Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-19

had been convicted of the murder of Jim
Lowrie, salOonist. whose memory Is not
fragrant. Just before the sentence was
pronounced, he received a visit from his
wife. He and his wife were about the same
size and while the tender hearted turnkey
stepped aside-perhaps to take snOoZe,
perhaps to give them chance to shed Bit
ter tears together-they exchanged cloth
ing. Being thus disguised the man sue
eeeded in making good his escape
and when the authorities discOv
cred that the wrong bird was Gagged, the
other had disappeared. The last notable
was
JOHN T. NORRIS,
Now the great American detective" who
had at length been caught and made to suf-
fer for one of his misdeeds by beng sent to
the penitentiary. There was an error in
Johns case. and consequently he was par
doned. 1t is shrewdly surmised that John
T. was not treated well in our Jail or the
penitentiary, for he has been very useful
ever since in shipping rogues by the same
or similar route.
THE PRESENT JAIL.
But that heavy door will never again
creak and clang as 1t secures smother promi-
nent eyil-doer. for the days of the old jail
are past. In July. 1879. the new jail was
ready to receive the sheriff and his prison.
ers. II is safe and commodious, and, to-
gether with the adjoining sherifFs residence,
Is in every respect model Jail. The walls
are not more than two feet in thickness,
are entirely Of brick, and are lined on the
inside with carbonized iron. While the
building has not a massive appearance from
without, yet closer inspection, and even a
casual glance, when one is within, con-
vinces that it Is strong as a fortress. 1t is
three stories high and has slate roof. On
the first floor is an east, a west and mid
die corridor. The cells are in the space
between the corridors, and are separated
from the latter by a lattice-work partition
of carbonized iron bars, and from each 9TH
| er by the same kind of lattice. but with solid
iron plates between the bars. The ceiling
also is iron. There are twelve cells, six
and half feet square, and they, with one
exception. open only upon the middle cor
ridor For that reason the officers and 9TH
ers can enter without going among the
prisoners. The one excepted has door on
the west side. and can be used in interview
| ing or visiting. or can be changed into the
darkest dungeon imaginable. Every cell has
an iron bedstead fastened to the partition
and it may be raised or lowered at option.
The pipes for heating with steam
are in the east and wes
corridors, hence they cannot be tampei ed
with by prisoners. The second and third
stories are, in most particulars, like tht
first. though not quite so secure, as the iror
is not so heavy and the floors are made Of
cement instead of stone. The third story
contains six double and no single cells. AL
the windows are closely barred, so closely
that the cells are extremely dark at midday,
Evidently the present jail is more secure
and healthful than the old, and the prison.
ers can be guarded better. Besides, the
new can accommodate one hundred, II nee
essary, though there are but twenty-fOul
single and six double cells for male prison
ers, and three large cells for females. Ths
latter are in the back part of the sheriff;
residence, have barred windows and doors,
but otherwise are pleasant rooms. The en-,
trance to tie before mentioned middle cor.
ridor of each story is something like large
iron cage, constructed on the principle of 9
turn-stile. and the experience Of passing
through it is enough to drive away all hopt