Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-08
THE PRISON.
Special Meeting Of Board inspectors
TO-DAY,

Special Meeting Of Board OF Inspector,
To-Day.
The prison inspectors held special
meeting this morning at the prison. All
members were presnt.
President Hoffmeier explained the object
of the meeting he referred to the action
of the board at the last meeting when Fred
Brock, the messenger, was ordered to carry
water in place Of the prisoners who had
done it before on Tuesday che president
visited the prison and found the prisoners
asking for water and Brock not on duty.
Several days ago two prisoners escaped
and yesterday two more attempted it. 1t
was to consider this matter that the board
had met. Mr.. Hagen thought these mat
ters should be inquired into.
In regard to the water question Keeper
Weise, who had been summoned stated that
Brock did his duty we'll he could not
carry water and attend to his other
duties it was his impression that the
board intended Mr.. Brock to carry water
when he could, and an under-kceper was
to do it in his absence. Ii was not right
to have Mr.. Brock do this work, when
there were prisoners sitting around who
might do it if the object was to prevent
the prisoners who carried water from
passing knives or other Instruments into
the cells, no runner should lie used at all
but there is no use to do things by half :;
the chances to pass i'm articles are better
when tobacco Or clothing are given to the
prisoners. As to the recent escape of the
prisoners Mr.. Weisc knew nothing.
The board reeOnsidered their action in
regard to the water and adopted the fol-
Iowlngs "ResOlved, that in order to pre-
vent tools from being smuggIcd to tie con-
victs some one of the underkeepcrs or the
messenger shall deliver all clothing, water
and other articles to the prisoners in their
cells with a runner at tho time such
articles are delivered, and that they shall
lock up the runner as soon as the service
is performed. The cigar boss shall attend
at the cells in this manner when the tC-
baccO is dclivcred.'
Underkeere Reed and Thompson were
examined in reference to the escape of
Koch and Walker. and told their story as
already published. The only new fact
stated was that the side doors in the
corridors are always lett open. Under
keeper MUIR was also examined, and ex-
planned how Boyer and Wilmer tried to
escape.
1t was resolved that close wire grating
be placed over the outside of all the cell
windows, and that the chair appoint
committee, of which hc shall be men,
Der. Messrs. Hagen and Miller were ap-
pointed. Further, that hereafter no visit
ing be permitted, except OH Thursday
afternoons, between the hours of one and
four o'clock. and then only on an inspec-
tors pass, given under the same cundi.
tions as heretofore.
On motion of Mr.. Miller the board re-
solved to take 4 "trip of inspection during
the month, visiting IIagcrstown, Baltimore
Philadelphia and Reading. and inspecting
all the prisons on the route. They will
start on Monday, October II.
Two More Prisoners Attempt to Escape.
Charles Wilmer, colorcd, and George
Boyer, two convicts who occupied cells
% and 23 OH lower tier of the prison, at
tempted to make their escape yesterday.
Undcrkeepcr MUIR had given boyer lot
Of carpet rags to sew, and Boyer, who is
said to be partially uEsound in mind,
kicked them out of his cell. Mr.. MUIR |
went into the cell, and believing that all |
was not right, made an investigation. He |
found that the prisoners had cut hole |
into their partition wall and thence to the |
outer wall. 1t was of pretty good |
size and it would have been but Il short |
time before the men could have escaped. |
The ends of the cells are made Of iron, but !
the wall separating them is of stone. They
had cut in the same manner is the batch
Of long term prisoners did recently. The
men Were ut once removed to safer quar-
tcrs. No instruments We're found Oh them
and it is not known what the work was
done with. Wilmer was convicted in April,
1880, of rape and was sentenced to five
years imprisonment. Boyer is serving
two years sentence for burglary, having
been convicted in February, 1880.