Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-07-24
From the Boston Globe.)
THE pOMEROY BOYS ATTEMPT TC
ESCAPE.

| THE IONEROY BOYS ATTEMPT TO
ESCAPE.
Pomeroy has for long time been confined in
cell No 49, which the second tier in the south
wing the door and window facing towards Charles
river 1t is about midway between the rotunda
and the BARRIERS shop, and the door and the win
dow can be seen from the officers desk. The cell
is large one such is used for the detention Of
debtors, and contained an iron bedstead, on
which there was the usual mattrass and clothing
common to the others. 1t contained hard wood
chair two buckets tin wash-basin and an iron
spoon The other articles of the room were books,
papers and few small articles which had been
presented to the occupant. The tools he had to
work with were all obtained in his cell, ard are
within the reach of every prisoner who has the in
genuity to use them. They consisted Of the strong
wire in the outer rim of his wash basin which he
had by some means removed and broken into sew
eral pieces of different lengths; the Of sar-
dine box, which gave him a sharp edge, and his
iron spoon, which was much twisted worn and
bent; besides these he had one Of the rounds Of
his chair which he had wrenched Off The pieces
of wire he used to dig out the mortar around the
bricks, and by bending the wire little he could
work on the back side Of the bricks and thus loosen
them then using the chair round as lever he could
easily take them out. The iron spoon and sardine
box cover furnished tools to clear the apertures
of all mortar, very quickly, and thus he was ready
to attack another brick. The mortar and refuse
was carefully concealed in paper, which was
placed under his mattress. There was, however
a considerable quantity, say pint, on the floor Of
his cell when the discovery was made.
1t having come to the knowledge of the turnkey,
Mr.. Bradley, that jesse ad surreptitousy written
certain letters which had in some manner conveyed
outside the Jail, he on Tuesday thought he would
visit the boy, and perhaps catch him writing some
clandestine epistle. Accordingly, he went direct
ly to Jesse's cell, and upon entering, the first OBJ
ect, beside Jesse, 10 attract his attention, was
brick upon the hoor which the cunning rascal
had not time TO conceal. Knowing that the brick
did rot come there by fair means Mr. Bradley,
set about searching the cell and its occupant.
Pomeroy was careessly leaning his back against
the wall, ard when told to move aside he did so,
and, as he moved, piece Of paper pasted on the
front wall fell to the floor when there appeared,
to the astonshed eyes Of the official, large hole
in the wall with three bricks removed, and three
or four others in such a condition as to be taken
out with a few minutes work. the mortar having
been dug out all around them. The displaced
bricks were al the right hand side Of the barred
windows under the head Of Pomeroy's bed, on a
level with the bottom. The wall al this point is
about two feet thick, and the bricks were removed
from the inside. The break was in such position
as not to be seen from the outside. The window
edge was covered with an atlas, braced up by
another book against the bars The hole on the
inside was covered by three sheets of white paper,
pasted together, and the top sheet pasted TO the
wall by soap. An examination of the wall in