The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-09-11
A Prison Tragedy

A Hartford paper Of the 3rd inst, says
There was great excitement at the Weth-
ersfeld State Prison from 11o'olock Satur-
day night till yesterday morning.
1t appears that two prisoners--Henry
Hamlin and William Allen, both of whom
were sentenced for eight years for burglary
in New London county, In 1S71-planned
an escape Hamlin had skeleton key
made in the prison, and they ingeniously
made Il so that it would open every cell
door in the prison except two, the locks
being alike. He got outof his cell between
the time of locking up and the sliding Of
the bar, aud secreted himself overhead,
under the ceiling of the upper tier.
when everything was still, and the
watchman came on, Hamlin operated the
lever of the sliding bar 80 that he could let
out Allen by unlocking his door. Both
started to surprise the watchmsn, bind and
/ gag him but he had heard noise and
was on the lookout, and came upon them
before they were aware he was so near and
demanded that they should halt. They
were not disposed to stop, and lie fired
twice at them with his revolver. One of
them threw up his hands and said, "Don't
shoot. Pm hit and killed"
The watchman supposed he had fred
fatal shot and was thrown off his guard,
and the convicts pitched upon him, knock
ed him down and gagged him with home
made gag of leather, which was fastened
around his neck, and then put handouts
upon his wrists. They then left him, and
it is supposed were about to release one Or
more other prisoners, as they had their own
way, with the watchman quieted and
could have made general uprising of
convcts.
But they had not gone far before Ship
man got the gag loose and called for help.
They returned to him, and Allen, drawing
shop, said: "Stop your noise or I'll cut
your throat" The watchman, who
exhibited GOODNESS and courage, still strug-
gled and shouted, when Hamlin came up,
and having the pistol taken from the watch
man, placed its muzzle close to the latter's
left breast and fred, inficting mortal
wound.
BY this time the pistol shots had begun
to arouse the sleepers in other parts of the
prison, and Overseer Arnold came to the
door of the guard room. Seeing the feet
of the watchman hanging over from the
tier platform, which he recognized by their
having moccasins on, and seeing also man
leaning over him, he fired rifle into the
hall, without aiming it at the figure he
saw, lest the watchman might be struck.
The shot alarmed Hamlin, for he was lean
ing over the prostrate form of his victim,
and he ran around the corridor. Mean
while, Overseer Hill had got into the cor
ridor and saw him coming and fired. Ham,
lin returned the shot, neither taking effect.
Both Hamlin and Allen now sought ref
uge in the attic and forced their way
through the plastered ceiling by the use of
heavy bars of iron which were obtained
from the shoe shop, one being standard,
90 inches long and an inch and a quarter in
diameter, and the other a claw, Is inches
long. In the attic they had full swing, as
no ono dared risk going there because it
was known that there must be one charge
left in the revolver. Moreover, 1t was
deemed best to surround them lest they
might get more desperate and set fire to the
building, and there was great fear of this.
Guards, armed with rifles, were placed all
about the outer walls of the prison, and all
inside avenues of escape were carefully
watched.
At o'clock Hamlin showed himself at
an opening leading from the attic to the
garret of the Office building, and was at
once fired upon by Overseer Botelle, who
was on duty there. He then went back to
the centre of the attic. He evidently re-
manned in and about the cupola of the pri-
son, which is reached by ladder, At about
o'clock in the morning he showed himself
there to the outside guard, and Overseer
Riley fired at him, whereupon he cried out
'1Don't fire any more we will surrender" "
They were told to come down and report al
the guard-room door, which they did, and
were then handcuffed and taken to dun.
geons. Shipman died at about II O'Clock
yesterday morning, having suffered terrible
agony.