The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-12-29
TROUBLE AT THE REFORM
SCHOOL.
Five Boys Make an Unsuccessfnl Attempt
to Escape from the School.

Five of'the older boys at the Reform School
made an attempt to escape from this institu-
tion early Sunday morning. but they were un-
| successful and now lie in Jail to await the ac-
| ton of the Grand Jury. 1t seems that as early
as Saturday afternoon the Superintendent Mr.
Wentworth, was informed that several of the
| boys had plotted for an escape. As the boy
who gave the information was not always be-
lieved. but little heed was given to the report.
To make sure, however, four men were placed
outside Of the building to keep guard during
Saturday night. All was quiet in the domito.
ries during the first of the night. The boys
were sleeping so soundly that Mr.. Jones, the
Waterman, contrary to his orders, sat down in
chair and aboat 2 O clock in the morning fell
asleep. This was the opportunity. for the boys,
and five of them, who were apparently asleep,
were soon astir They slipped from their beds
and in moment were at the side of the watch
man. They had provided themselves with
ropes and gag, and two of them seized the
Waterman by the hands and applied the gag to
his mouth Two others took charge of his feet.
while the fifth reached in his pocket and Sc
cured the key. Anxious to get out of the
building, the boy with the key jumped into the
sluice way leading from the dormitory to the
entrace OF the building, and slid down to the
door. This left four of the boys to bind the
Waterman, who in some way got the gag from
his mouth and gave the alarm. The boys saw
that their only CHARGE for escape was to follow
the one with the key This they did, leaving
the Waterman, who soon followed them down
the sluice way. When he reached the entry he
was met by five as fierce boys as can readily be
found, and a regular hand to hand fight en-
sued. If Mr.. Jones had been negligent in fall
ing asleep he surely made it up in fighting, for
he defended himself and prevented the escape
of the boys. In the fight the boys got Mr..
Jones down and stamped on him, cutting his
head seriously. The noise attracted the atten-
tion OF Mr.. Wentworth, who came to the res
cue with club, but received severe treatment
from the young Iuffians. But his pluck was
good and with the assistance of Mr.. Jones the
five boys were securely handcuffed and placed
in confinement. The matter was kept very
quiet and nothing was known of it in this city
until yesterday, when the boys were brought to
the police station, and afterwards taken to the
Jail to await the action of the grand jury.
The boys are named as follows: Thomas e.
Winship, aged 20; Charles S. Ramsdell, aged
Is; Charles E. York, aged 10; Charles Harri-
man, aged 90. and Lewellyn Bubier, aged 20.
The first and the last three have very bad
records, while Ramsdell is thought not to be so
bad.
1t is fact worthy of note that when the re-
volt took place 125 boys remained in their beds
as quiet as though nothing was happening. If
they had been disposed every one of them could
have escaped. If the 20 boys in the first-class
had been allowed to they would have gladly
helped the officers to overcome the rebellious
element