The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-07-24

Two Convicted Murderers and
Two Men Charged with Muir
der Among the inmates.
Mary Dallas Once More In Hoe !"
His Rlyerence " Pleased to Re
ceive a Female Fellow 5ozrder.
4 wEDsrss y me Pns,ox-

nc k14ls % tLf< l<og-c % A1c CJultls oi1ly
gives Il addiiional celebrity. During the
past six months il has contained within its
dlngy old walls larger numberof hardened
criminals than. perhaps, any other county
PRISON in the country. It's sanitary condi-
ton Is . constant EIsnace to the health OF
the community, and the. knowledge OF the
number Of desperate characters II 50 inse-
carely holds captive Is a continual canse Of
uneasiness on the part Of our citizens. A
feeling OF relief was experienced when the
infamoas MrCseilsniltown gang were re-
moved TO the peniieaiisry. bui among the
fifteen prisoners nov confined in the jail are
much more dangerous sel than were they
Among them are tive men convicted Of mur-
der. two charged with murder. two charged
with burglary, one with assault and battery
with intent 10 Kill, oRa with larceny. and
seven with lesser crimes and nisslemeanors.
among the latter being = woman There IS
10 way Of keeping the prisoners separated
al are by necessity allowed the freedom OF
the prison during Tie day. men and women
zlike, and at night they are huddied into
cells. from two 10 four in each eesl The
Commissioners have promised 10 remove
this stigma from the county, and replace the
present pitiful old structure with subs,an-
tial and modernszed prison. but the people
are commencing to lose faith in their prom
isss, and are growing weary Of their delay
and inaciioa in the matter.
A watehmsn has 10 be kept perpetaally on
guard. and the Sheriff is forced 20 make
hourly inspections Of the interior 10 see that
10 attempt has been made TO punch hole
in one OF the fraii old walls, and to count his
charges and see that they are ali there
HERALD MANS VISIT TO THE PRISON
Il became the very unpleasant duty Of the
writer 10 once more visit the jail, Monday
afternoon. for the purpose Of interviewing
James Lehr, who had that morning been
brought there charged with shooting aud
killing Chss. II. Sooti, a young led iron
Pittsburgh, al > fishing camp a short dis
isnce above Confluence Rnmors Of ugly
threats having been made By the Nicely
boys as to how they vOaid do up the
writer should he again come within the con-
aHcs OF the prison, had reached his ears. and
il vas with some trepid4iion that lie aceost-
ed the Depaiy Sheriff and asked 10 be allow
ed an interview with Young Lehr- The ever
obliging deputy readily granted The request
and II once accompanied rs 10 the jail door
Drawing deep breath Of pure air before en-
iering the nossome place. We stepped inside.
Ross Bird vas sitting at the dining table
shisiling a nerIy tune. Bre'r Sell was
standing in the centre Of the corridor engsg-
ed in conversation with Joe and Dave Nice
ly. Tie only inmate Of eoior vas eagagiEg
white brother in Z friendly game Of check
sry, and the balance Of The prisoners were
standing iist!essly about, or were seated on
the steps and eoal-box The object Of our
quest occupied seat on the end Of bench,
near The hal, door He Is swarthy CON-
piexioned, supple yeuHg fellow OF shout ,
years Of age. with dark hair and eyes, and a
slight, black mOuStache lis height is about
i've ieei seven inches. and his weight pr0oa-
by aboat one hundred and ihiTiy-6ve
pounds. His appearance Is uOt al all pre-
possessing. and ms eoUnlenAnce wore rather
4 Erbidding look He al frsi declined 10
Dc interviewed, saying that there we're other
persons who kneN much more about the az
fair than he did. He finally consented 10
90 into cell for the purpose OF submitting
10 an iateryiex. and We unknowingly walk
ed into the q iron cell allotted 10 the
i" Nicely boys and sested ourselves on the
narrow cot or which Joseph and David are
~ont to recline Of nights.
BAD SELL
Il live in Allegheny city, said young
I>-lir and just at this janefure his ~EiSer-
ence, 4. Sell, with his eoai OF and his sleeves
rolled up came rushing in like a mad bull
and made a pass at the HER+Lp scribe with
the remark 1--WE got il in for yon and I've
2 mind TO let YOU have j, nox1 The IN
worthy preacher Of the gospel and betrsyer Of
weak-minded girls. IS giant in size and
strength. He stands fully six feet in bis
stockings sad weighs probably IS) pounds
His face lacks intelligence of expression and
the brute and libersine i depicted in every
line Of his counteiI4nee. Bne'r Sell was an
gry, ysS. he w2s nzd, aud the way he han
del his -dakes7 woail haze made Jake
Kilrain turn green With envy and would
have caused John l. to trem0le with fear
HIS -'rEerenoe1 hadn't been punching
the sand bag for WEEKS back for nothing.
He had been getting himself in form and
10 tie reporter be looked ss though be had
been trziiied 10 perfection. Putting our
hand on our pistol pocket we ordered The
big brute out OF the cell asd the aIrani COW
ard slowly backed cut, al the while bran
dishing iiis burly fists and kissing out threats
not unmixei with profanity.
THE sHEEIFF rEEyESTs KNOCK ouT.
When the cell door was reached the pug
naeioGs preacher was reinforced by Joe and
q Dave" Nicely who rushed UP with clinched
hsts. calling do him up reverend .
Several Of the other prisoners. who
were evidently in the plot to do up the
HERALD man came rushing up Just as be was
about 10 deliver one OF his terrible upper
and lower cnis. which would probably
have disdsured his .riverence' for life, when
Sheriff MeNillen, wbo had been I'D stairs
inspecting the cells. came upon the scene.
The timely sFrivsi Of the stalwarf Sheriff,
who by the way s EE acquainted with fezr,
p,eyente,i someone from receiving q MOST
unmerciful beating and Eeare inclined 70 the
belief that the writer would have been the
victim. Bre'r Sell and bis pals -had it in
for him - and they meant 4, -ixs IL Il, him
The way Dave Nicely walked around wish
his tists dOasled Up Trying to geg in Z sneak
ing blow in the bsck, natiering. the d-d
newspapers convicted Us. If it hadn't been
for you We wouldn't have been convicted, =
showed tbas be bad certainly recovered
soiaeshAi from sbe aiias Of heart disease
he was suffering from al the time OF the trial
and as he thew himself back in ..siTne
position we doubt If you could hare discern
el that wonderful enlargement OF the walls
Of his chest even with the aid Of dark
lantern Joe Nicely con;ensed himself
with casting black locks al the reporter and
allowing his sconsampsive brother 10 do
the talking for beth. For once the 'resi-faced
man was The salkssive one ofthe two. Dep
uty Sheriff Nilt NeAiIlen, WHO st the firss
sign Of an outbreak had slipped into the
Sheriff. siiting-Toom ard gotten hold Of his
revolver made a significant motion 70 the
Reverend, as al the balance Of the prisoa-
ers call him, and the colossal hyPocrite soon
ouieted doan and assumed his wanted sane
@s,..1-.ss,.s. .7r