The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-07-30

POosiolV' OH hAOhudy luOIuluB, NII.
Sbawkey's suspicious having been
aroused by some peculiar actions on
the part of Westen, he concluded to
make an investigation of his (Wes.
ten's) cell. This he did, and was not
a little surprised to find that the pris-
oner had succeeded in raising one of
tho boards in the floor, and had
burned hole through the timbers
into The cellar. The hole was not
large enough to admit the mans body,
but very little more fire would have
had the desired effect. He claims to
have raised the piece of flooring with
case.knife, by cutting the seam where
the boards are matched together-they
being only matched and not nailed.
1t is supposed he used kerosene oil to
start the fire, having had a lamp in
his cell OH different occasions. Mr..
Shawkey also noticed that he used a
great deal of water, which lie always
called for about bed time, and it is
thought he wanted this in case the fire
should get beyond his control. This
is the second attempt made by Weston
to escape, and his plans have both
times been thwarted by the sagacity
of Mr.. Shawkey. Stanford, the other
prisoner, since his incarceration, has
been very civil, and if he has any
plan of escape III contemplation, he is
sharp enough to conceal it from his
keeper A more careful watch than
ever will be kept over them in the fu-
tuIe.
2. S.--Since the above was in tvpe
Weston made another attempt to get
out, by taking down the stove. pipe,
which passes from the cell into the
hall Of the Jail, thence up through the
ceiling. Mr.. Shawkey was standing
within ten feet of the prisoner while
he was working, and SO quietly was he
about it that Mr.. S. could scarcely
hear sound, until the pipe acciden-
tally came down with a crash. This
happened last night about II o'clock.
He will no doubt be treated to a ball
and chain now.
Last Saturday the lower oil
country experienced the most terrific
sttrm and deluge ever known in that
section. A torrent Of rain, or water.
spout, commenced to descend in the
forenoon, and in short time houses,
barns, saw.mills, bridges &c, were
being swept away, Martinsburg,
Millerstown, Karns City and Petrola
all sustained great damage to property
of every description. Several miles of
the Parker & Karus City railroad
track was washed away, and it will be
many days before travel can be re-
sumed. The greatest damage was
sustained at Petrolia, large portion
Of the best part Of the town having
been carried away by the overfowing
of Bear Creek, which passes through
the city. No lives were lost, but
many persons narrowly escaped. The
Derrick, which publishes a diagram of
the place, showing the line of the
flood gives a summary Of the losses sus-
tanned, which aggregate $4,000.
Ovet thirty buildings were destroyed
at Petrolia alone, to say nothing of
those demolished in the other towns
mentioned, and along the line of the
flood.
On last Friday evening, as Mr..
f. L. Whittekin was on his way home
Uia Wilderness Road, he somewhere in
Little Tionesta Hollow, heard an owl
hoot AMI drew his revolver to get a
shot at the same, when, upon nearing
a thicket in which he supposed the owl
was, a large ragged dressed man sprang
forth and fred a pistol at him, the
bullet passing less than an inch from
his face, and made its way through
the brim of his hat. Mr.. Whittekin,
having his revolver in his hand and
cooked, instantly returned the fire and
thinks he hit the villain somewhere
about the head or neck; at any rate
he says that he fell to the ground, and
his horse leaped over him and gal.