Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-01

| Dr. ktudeU, NJ MS once, liZS eaos
Main street: was sitting in front OF
my Office with a gentleman, and when
the shock came thought he had his
foot on my chair and was shaking it. |
felt the vibrating sensation, and saw
the lights move backward and forward
as II blown by counter-currents oil
wind.
Superintendent r. W. Carter, at the
Almshouse: felt the shock here,
which caused some confusion for awhile
among the inmates, but they were soon
quie,ed. 1t was very severe here.
On Eighth street beyond Leigh the
two shocks were felt, both very Sc
we're, far exceeding those Of 1875.
| At st. Claire Hotel, on Ninth street,
the shock was very severe--a chimney
was shaken down.
As far as could be learned at this
writing q A. NJ the damage in the
city was very slight.
Alarm at the PeBitcDtiary.
While thousands Of persons were
crowdipg into the streets, in the midst
Of the alarm with which nearly every
household was filed, the ire-bells COM
menced ringing box l2l.
The ringing Of fire-bell is at s'l
times an exciting thing; but when tle
<signal comes frOm-a prison where the e
are confined 800 men and women, oil
the picturable horrors are redoubled in
imagination.
No. I-2-l is for the penitentiary. II
is never sounded that it does not come
TO the community as the wall Of the
officers for help; as the urgent cry of
the prisoners that they shall not be left
to perish in burning cells or crushed by
falling walls.
The response last night was prompt.
The rumble Of the shock had scarcely
faded out before the noise Of the steam
ers' wheels were heard, and in all the
northwestern section Of the city men
seized their arms and rushed TO the
penitentiary.
The idea was that the buildings were
on fire, and it was supposed that the
conyicts might have to be turned out in
the streets.
THE PRISONERS CRIES.
All those thousands who were speed
ing to the penitentiary, all who live in
the neighbOrhood Of that institution,
heard proceeding from the prison the
wall Of hundreds Of men and women.
1t was as if all the animals in some
great meDsgeIie had been loosed and
had set up roar together.
High above the clangOr of fre-bells,
over the rattle of the engines on the
paved streets, superior to the yells of
men and boys, rose the cries Of the
imprisoned wre;ches.
With all the might Of their voices,
with all the strength Of their hands,
they were appealing for liberation.
CONvICTs RUSH UPON THE GATE.
Chief Fuqua and his officers aud
men having arrived at the penitentiary,
found the institution in great hustle.
Superintendent Moses and all his men
were on duty and there was much ex-
citement, but no fire was to be seen.
A DiSpdtch.man, who came up soon
afterwards, found at the outer gate and |
in the space about the front of the pen
itentisry thousands Of men. First
Assistant t-SupeIintendent Cross was a.
the outer gate. He was passing J
none but men who had arms vii
them.
The outer and the inner gate passe3 |
the prison. yard reached, the Dispdtct
man saw number Of armed meu
moving about, and in their midst Su-
perintendent Moses. and it was learned |
that the prisoners, or some Of them,
had rushed on the inner gate, had been |
fired upon, and been driven back to |
the corridors.
MR.. MOSES AND THE ALARM.
Mr.. Moses said that he was seated in |
his room upstairs reading, when alsdy |
visiting his family called atteRtiOn to
the vibration. he soon realized that |
there was an earthquake. While busy |
ing himself in the room he became
aware Of a commotion in the prison.
THEY BREAK THE CELLS.
The cells at the penitentiary are in a
horseshoe-shsped building, and there
are three tiers Of them. The offices.
and over them the superintendent
residence, and the walls form the en-
closure of the cells, and two gates have
to be passed before one can enter or
leave the prison. Going down stairs,
Mr.. Moses found the sergeant Of the
guard, Mr.. Robert Glinn, on duty.
From every cell came the cries Of the
prisoners, and it was plain to hear that
the men were breaking out.
In little while ten or twelve men
who had freed themselves from their
cells rushed upon the GnneT gate.
Moses and Glinn and others who had
come to their aid stood to their posts,
and Moses shouted out.
"What do you want? Go back to
your cells"
One of the men said 1.-The build
irg is falling upon u.s."
- There is no danger. Go back.to
your cells, OF Ill fire upon you,' SAID
Mr.. Moses.
L" Fire and be damned" said one of
the conyicts.
ThereupOn, Mr.. Moses fired, then one
of the officers also fired, and the men
broke and ran.
Meantime, Mr.. Moses had had the
fire-alarm sounded later Chief Fuqua
had come and driven off to the police
stations for help; the military alarm
l5-had been turned in, and the peni-
tentiary yard began to be crowded with
firemen, soldiers, and police.
HOW THEY GOT FROM THE CELLS.
That great terror reigned among the
convicts, when in the stiffness Of their
cells the quake aud shake came, there
can be no doubt. Instantly they were
all aroused from their hunks, and with
the bunk-planks (slats) they began be-
laboripg the cell.doors.
OVER THE TRANsOMS,
The building is an old one; many Of