The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-16
c.UN1Ns. ms PARDON.
sRo,d Attempt 20 Escape from the
Renitcnttary.


Early on Monday morning, Frank Smith
addressed a note to the officers of the Pen
itentiary at Nashville, Tenn, in which he
stated that there was c0ncocted scheme
on the part of the convicts whereby fifty
we're to effect their escape, and that he
would under no circumstances reveal the
secret unless he could be assured Of par
don. They might punish him as much and
as severely as they choose, but this was
the only condition Of its dvulgence by him.
He further promised that IL what he would
tell was not found to be strictly true, he
would yield up the pardon and undergo any
punishment they might see fit to inflict for
having misled them. After some consulta-
ton, and after vainly endcavoring TO locate
leaders of the plot in the minds of the Of
fcers, the matter was presented to Cover
nor Brown. As Frank Smith had already
served three years out of four, the term 10
which no had been sentenced, It was agreed
that he should be pardoned. The pardon
was taken to Smith and read to them, MOI
being entirely satisfied, he asked tnat he
MIGHT read il for himself and after having
norused II. he said that Bill Smith and Sam
White had copcoctcd the plot, and had in
,ended 10 carry il into execution within
wenty-four hours that lame convict had
almost sawed in two the bars connected
with ono of the windows on the western side
Of the prison, and that they intended to
make cgress through it, Should they fail
in this they were to kill the guard i'll the
hospital and escape through it. The ward
in which Bill Smith and White were locat-
ed contained fifty convicts, all of whom
we're 10 follow them at given signal.
The officers found, upon investigation,
...t- G..,,t 4, coli thnp
and thus the plans of the convicts were
thwarted. This lame prisoner had
made application to be placed in the ward
in which he had done the mischief, on ac-
count of his foot which had been very Sc
riously burned, and Bill Smith did not
scruple to take advantage of the idea of a
possible escape through him. The lame
convict was to saw the bars in two, and
while at work, sentries were so placed as
to defy detection by the officers. Warden
Brown came in upon them from an unex-
pected quarter ten days previous, when see
ing squad huddled together. he demanded
to know what they were about The lame
convict responded that he had only been
washing his hands, and was then wiping
them with the towel. 1t has now been as
certained that he accomplished trick OF
legerdemain which even the experienced
eye of the Warden had failed to detect.
On the approach of the Warden, he placed
his saws, which had been made out Of cary
ing-knves and so held them under the
towel 50 as to lead to no suspicion that he
had been doing anything wrong. The cir
cumstance had hardly been mentioned be-
fore tile whole scene was brought up WV
idly to the mind of the Warden, who had
been fully satisfied that all had been right
Several Of the bars of the window already
indicated were found to have been severed.
Bill Smith had even gone so far AS to sug-
gest to the other convicts the propriety OF
surreptitiously obtaining pistol, and of us
ing them should it become necessary to en-
sure their escape.
On receiving his pardon yesterday morn
ing from the hands of the officers of the
prison, Frank Smith thanked them all fol
it, and, moreover, congratulated himself a
having been able to do them some service
and at the same time to have thus accom-
plished his own release Nashville Ban
aer Sd.