchens first rihing his peck.
cts Of his watch, revolver, and small sum of
money, about two dollars .
Peck then succeeded in gaining Williams
as his confederate, liberating him from his
cell, and the Journal reporter adds:
1.-THE manner in which Williams cell wa
opened is mystery. Perhaps he may nave
had key that would open the lock. but prob
ably it was opened by Peck's assistance.
The pair finding themselves at large in the
interior of the prison, set about finding some
method to reach the outside. Goiag down
stairs, they found piece Of three-by-four
loist among the lumber. This they parriea
into the old cook-room, and tried BY IFS use
TO break down an iron door on the north side
eff the basement. 1t resisted their attempts,
and the lock, which had been tempered With,
they were also unable to open. Fooled In ths
direction, they were obliged to plan some
new method of proceeding, and with dis
patch. a- g
Il must have been at this time nearly four
o'clock. 1T that honr the conyicts well knew
the officers bell would be rung by the night
Waterman. Ii it was rung, they would be no
longer at liberty to complete their lawiess
work, and if it did net ring, suspicion would
be aroused, and all discovered. They there.
fore arranged plan to meet the exiRency.
1t is the duty Of Mr.. Milton II. Shattuck to
answer the officers bell, enter the prison by
the principal door , and proceed to start the
engine. At four o'clock, the convicts rang
the officers bell. Mr.. Shattuck answered is
as usual. Stationed near the door on the in
side were Peck and Williams, awaiting his
entrance. The pistol of Mr.. Allen was in
Williamss hand. "A Mr.. Shattuck opened
the door, Peck struck him severe blow in
the forehead. Shattucls is young man OF
muscle as well as of courage, and although
80 completely off his guard, knocked down
his assailant. At that moplent Williams
struck him over the head with the pistol.
This blow brought him partly down, but he
continued to struggle with both the convietss
sad thinks they bear marks of his resistance.
Ee shouted at the top of his voice, and relief
came from quarter where, under the Cir
cuostancss. il was least to be expected.
Mr.. Allen, the Waterman who had been
left for dead in the cellar, remained senseless
for loag time, but gradually began to re-
cover consciousness. Finding himself bound
he commenced to free himself, and after
while succeeded in getting one hand at liber-
ty, when he cut the suspender that bound the
other. Probably without hardly knowing
what he was doing, he managed to leave the
basement and ascend the stairs just as the
fearful conflict at the door began. He in
stinctively hurried to che bell-rope and pulled
the bell that is used to alarm Deputy Warden
Fitzpatrick.
The Deputy sprang from has bed and.
grasping his revolver, rushed to the spot. In
the mean time the convicts had everpowered
Shattuck and rushed out of the hall of the
prison into the office. The room of the Dep
uty Warden is next to the Office and adjon-
ing the front hail. Had the prisoners tried
to escape by the front way, they would have
encountered the Deputy with his seven shoot
err. But possibly aware of this danger, they
rushed through the Office to a side door,
which they literally smashed open, breaking
one Of the panes of glass, and made good
their escape"