Connecticut western news., 1872-11-08
TREATMENT.
Escape of Jail Birds.

PROVIDENCE, NOV. 1.-Two cOnVlCtS ln the state prison, named Elisha E. Peck and Charles Williams, escaped Wednesday night. Peck by some means got out of his cell into the corridor and struck the night watchman, B. 0. Allen, fearful blow on the back of his head with piece of gas pipe. After beating him, it is fear ed, fatally, the villain tied Aliens hands together with a suspender, robbed him of his watch, revolver, and two dollars, and left him for dead.
 Peck then sscended the stairs to the hall, and going to Williams cell, induced him to become his confederate. The manner in which Williams cell was opened is mys- tery. Perhaps he may have had key that would open the lock, but probably it was opened by Peck's assistance. The pair, finding themselves at large in the interior of the prison. set about finding some meth cd to reach the outside. Going down stairs, they found piece of three by four joist among the lumber. This they carried nto the old clock room. and tried by it's use to break down an iron door on the north side of the basement. It resisted their attempts, and the lock, which had been tempered with, they were also unable to open, Rolled in this direction, they were obliged to plan some new method of proceeding. It must have been at this time nearly four o'clock. At that hour the convicts we'll knew the officers bell would be rung by the night wAtchman; If it was rung, they would no longer be at liberty to complete their lawless work; if it did not ring, the suspicion would be aroused and all discovered They therefore arranged g plan to meet the exigency. It is the duty of Mr. Milton Fl. Shattuck to answer the officers bell, enter the prison by the princi- pal door and proceed to start the engine At 4 o'clock the convicts rang the officers bell. Mir. ShAttuck answered it as usual. Stationep near the door on the inside Were Peck and Williams, awaiting his entrance. The pistol of Mir. Allen was in Williams's hand. As Mr. Shattuck opened the door Peck struck him 8 severe blow in the fore. head. Shattuck is 8 young man of muscle as we'll as courage, and, although taken so completely off his guard, knocked down bis assaiant. At that moment Williams struck him over the head with the pistol. This blow brought him partly down, bu, he continued to struggle with bo:h the con- victs, and he thinks that they bear marks of his resistance. He shouted at the top of his voice. and relief came from a quar- ter where, under the circumstances, it wal least to be expected.
 Mir. Allen, the wstchmsn, who had been left for dead in the cellar, remained sense less for long time, but gradually began te recover his consciousness. Finding him self bound he set about mechanically tc free himself, and, after while, succeeded in getting one hand at liberty, when he cu the suspender that bound the other. Prob ably without hardly knowing what he wal about, be managed to leave the basement and ascend the stairs, just as the fearfu conflict at the door began. He instinctive ly hurried to the bell rope and pulled tht bell that is used to alarm Deputy WarGer Fitzpatrick. The deputy sprang from bed and grasping his revolver, pushed for tht spot. In the meantime the conYicts hae overpowered Shattusk, and rushed out ot the hall of'the prison into the office. The room of the deputy warden is next to the office and adjoining the front hall. Hac the prisoners tlied to escape by the from way. they would have encountered the dep uty with his seven-sh0oter. But probably aware of this danger, they rushed through the office to side door, which they liter ally smashed open, breaking one of the panes of glass and making good their es cape.