Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-11-24
The Killing of Convicts Saturday
Night at Nashville.

Last saturday night an effort 10
escape from the State prison was
made by number of convicts. One
of the convicts was killed and another
wounded by the guards. From the
testimony before the Coroner's jury
it appears that the Warden was noti-
fed beforehand that such an attempt
would be made yet he made no effort
to prevent it. The guards who were
placed on the roof to intercept the
escaping prisoners testified that they
heard them cutting through the roof,
yet no effort was made to arrest them
until they had actually cut their way
out and one was descending the rope
to the ground. The guard halted,
and when the prisoners made a rush
for liberty the guard fired, killing one
and wounding another. 1t looks very
ugly. We heartily endorse the
following editorial taken from Mon
days American:
The occurance at the State prison
on Saturday night, in which one con-
vict was killed and another wounded,
demands the closest scrutiny upon
the part of the officers of the State,
and of the grand jury, and if these
fail to do their duty, fail to thorough
ly inquire into the facts, the incoming
Legislature should promptly appoint
committee to investigate to the bot
tom the circumstances.
The evidence adduced before the
Coronor's jury, and which appeared
in yesterdays American, makes the
act most unjustifiable one, indeed
heartless and brutal, and we earnestly
hope that there is some error in con-
nection with the report of this evil
dence which will lend a different col
oring.
The Warden himself testifies to the
fact that he received several letters
telling him of the plot to escape, and
that, in addition, one of the convicts
Mckinley, told him of it. He was
even told when and where the at
|
tempt would be made, and that the
convicts had razors and knives. Sc
far did he believe this that he placed
guards at the designated points of es
cape and warned these guards thai
the convicts had knives and razors
The guard, Burnett, testifies tina
he heard them as they were cutting
through the roof.
How easy it would have been t.
have prevented all of this if the clea
line of duty and common sense hat
but been pursued. Why permi
these poor creatures to cut through
the roof? Why was not a guard sen
inside and the arrests made there
Why was not guard sent in ant
the knives and razors taken from tn
convicts? Why were theypermittet
to have knives and razors at all
The duty of the Warden, clearly
was to have first of all prevented eve
an attempt to escape, and with tn
knowledge in his possession thi
could have been so easily done. TIL
convicts engaged in the plot coul
have been captured while in the az
of cutting through the roof, for tn
identical spot was known and tn
fact that they were cutting We
known. There was no necessity fC
firing shot. ."a ao
The facts as recorded tell a tale {
official incompetence or gross igno
ance Of duty upon the part of tn
q Warden, and knowing that official {
we do we confess to much surprise
his action, for we regard him as il
telligent and kindly, and it is wit
pain that we even criticize; yet fac
=, are facts, and when those facts rela
:. to the public welfare there is but OF
line for public journal to pursu
and that is to give the facts and de
, with them from the standpoint of IL
. public.