The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-16
THE OUTBREAK OF PRISONERS.

COMMUNICATION FROM THE WARDEN OF THE
PRISON soUrH-PARTICULARs OF THE RE-
CENT OUTBREAK OFFICIALLY GIVEN.
Gov. Hendricks yesterday received the
following communication from the warden
OF the Prison South, at Jacksonville. giving
the particulars regarding the recent despe-
rate attempt by several convicts to escape
the prison:
Coz. Thomas A. Hendricks:
DEAR SIR:-You have learned, throuph
the papers, of the attempt that was made bv
four of our convicts to escape from prison.
bat think it advisable to give you an official
report. On May III the difficulty occurred,
as follows: The guard who was on duty,
George Chamberlain, opened the iron door at
the foot of the hospital steps to pass out Col.
Willard. contractor, when four of our most
desperate prisoners, viz: William Kennedy,
Alfred AIN Na Apologize William Stanley
the door, pushing Chamberlain aside and
reaching the street, up which they ran past
the warden's house, fourishing revolvers
and knives, and threatening all whom thew
met. When about one hundred yards from
the prison, they were overtaken by Cham
berlain, who had armed himself, and the
firing commenced between him and KEN
nedy; at the third fire, Mr.. G.. fell shot
through the brain. Some fifty yards farther
on, Port ran upon me and presented his re-
though he could easily have killed me, as /
was totally unarmed. While he hesi-
tsted, Apologize ran up and fired
three shots at me in rapid
succession. The first cut its way through
my hair just above the ear and knocked me
down, and the second passed through NV
pants leg, but did no harm. 1 struck him
twice with brick-bat, holding it in NV
hand; the second time it felled him to the
ground and bis capture was effected. Still
f,,f 1,aro yUol,l, L ILL., -.
stop Port, but, b. ing unarmed, he came
near having his throat cut, and doubtless
would have, had it not been for the timely
aid OF William Brown, colofed trusty con-
Wet, who struck Port and released Mr..
Holmes. By this time Kennedy,
AFTER KILLING CHAMBERLAIN,
overlook the others and fred a shot at
Brown, which took effect in the edge of the
left upper lip. near the cheek. aud ranged
downwards to the right side ofthe neck from
which it was afterwards extracted. Several
guards and itizens had now Joined in the
pursuit and kind of running fight was
kept up for a quarter of mile further with
bricks, pistols, or anything that could be
had, until Port was killed, and after des-
perate resistance, Stanley and Kennedy
were knocked down and captured. Within
thirty minutes from the time of their es-
cape all were back within the walls.
The desperate character of the
fight may be judged from the fact
that within thirty minutes two
men were killed and five or six more
or less wounded out of not more than ten
engaged. Kennedy, Apologize, and Stanley
and convict, Slaughter, who was in the con-
spiracy with them are now securely kept in
their cells to await their trial. Do you think
it would be advisable to have an attorney
general take charge of the case? II can be
positively proven that Kennedy shot and
killed Chamberlain, and that it was he who
shot VIM. Brown, and we have almost
enough evidence to convict certain outside
parties for aiding the escape. We have
learned since the fight that that was not the
manner in which they had expected to make
the escape. The plan was about as fellows:
Certain outside parties had promised TO give
them the necessary assistance to enable them
to effect their escape early in the morning of
the 18th, but owing to some miscalculation
they din'nt carry out their plan and the
conspirators resorted 70 the more desperate
alternative, of an open attack, with the re-
suit already seen. The revolvers were
struggled in by friend of one of the con-
victs (who had been allowed occasionally to
see him under the eye of the guard,l and
secreted somewhere within the walls until
ready for action. There have been various
rumors in regard to more outbreaks, but we
are doubly watchful, and do not anticipate
further trouble. Respectfully yours,
ID. S. SHULER, Warden.
A marble-fronted Chicsgosn, worth a
quarter million lately tried to get little