Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-19
, THE STATE BAsTlLE.
History Of the Penitsutiary at
Meundsvifie.
The FraiI and Insecure Temporary Structurs
Notable Escapes of Prisoners
Daring Conyicts.
Special 10 the Reoissa.

day of August, 1866, work was begun on
our State prison. Where now stands q IS
sive stone edifce with lofty towers and
dark frowning walls. was then but q corn
field. Seventeen yaars ago-how quick the
time flies. Then our State was but in its
~infSncy ard the smoke of bloody conflict
had but scarcely lifted to let the sunlight
o. sweet peace shine upon our people. The
~peIuianency of
Our State Government
was hardly an assured fact, but the crowded
condition of county prisons with State
criminals Decessitaied some immediate
action on the part of our State authorities
to provide quarters for their accommOds'
tons. In the Wheeling Jail. alone were
confined at least forty convicts. the cDn
victs OF that date too were of a mos despsr
ate class, many of them having had their
thirst for blood wbetted by army expe
| rience. The contract for building q stock
| ade and Temporary quarters Was let TO Nc
| Council & Baker, two former citizens %
| this place. The ground was purchased u
Edwards and Lock wood.
The Stoekade
was IA feet high Of boards with guard boxes
| placed on top at short intervals around II
IL was in no wise q formidable structure, o.
pen, in which to confine desperate sno
daring characters. =,
G. S. McFadden was the first appointed
superintendent and he began his labpis
with four convicts. Ere long, however,
~convicts came pouring in frou over tue
State and work was begun upon the par
manent building in earnest. The frail and
insecure
Temporary Structure
---.l .:.lo-. .l.,. md ,ka onp.
uitiOn was an incentive 10 frequent raids
and attempts at escape. The guards Their
were armed with two dOuble-barreled
shot guns, three muskets and a revolver
quite a contrast to their armament OF Today,
which is simply a Henry rifle. One OF
the first escapes was made by John Allen
Woudson l.. Crews aud another who's,
nsme we cannOt at this moment recall
They efTt cted their escape By Selling their
guard "A. Weidehush, who is still a resi-
dent of his place. aud tied him 10 a paw
PAW bush, and made their way rs far a.
Portsmouth, Ohio, where, by their lndis'
crete actions, they were arrested and re-
turned. The most
Successful and Daring Raid
or combined effort at escape was made p
short time thereafter, and was called the
Marks Raid" 1t was planned and leo
by Abner Marks, one OF the most fearless
L, speIate Characters in the prison.
The result of the affair was the escape o.
about twenty eight convicts, the killing OF
the leader and one other, Woodson l..
rows. and wounding of six OF their mum
her. But with the exception OF two al
we're afterwards recaptured and served GU
their terms Of sentence.
The thrilling scenes and incidents OF this
raid are yet fresh in the minds of many Ut
our citizens.
At some future time with your permis-
sion we will give a detsiIed aCCuun Of i
OF the number who participated in tbs
1 raid and vas one OF the first convict,
there remains al this time in the prise
but one. His name is Radcliffe, from Woo
county, and wa sentenced for life for
Numbering His Wife.
He is probably forgotten BY his old asao
ciates and friends, and is lost to the world
filling a lone cell and waiting for the SUN
mons Of Him who will pass judgment upon
all. IL all reports are true and he h4r
friends TO interest themselves 10 his behalf
he might yet escape the few remaining
years of his life, for it is said the
be was sentenced for numbering, yet live
Who knows what the great future viii
bring forth.
One of our talented young lawyers lef
Yesterday for West Alexander, Pa. All
kinds OF surmisPs are INDUCED in as to tn
oil Jet Of his vIsi and who the lucky dam
sci is.
The Total indebtedness
of the county of Marshall, as published in
| the local papers, Is Sl4.ll9 40, but this doe
not include the 1888 "a judgment agains
eX Sheriff J. L. Wayman and others, with
interest, which, il a ided to date will make
the n U sun of $50 1929. For bridges
there has been expended within the past
two years the sum of / 5,537.O2.
Rev. J. 7. FomerOy will preach at Lou
densyille, this county, Sunday afternoon,
| August 26.
Miss Nan. Fowler, "Fanchion," the YER
satile correspondent of the Herald. is visit,
ing Miss Grace Wharry, of the lower ward.
The girls will all be glad to know that
Lun. Nottingham has returned to his ma.
tive heath.
There will be a wonderful tinkling OF
wedding bells this fall. A friend at our
elbow has counted on his fingers no less
thsn a bakers dozen who will be lined"
w. +. HUMP hrey, 4 q, returned yester
day from a SHIRT Visrt W & eveldnd.
We anticipate that the Moundsville cor
respondent of the Newsletter and Intel
l~ieeDcer will give full particulars about
the fire on 'Ephraim's" premises the first
of the week. We hope We have not in
lAAA6NN vi WIG phA Nv . AA6HN ~
tie use Of "Ephra;m's' name. II he for
gives US this Time We will promise not to
mention Little Ddv, Y" or "koon."
Marshall Brsrnon informs us that this
has been a dull week for his business; bu'
expects trade to brighten on Sunday
when the crowd begins to pour in for camp
meeting.
Some of our young men object to tn
Brnwood be'bOys filling up ON their water
melons.
Since McCoruick's announcement as q
candidate for Sheriff appeared in the
Leader. he has had to set EN- up lively for
the boys.
Assignment.
Frazier, Kane & Co, who have had the
contract for getting out cross ties for the
new railroad, and who were operating
principally in this county, made an assign
ment on last Tuesday to Vim. II. Dorsey,
for tie benefit of their creditors. The fol.
lowing IS a correct list of their creditors
and the amounts of their indebtedness:
Thomas J Dorsey, Moundsville, $500.
james Henrietta, Moundsville, $3.50.
Roberts & Thomas. Moundsville. $685..
VIM. Logan ( Co, of Petersburg, S9j.
James n. Fsuntsin, Moundsville, S75.
Michael Riley, Wheeling, Sll4.
Hornhrook & Son, Fish Creek. 1924
Cautiell & Willmontle, Parkersburg, 81
80.
They were forced by the general contrac-
tor to make an assignment They have al
ready for delivery nearly 100000 ties, for
which they receive s. cents q piece, and
also over $350,OOO worth of goods in their
store ROOM. Their assets moun to a grast
deal more than liabilities We obtain our
| information from the assignee.
John Rogers and his friend J. G. Samsell,
Of Wheeling, were unceremoneously
Dumped In the Dust
yesterday afternoon while taking q buggy
ride near the camp ground. Their horse
became frightened and upset the buggy.
With the exception OF a few scratches and
a busting they got of very early.
Bishop Andrews arrived on the camp
ground on Thursday and left this morning
for the east. His absence on Sunday will
be quite q disap pointment TO all those who
expected TO hear hin preach. We observed
him in oompsny with Col. Hugh Sterling
dashipg through our street behind a high
stopper" he hears a resemblance to the
| piCtIrss of w. II Vanderbilt the railroAd