The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-09
MURDERS IN STATE PRISON.
THE END or TWO WdRDENs or TIN
CONNECTICUT INSTITJTTON
Convict james Wilson Thru.tine ~ steel yvsr,
Through his Heart, and yet Living 10 no
MnnRcd-1he Speech VI nde on the lsnIloMa.

was the outcome Of an attempt TO escape Tho
murders Of Warden willard in 1870 and Of
Warden Webster in 1862 were deliberately
planned and coolly executed while the convicts
were in the confinement Of n cell. knowing that
escape was hopeless. and TINT the gallows was
certain. Very strange and sadly interesting are
tho circumstances which. in one of their cascs
led to the murder. and in the other followed il.
In the first casc-ihat Of the murder of War.
den Webster by Gerald Toolc in 1862 tho decd
would never have been done but for the convi..
ton Of Toole Of n crime Of which h. was limo.
cent ,'At least this is the belief ol those VINO
wrc familiar with the cirrunstan .cs ntt IA In,
ms trial and conviction. Toolc Wa II br-i
boy. ana It was predicted of him during MS
school days in Now Haven thnt he had "a pros.
porous prr"ns future in store. IT, was a hand
largo dark eyes. and ci"nr cut faa,rrass
When about IS or ~ years old hc had b,'lmc
nm To- do q moan thing. much less to commit
any crime. H. was arrested on u ehnrgr Of mr..
but unfortunately he could Civ" no ri.nr NJ,
count Of his whereabouts on the night cot tho
ire. The proof against him was po-.tyt :
81 the building shortly before the lire. and NJ.
igrward saw MIN running away. II WIS On.
Nlrtd, and sentcn 'ed 10 the State prison for
~ he WIS innocent 81 tho crime II must ne
found out before ,grcnt while. and then he
would To- irccagain. But the time passed. anj DO,
saw himself no nearer freedom: in fit"t. burned
ns ne was in prison. n" an | the crime were
gradually being forgotten. His sangun' tenn.
prrnnent began to break. He beramr mooiJ
ana dcsr9ndcni. careless Of himself and oi the
prison rules. For his breaches Of rii : n. vns
disciplined. II WIS after n severe puni-hmanf
mat II Is whole nature seemed to change. ii,
him. and cursed Trscd' his Mak"r he a d.a
after h. Is trial for murder am / an innocent
man. smut IN f9r life, with nothing else in pros.
hatred Of the world WIS concentrated on Nrr.
drn Webster 10y an unusually. severe punish
mrnt., Secreting Il shoe knife. he waited "a IA.
plunged the knife into tn" Warlen's hrcast and
then sullcnly awaited his own death. But loI
ms rellElou- framing ~ "a Roman Catholic. he
would doubtless have tnkon his own life. H.
was hanged IN Hartford soon after tho murlrr
and he appeared - Welcome DEATH TOole's
photograph hangs in the OH 90 of the prison
\ year or 50 after Toos'- deatn NJ was vindi-
caicd. 50 far as the crime of arson wis con.
cerned. Tine principal witness against him wqs
nin"ked hy consumption. He Frequently said
that ne had something g. t'll before his death
not Toolc, hal fired the building. and he had
sworn II on To Tool" 10 protect himself and in re-.
Eght years after Tople murdered WHrdrr
Webster James W son plunged II knife into
ly man. and had all his life been n burglar liz
was one of the noted cracksm"n Of New York
twrIty years ago, though he was then known 10y
an9ther name he mad served rms In s"Ncra
state prisons. and had escaped u number OF
times; lie was u man Of great nerve and ,our.
hgr Alter his escape from the Cleveland lOhio
Jail, in 1865 or theroabouts he walked
miles in the snow hareiOoted. and both fee
were frozen and had to be amputated
but he was able To hohhlc about viii
cane, ami II WIS only little time
before he commiite, daring burglary in Hart.
IN state pr son. and was put to work in the
!. hoe shop. He complained OF the food. saying
m9uldY.' For tn r"iraet1rlne-s he WAS pun.
lshed by being pet ia the dark rai" AMI while
lard. Wilson was allowed To- u.s. his ram .in The
prs IN on account "l lis idl' no. 49,. M.tlle IN