The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-01

kuOHtHS.
During the second year five prisoners were re-
ceiyed. The lessee had hard time taking care
OF his charges, and advertised that he would
lease the prisoners to amy citizen who would
agree to clothe and feed the same" Thus the
first Indiana prisoners were taken care of.
Captain Westover, the first warden, was noted
as dead shot and cool, daring man of more
than ordinary courage He left Jeffersonville in
1926 and went to Texas. He was killed at the
Alamo. with Crockett.
James Keigwin was another one Of the early
wardens. Prisoners would attempt to escape,
nearly every day, and they succeeded in most
cases. On one occasion convict shot the war
del twice and made his escape. He was after
wa ID captured
? rior to the establishment of the prison the
whipping post was in vogue. and on one occasion
D man was given one hundred lashes on the bare
back for stealing set of harness. For highway
robbery another man was given thirty nine
iashes.
In 1S47 the present building was put up. 1t
covers eight acres of ground, and has wall
twenty-five feet high surrounding it.
Nancy Glenn, probably the keenest female Grim
inal in the State, served term there for MUIR
dor. She was permitted to furnish her cell at
her own expense, and she lived in almost regal
splendor, even if she was prisoner. Mrs. Glenn
had no tasks to perform like the others, and put
in the time doing fancy work for herself.
Another female prisoner, and probably the
oldest one who served there. was Sale Hubbard.
She Is now in the Reformatory at Indianapolis.
and is about eighty five years old. She was sent
up for one of the most atrocious crimes that was
ever committed. Herself and husband were
working for a family consisting of the husband,
his wife and five children. One night they con
11I I'LL fn, Ivy fInYA
ingly the husband got an ak and crushed in the
skulls of all the family with the exception of an
infant which lay asleep in cradle. The brute
raised the ak above it's head to crush out its life.
just then the child opened its eyes, and looking
up at the fiend above, it cooed and laughed in
intantie glee holding out its arms. This was
more than Hubbard could stand, bad as he was,
and he told his wife that he would not kill it.
sYou chicken-hearted fool" said she, I'm kill
iku
Suiting the action to the word she picked up
the child by the ankle, whirled it over her head
and dashed its brains out against the stove
They were found out and tried. The husband
was hanged, and the woman was sent up for life
While in the prison at Jeffersonville she had
charge of the milk, and to look at her kind, ma
trenly face one would never have supposed that
she would have been guilty of such a crime.
"Gunboat" Hardin was the name of another
convict who acquired notoriety He had the
reputation of being the LATEST convict who ever
wore stripes Every morning Colonel Merri-
,wether, the warden would have the guard give
i''Gunboat" Ave lashes with the cat-onine tails,
aud 1t was necessary that he should get his daily
whipping in order to make him work.
Another character was Laughing Jack" His
real name vas Charles Johns When he went
80 the prison the first time he was sixteen years
of age. He afterward served eight terms. He
was employed at the brick yard outside one day.
days, but was finally caught by the guards.
When captured he had on a suit of clothes he
had cut and made himself out OF a woman's
dress. When taken into the guard-house he
looked very blue, which was an unusual thing
FOR him under any circumstances. Col Keigwin
asked him what was the cause of his trouble.
Jack replied: Colonel, these are id thin
clothes to get whipped in. and was just won
dering if they wouldn't let me change my gar
ments" Jack served his last term four years
ago
After serving one term it is curious fact
shat most convicts come back again. Henry
Caldwell has served six terms, and is still in the
prison. Scott Harris has served Ave terms. and
is now but twenty eight years of age He is a
noted burglar.
The prisoners are. for great part shrewd fell
lows, and theic methods and plans for escaping
are, in many Instances, ingenious. to say the
least The most notable outbreak occurred on
the 18th day of May, 1874. VIM. Rodifer. des-
perate man, who had just been discharged from
the prison, furnished revolvers to VIM. Kennedy.
Alfred Applegate, VIM. STANLEY and Newton
Port They made rush for the door, and sue
ceeded in getting about square from the prison.
They were closely pursued by the guards and
were compelled to stop and defend themselves.
A hunter who was passing with loaded gun,
fred and killed Port instantly. Kennedy then
fred and killed guard named George Chamber
lin. The prisoners finally surrendered and
were taken back to the cells. Kennedy was tried
on the charge of killing Chamberlin, and got
o life sentence. Another trial was
secured. and he was sentenced to hang He was
given still another trial, and got life sentence
which he is now serving His mother has used
every possible means to procure her sons par
don. and will probably never be able to do So
The worst of those who made the attempt to es
eape was Apologize. He contracted the con-
enmption and died in the prison. On his death
confess religion, he replied: II never was afraid
TO face any living man, and why should | be
afraid to die2 I'll take my chances in that other
world you tell me about and face God or the
devil whichever am destined to meet there"
he died as he had lived, q daring, wicked desper-
ado
Henry Orchard was sent up for life for the
murder OF his grandfather. 1t appears that the
latter was whipping Orchards mother, when he
picked up stick and struck the old man on the
head, killing him. Orchard was sixteen years
old and trying in vain to secure a pardon. he
hanged himself in his cell.
William Rodifer won for himself the title of
the "Hoosier Jack Shepherd. from his innumer-
able attempts 20 escape. he was possessed or q
desperate daring and was afraid of nothing
Besides. he possessed cast-iron gall. as the fol-
lowing incident will show: One time he got
away, and after wandering about in Memphis
township until he was almost starved, he walked
mp to farm house and told the farmer, VIM
Whallen, that he was the famous Bill Rodifer.
for whose apprehension there was a reward of
500 offered Said he: 'If you'll take me in
how, and give me my supper and bed tonight.
you can take me back to tho prison in the morn
Ing and get the reward"
The farmer readily agreed to do so. and. Sc
curing the assistance of another farmer. they
agreed 70 sit up all night and watch Rodifer.
The latter climbed into bee. and was soon appar-
pnt'y asleep. About 10 o'clock the rural guards
were fast asleep in their chairs. Then Rodifer
clothes, and left When they awoke they felt
10 chaRrined at the way they had been tricked
has they said nothing about the matter. This
Is only one out of q dozen similar occurrences In