The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-02-26
: THURSDAY EVENING. FEB. 20, 1891.
NEWFANE.

The article to which l wish to re-
fer under the head of Brattleboro in |
the last SITTER was quite singular in |
that it contained so many apparent
Inaccuracies and misstatements, and
that the writer pretended to be so ter
ibly sensitive at the condition of
things from his view Of highly excl
ted imagination. He styles the Jail
the "thing." How terrible ! We as
sumo that the Jail was never intended
to be fit place for swine as he claims.
The cell he refers to is ample for two
double beds and room to spare. The
occasion of five being in there that
night and morning Of the 14th was of
their own volition and for the express
purpose of carrying out their plan
and not otherwise. If they suffer for
want of ventilation, which is denied,
it is their fault, as they have packed
the opening from the outside to pre-
vent the egress Of air from that d.
rection, and there is ample room in
the door between the bars for all
practicable purposes. The cell is
kept properly cleansed, and the bed
ding clean and sufficient. And pris.
oners don't complain of their fare
and treatment they receive at the
hands of jailer Underwood. Now
for the reason of their escape. They
were all bound to go from the Jail to
states prison at Windsor, and no one
blames them for their unsuccessful
venture. There is not much doubt
that if the Jail had been at Brattle-
boro and everything had happened
just as it did here it would have been
all right and satisfactory, especially
to some Brattleboro people. Said
correspondent will never forgive the
very large majority of the represen-
tatives of the Legislature from this
county for opposing and defeating
last fall so brilliant scheme as was
invented at Brattleboro and sent to
the Legislature for their approval, in
aid of the removal of the shire, and
thereby adding to the State in taxes
large amount-aud their efforts will
never weaken, but will become
stronger in the future for justice and
the right. Make a point here-there
are thousands in it. May be your
correspondent fired the first gun in
the series to be fired at the Jail, as a
blind, to set in motion the removal of
the shire from Newfane to Brattle-
boro. If the Jail is insufficient, who
is at fault "The County Judges
are authorized and required to keep
the county buildings in sufficient re-
pair and have complete control Of
this matter. The Grand Jury of
1889 and 1890 made some suggestions.
If your correspondent from Brattle-
boro will keep posted by reading, his
nervous system may become quoted
by the information that Newfane Jail
is not the only place from which pris-
oners escape. Only recently a pris-
oner escaped from the prison in
Charlestown, Mass, and is still at
large, and since then number of
others nearly escaped before detection.
Wonderful isn't it I? If so, don't
blow the Jail nor the jailer. The
"thing" that there is SO much trouble
about is sure to remain here awhile,
at least. If the correspondent had a
word, by way of commentator, to
suggest, he might have told the pub
lie that the five prisoners were return
ed to the Jail before II 1-2 o'clock a..
m. of the 14th. X.
John d. Pierce has got a pension.
Judge R. W. Clarke of Brattle-
boro, Sheriff j. @. Shumway of ia
maica and C. M. Russell of Will
mington were at the County House
Friday.
E. c. Stiles is critically ill. He
is delirious most of the time. He has
never fully recovered from the typhoid
fever and pneumonia which he had
several years ago. His two brothers
from the West came Monday night.
d. Cowles and A. D. Patterson of
Brattleboro were at the County House
Monday.
We would like to inquire why the
County Judges, whose duty it is to
keep in repair the county Jail, have
not made the repairs suggested by
the Grand Jury.
Clifton Pratt, student at Leland
& Gray Academy, is home on va
cation.