The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-08-06
SOME PRISON STORIES.

New York Sun.
FOR obvious reasons the keepers OF
la''s and State pr r4ons makeit a point
10 suppress all particulars OF escapes
SO Tar as lies in their power, and as
escaping prisoners seldom boast OF
their deeds, the public remain in ignor-
ance OF much that is deeply interesting
regarding convicts and those employed
to guard them.
CONVICT CLARK'S INTERESTING ADyES.
fGRE WITH A TRUSTING lsARsoN.
The escape OF Charles Clark, alias
charles stetson, alias Fed Charley,
ana alias several other titles, from
the Ohio State prison some years
ago, was fair sample OF the genius
and desperation OF q professional
crook who had been settled for
seven or eight years for robbery.
from the moment Clark entered the
prison he began making mental notes
Tor future use. The number OF doors,
the location OF the guards, the defens-
es OF various windows, the lay OF the
sewers, the thickness of the walls
every point was noted and stored up
IN his memory. He was assigned to a
cell on the ground tier. In three days
ne mad estimated the distance to the
outside wall to fraction OF an inch.
HIS idea was to remove one OF the flag
stones from the floor of his cell and tun.
mel out, and within sixty hours after be-
ing received in the prison he was at
work. With an old chisel which he
managed to secrete and bring in from
the shop, he scraped out the cement
from around the stone. One of the
corridor sentlnels passed his door
every half hour during the night, and
1t was two weeks before Clark had the
stone ready to lift out. He found a
loot OF concrete under the stone, and
he went through that and hid the dirt
in his bed. He calculated that the
sewer for that wing ran within four
feet OF his cell, and he was right. He
wanted to make use of it simply tc
carry off the dirt from his tunnel
For many weeks he dug away
at night unsuspected by the
sentinels, but rs he had to carry the
dirt out in his pockets each morning
ne made but slow progress. 1t was
nine weeks before he struck the sewer
which was OF brick. When he had
made an opening, the sewer gas pour
ed out in such quantities as to almost
sutfocate him. Indeed it poured
through the tunnel and filled the cor
rldor until the prison officials wert
alarmed and began to search Tor tn,
cause. Clark lad togo down and ST or
up the hole, and he was made i'll for {
week. At the end OF that time h,
tried it again, but the gas was wors,
than before, and he found himsel
Obliged to give up the undertaking
he could easily have run the tunnel
but there was no other way to dispos,
OF the dirt. He replaced the flagstone
cemented it with dough, and his effort!
were unsuspected.
Clark had been in prison about tiv,
months when he concocted anothe
plan. From some local convicts h,
got thename OF a minister OF the Cos
pei III the county who somewhat re
sembled him in general appearance
He also ascertained that the man wa!
very timid and kind hearted. Prett,
soon Clark was seized with an "indis
position" and while not sick enougl
to be sent to the hospital, he was ex
pused from work in the shop and per
mitted to remain in his cell. The pris
on nchap|ain found him an eager listene
to his eNhortations, and matters wer
soon SO shaped that he was led to be
lleve that Clark had something on hi
mind. When pressed to admit tha
such Was the case, the prisoner hest
tatei just long enough to put the chap
'ain's curiosity on edge. Yes he ha,
something on his mind. 1t wa
something the Rev. Tobias Green ough
to know. If he wouhipisAs at the pris
on some day he should hear comics
sion which would clearup agreat .nys
terry and set certain things right.
For three or four days Clark bea
ABOUT the bush, playing the chaplain
for all he was worth, and the resul
was that the Rev. Tobias Green visit
ed the prison with his mind made II,
to listen to some strange and wonder
ful confession 1t was not Clark $ da,
for confessing. He realized that h
was bad-ba-d man, and was quit
willing to talk about his soul an,
his future, but he would tell his ste
ry some other day-the day after to
morrow. An appointment was mad
for that day with Rev. Tobias Green
and he departed feeling that he ha,
greatly softened the heart OF despe
rate man. Clark "indisposition" ir
creased somewhat, just enough t.
keep him in his cell and to proven
him from being too closely watched
The chaplain came in and praye
with him, the doctor sent him ie,
doses OF quinine, and whenever an
one looked into his cell the man wa
lying on his bed.
At o'clock on the afternoon c
the day designated the Rev. Tobia
Green put in an appearance. 1t wa
midwinter, and the day was so col
that the preacher was well bundle
up, having on heavy overcoat an
q fur cap and muller. The day wa
so dark that some of til
halls We're lighted. One OF tn
hall masters conducted til
preacher to Clark's ce
and left him, and the good man too
the convict by the hand and anxioui
iy inquired after the state his health
Not more than two minutes had elaI
sed before the preacher was lying o
his back on the bed. with gag in hi
mouth and his thoughts terribly mix
ed up from rap on the head. Whe
he had got matters Strengthened ou
he was stripped to his shirt and draw
ers: and his hands and feet securel
tied. Clark had prepared himself 10
the Job, and it was done in n promp
and thorough manner. Inside of tie
minutes he was dressed in the preach
er's clothing, while the latter wa
covered up with the blankets. The