Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-01-13
misfellaneous.
The Plots of Prisoners.
How THE CoNyIcTs II THE NEW YoRK
STATE PgIsoS Plan TO EscAPE.

Bolts and bars and walls built to resist
the teeth Of time are not always sufficient
to restrain tie conyicts in the State prison
at Auburn. Confinement seems to sharpen
the wits Of the prisoners. and not only
have they been known to devise success
ful plans TO escape. bit 10 invent most in
genious appliances and machinery. Old
attaches OF iie prison could tell stories OF
the achievements Of coayicts that wonld
read like fables. aud yet be a. true a.
sacred writ. Every morning the eontrac-
tor drives in through the north g; le. and
receiving his load oi three or four barrels
at the kitchen, drives out again. 4 con-
vict several wears ago thought he saw in
the swill-barrei means Of escape, and he
proceeded to put bis idea into operation
He eBveloped his head in cloths and got
into barrel of liquid swill The gate-
keeper Is provided with long iron rod.
and il required TO probe or examine every
load, no matter what it may be, that
leaves the prison. When the wagon
reached The gale the keeper ran the rod
into the barrel in which the convict was
concealed 1t struck AN obstruction, and
he plunged it in again with considerable
force. He was amazed to see filthy OBJ
ject emerge from the swill and utter a
muffled crv of pain. II did not take tie
keeper long, however, to determine that
II was a convict attempting TO escape.
The clever plot Of the prisoner created
great deal Of comment at the time. a
prisoner once disappeared and no trace of
him could be found. The officers searched
for week without avail. Finally. after
all efforts had been given up, the keeper
Of the tailor shop one day instructed his
men 10 remove the pieces of cloth. Of
which there was a great quantity. from
beneath the cutting bench. The bench
was entirely closed with the exception of
a small aperture into which the odds and
ends were thrown, and while the pieces
were being taken out the missing convict
was unearihed. The man had been wait
ing for an opportunity 10 get outside the
walls, but he waited one day too many it
proved. He had been fed regularly by
other convicts. who brought him food in
their pockets from the mess-rooi,.
Three or four years ago, when the prison
was crowded with 1 500 convicts, great
many slept in large room in the top of
the main building, known as the ''old
hospital" These men imagined that lib
erty was within their reach, and they made
at attempt to effect their escape. They
cut their way through the woodwork to
the roof. and only the tin covering re-
manned to be removed. The night was
appointed for the delivery, but when the
men put their heads up through the open
ing thew were confronted with a row of
revolvers in the hands of officers. Some
one had revealed the scheme. and the ati-
thorities were forewarned. Had this plan
been successful. the population of the
prison would have been decreased some
200. Five years ago convict employed
in the tool shop. which is no longer oper-
ated. made IA bold venture. The tools
were packed in boxes some ) - feet long
2 feet wide and 20 inches deep The man
attached cleats and n button to one of the
boards comprising the cover in such a way
that he could shut himself in To CON
ceal the deception. he drove heads of nails
into the board so that it looked rs ii it was
nailed down. The contractors had anoth-
err shop in what is Known As Hackney"
IN the northwestern part of the city. whita-
err all tools were taken before being
shipped. The convict ensconced himself
in his narrow quarters and the box was
loaded on n wagon with number of
others. lie waited until he thought the
prison had been LEFT behind. and then
raised the cover Ia survey his surround
ings. He was observed bv the driver. a
young man, who gave a frightened yell
and jumped from the wagon \ guard
happened 10 be in grocery store in front
Of which the convict made his appearance
and Ire caught glimpse OF the head in
fhp hnx Tho HSsa,.f,,,v
nized him. and leaping from the wagon
ran M fast as his legs would carry him.
The guard followed. and. rs the fugitive
would not stop in response to repeated
commands, fired a ball into his leg, which
put an end to the chase
Citizens are employed in the prison
shops in large numbers. and they pass in
and out without any questions being
asked. \ convict once embraced the op-
porlunitv that this practice affords. He
secured pair Of overalls and blouse.
and. shouldering wise. walked past the
guards. When he reached the street he
threw down the wise and made for the
country. Slipping out of the ranks is one
of the practices Of conviets rs the prelimi-
nary step to an escape. One cold winters
morning. while il was still dark. two con-
victs left their places in the line. They
had previously obtained a long piece #
wire. and attaching hook to one end.
they tore up their bedclothing and wound
Il tightly alb, ut it. This made stiif rope.
and. reaching it up. they caught the
hook on the bars of the wind wv in TIE
story above. They climbed up from win
dow to window until they reached the
roof. from which they expected to descend
TO a low side wall and drop to the ground.
Their absence had been discove, ed, how
ever. and just as they were descending
they We're detected by the officers who
We're looking for them. The escape of
'.By" Day was we'll planned. He s,igned
sickness aud was left in his cell When
the keeper shook the Gel. door at night
Day did not respond. Instead Of COM
pelling the man to answer. rs he should
have done. he looked through the grated
door and saw a form lying in bed with u
newspaper over the head. He thought
Day was sleeping. and supposed the pa
per was to prevent his being disturbed by
flies. The next morning a dummy stuffed
with straw was found in Days cot. but
"By" had disappeared. He had released
himself from his cell with n false kew. aud
getting upon the roof. had gone down Ia
the ground He was aflerward recaptare,i