Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-22
SOME BIG PRISONERS.
xEN or MARK IN CRY JAIL.


| Life.
The number of prisoners confined IN
The city jail is 132-white, 81; col
ored. 9s. Males-Whi,e, 81 colored,
| az. Pemales-W White, 8; colored, 30.
Among the most noted are Thomas D.
Cluyerius Max Spiers, for forgery
and stealing goods from II. Schwartz.
schild while in his employment; and
T. j. S. Coiner, Of Augusta county,
who is charged with killing William NJ.
Brown, of the said county, on October
18th at the FAIRGROUNDS near Staun-
ton. Conner was brought to Richmond
by Sheriff A. b. Lightner on the night
OF October 18th, and was handed
over to Sergeant n. NJ. Lee for safe
keeping, it being feared by the officers
that if he were allowed to remain in
Stanton jail he would be lynched.
| The prisoner is about twenty-three
years Of age, is five feet ten inches
high, has dark complexion, dark hair,
and dark, restless, fearful eyes. He
talks and acts like lunatic, and since his
confinement here in jail has been closely
observed by some o. the officials in
charge Of the prison, who are decidedly
Of the opinion that he is of unsound
mind. He has but little to do with his
fellow-prisoners. seldom has anything
to say, and when he does, talks wildly.
lie is often seen pacing up and down
the area within the jail, with his hands
to his head. His counsel has requested
that no visitors be allowed to see him,
but the Dispatch weeks ago published
| full interview with him.
COUSIN TOMMIE.
Thomas j. Cluyerius, the most noted
criminal in the prison, remains the
greater portion Of his time within his
cell, and is often visited by his aunt,
Mrs. Tunstsll, and occasionally by his
counsel. He keeps in good spirits, as
usual, and spends the most of his time
in reading, and is enjoying excellent
health. He is confined in what is
known as the murderers' cell. 1t is on
the lower tier-third one from the iron
gate as you enter the prison. Cluverius
reads the newspapers with much inter-
terest. lie still has his meals furnished
him from the outside. lie rarely speaks
to any one about his case, but upon
other subjects is quite communicative.
He is thought well of by his fellow
prisoners. The officer in charge of the
Jail says that he is remarkable fellow.
MR.. SMITH.
William r. Smith, who has been
convicted Of embszzling money belong
ing to the Commonwealth while a clerk
in the office Of the Auditor Of Public
Accounts, is confined in one of the
rooms used for hospital purposes, and
is in wretched health. lie has been
under medical treatment off and on for
several weeks. 1t is thought by some
that he is in rapid decline. When he
first entered the prison he weighed
about two hundred and forty pounds.
Now his weight is about one hundred
and thirty. His appetite is not good. He
eats but little, and often his meals are
removed from the room untouched. He
stays in his room and very seldom ever
leaves it, takes no exercise. and spends
the greater portion of his time upon his
bed. lie sees no visitors, but is often
visited by his wife and brother. lie
seldom dresses himself, and has not had
on suit Of clothes for several months.
Mr.. Smith reads but little now, but
when first confined spent the greater
portion of his time in study, and since
his imprisonment has undergone such
change that his best friends would
hardly recognize in him the William
K. Smith of the past.
MAX sPIERs.
Max Spers, who has been convicted
Of stealing, &C., and sentenced to the
State penitentiary for two years, was
yesterday seen by the Dispatch repre-
sentative, who had the following inter-
view with him:
Look here, Spiers, when are you
going to change your clearinghouse:
Some time next week. want to go
over Monday. | wonder if they are
going to try me for attempting to break
jail. | am sorry that | tried that thing.
| tell you, when | got on top of that
high wall out there | was frightened. |
came very near falling; would have
done so, but one Of the boys held fast
to me. tell you was in great dan
ger. for am ight-headed. My head at
times swims, and if had fallen, sir, it
would have broken every bone in my
body. hope they will let up on me;
two years in the penitentiary is long
enough.
Well, tell me something about your
attempt to get out Of prison!
alright laughing and muchamused).
| will tell you all about it if you will
put it in as tell it to you.
Go ahead.
You see Frank Edwards and Joe
Adams were in cell adjoining mine.
They dug through into mine. | de-
clare | never did a thing. Upon my
word. | did not. They did it all. Well,
we three, after getting out the cell, got
on the porch; that was about half-paSt
nine O'Clock at night.
What did you do then?
looked around. TWAS very dark
did not see any one, and said Boys,
we are out, so far. Now, how are we
going to get over the wall?" Frank
said why, we will take the benches
here and pile them upon each other
so that Joe Edwards can get on top the
wall and fasten the rope; then we can
draw ourselves up" Joe did so. |
tried to pull myself up; would have
fallen but for Joe. We three then got
on the porch. | felt very faint, and
when | reached the door on the porch
leading into the office Of the jail, | fell
in faint.
Spiers looked into the face of the re-
porter, and laughing heartily, said |
was not frightened bit, but just felt
faint. ! laid there e the door about
fifteen minutes, and the first thing re-
member when | came to was Frank
and Joe standing over me, begging me
to come on. | told them to 90 ahead,