The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-03-29
"nlpptD N the Dv0."
4 Psstssatiasy 1syslt 0hsssnasel

Another Of those little domestic entertain
ments which have been frequently, but
fruitl.ss|y, concocsed by the convicts in the
peni'cntisry for the benefit Of the guard
Vas put up for and came to sudden grief
last Tuesday. Sumo ten of them entered 10
TO On arrangement whereby, on that day.
they were to take possession c'wi,hout .
statute to ,hs, effrc.'D and run the peni,en.
'iary until they were prepared to leave, well
equipped, for parts unknown. Butler was
10 have the post Of honor; Smith wss 10
second him, and the Others had specific duties
assigned them o. wereW joiu In the advance
Ut the main line. The plan of operations
was that when the guard .Dcwsr- should
open tho c"or for Butler 70 come into the
hall to file the saws u duty be performs
regularly he was 70 astsck the guard With
knife and overcome him II possible; Osca!iu
was 10 follow up this attack aud having
overpowered Dcwar, with his pistols they
would rush upon the other guard on duty
and the whole batch would only have the
guard off duty to conquer, one being engaged
experimenting those saving wood and the
other being down town in charge Of two
prisoners not in the plot. l, was . shrewdly
devised game Had the officers not discov
cred II IN good time 1t Is not improbable II
would have been successful, for ~ we have
stated, . concerted and uusuticipaied revolt
by . half . dUzsn prisoners who have
''nervc," will reduce the question Of who
are masters there 10 demonstration Of the
fig h,ing qualities Of the guards. with not
much odds in their favor On this occasion
however the guards were about ~ we'll ID
vised Of the scheme " the cUnspirs,ors, and
hsd The advantage Of the situation, even he'd
| Tue prisoners determined to fight it out.
Dcwxr WAS gwen cartridge Derrlnger, and
. navy, capped but not loaded, that in casc
he WAS Overpowcred tho weapon might mol
he turned on the guards. Adrancc, with
full faith in the efficacy of buckshot aud Z
double. bSrreled shot gun, iOUk = station
covering the door where the sffrsy would
begin, and the other guard. Moure, he'd Y
. station equally advantageous, and half Z
dozen well armed men were stationed outside
the enclosure u come u their support II
needed.
Without cvidencing any knowledge of til,
plot, Dewsr stepped u the door at the usus
time, called Butler, and opened it to let hin
psss into the hall. Butler ~ promptly cam,
to the door his hand foudiing tue knife
lie had surrcpti,iousIy Obtained. An.,cips'
ting the blow, Dewar pushed the Derringel
IN Buffers tscc aud pulled the trigger. bu
the charge failed 10 explode, and Butler
finding his cVufcdersics had weakened,
threw Iown Ills knife aud run 10 his cell
The grand prison delivery WAS . fissco-'
failure in lis very incep,iou-and On unrsli
able cartridge saved Buffers life aud pre-
veated his being made On example Of " o.he
ambitious prisoner. The whule gang wer
then informed of the situation and lOcke'
up In their cells 10 ruminste 1t leisure o.
} the vanity Ut their plans which lacked q
least two essentials u success-secrecy IN,
"ssnd." Ss,me Ut the circumstances Wer
interesting and amusing among these VA
The fact that four prisoners had padded thei
bressl - y protection sgsinsI shu, and thel
only exposed their backs " the gussd-but .
the plot failed, without escape, bloodsbed
Or even y shot. details ore omitted. TIN
attempt will not probably b. repeated soon-
Il being questionable If . like opportunit
will be given them until the force 10 incrcsa
ed, ~ It should bc by tho Legislature.