The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-12-28
One O'Clock.

I'M. Quad, in Detroit Free Press.I
He was an old man-at least seventy
chilled through by the raw winds sweep
ing the streets. He had crept to the
Central Station to warm himself. The
Captain gave him a bite to eat, and by
and-by the old man grew loquacious.
az expect to die behind the bars" he
said, as he looked into the corridor.
"Eyer been in prison?' l asked as he
resumed his seat.
Years and years." he answered.
Fact is, l don't feel at home outside of
the walls. was among the first fifty
men in the State Prison at Jackson, and
they've had me there, off and on, for over
twenty years."
The old man removed his hat, combed
his few gray locks with his fingers, and
mused:
Less see? was sent from Detroit for
four years, and that's four. was sent
from Grand Rapids for eight years, and
that makes twelve. was sent from Port
Huron for three years. and that's fifteen.
l went back for horse-stealing long
enough to make it twenty-one years, and
that's pretty fair for one man, eh p
l was lost in amazement at his cool
ness, and pretty soon he said:
"Used to have some exciting times out
there. Prisoners were whipped, showered
and tortured, and the life-cells were al
ways full. We knocked over a guard
now and then, and I've been in some
plots to rise and murder all the officials"
"But were always frustrated" OBJ
served.
"Always. When it wasn't one thing
it was another. The keepers would be
changed, or some of the men would peach,
or new rule would come out that day,
and all our plans would be knocked in
the head. We had one real good chance
to clean out the prison, and it was
singular circumstance that baffied US. If
1 had a chew of tobacco to keep my
mouth moist I'd tell you the yarn"
After rolling the ine-cut under his
tongue he went on:
"It is good many years back. The
prison was new, and the management was
not what it is now, of course. Some
body was escaping every week or so, and
it was easy enough to smuggle in money
and tools and cook up conspiracies.
There were hundred and seventy nine
of US, and the wickedest man in prison
was a horse thief and highway robber
named Ben Mason. He was in for
fifteen years, l believe, and feeling des-
perate like, he was as ugly as Satan.
They had him in the kitchen as cook,
and in those days the prisoners had little
or no work and were locked up most of
the time. Ben hadn't been in the prison
hundred days before be worked up one
of the wickedest plans you ever heard of.
He was to head a rebellion, and we were
to murder every prison official, arm as
best we could. and then march down and
plunder and burn the town."
The old man paused moment as the
door opened. and then continued:
"All the details of the plan were soon
communicated to every convict, and
every single man was agreed. Ben made
key, or two or three of them, by which
he could unlock all the cells. Only two
guards were on duty in the corridor at
night, and they were at one end. They
were changed at one o'clock at night,
and it happened at this hour that the
new guards were ten or fifteen minutes in
getting in, thus leaving an interval to
be taken advantage of. Well, the pro-
gramme was for Ben Mason to unlock
his cell door just before one o'clock. He
could easily do that from the inside with
the locks then in use. As the old guard
passed out he was to fly from door to
door, let out as many convicts as he had
time, and then overpower the new guards
as they came in. This done, all the con,
victs would be liberated, and we would
sweep the prison with rush. A Ger
tain Thursday night was the date fixed
upon, and tell you there was murder in
the air p'
He held his hands over his face, as i
thinking, and there was long pause be
fore he said:
"That same Thursday afternoon, wher
every man was trembling with expecta
ton, two ladies and little girl were ad
mitted as visitors. Ben Mason was tha
day doing some extra werk-somethins
that took him into the yard. The ladie
passed him, and there was something
about his face, fierce as it was, to attrac
the little girl. She ran to him, looked
up lAIO ulo ldOC5 anu JhhOSSbliy askcu
Haven't you got little girl, too?' Nov
Ben did have, and her words cut hin
like knife. The wee thing grasped hi
hand to detain him, and holding up .
little doll which she had carried ON he
arm, she said: You may take thi
home to your little grip Ben took tn,
plaything from her hand, and you coulc
have knocked him down with straw
Though bold and bad, be was big-hearteC
and loved his wife and children.
"Well, sir, he was foored. He turned
BOBBY right away, and I'll be hanged i
1 didn't see big tears running down hi
cheeks At one o'clock that night, whel
he was to let us out and head the rebel
lion, he was on his bed hugging that dol
and crying like child, and so our plan
went for nothing. 1 think he was reg
ular old woman, sir-a regular idiot"
And yet when l looked into the oil
mans eyes he was wiping the tear