The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-18
TALES FROM A JAIL
History of the Structure Which
Is to Be Abandoned To-Day.
First Legal Execution Within Its Walls
An Attempt to Use Dynamite
A Mob's Little Farce.

ing Sheriff Emmett proposes to transfer the
prisoners, men and women, to the new and
modern structure at the corner Of Alabama
and Maryland streets. There are thirty
five men and four women at present con-
fined in the old bastile. OF the latter Annie
Wagner. the alleged poisoner, is not the
least interesting, and will be among the
first to occupy the new prison For full
sixty years the old Jail has stood frown-
ing menace to evil-inclined persons. AL
though an unhandsome structure, it has
been said that the building was one of the
most substantial in the country.
There have been many attempted out
breaks in years gone by, but In few in
stances were the efforts of the desperate
prisoners successful. The boldest break for
liberty happened eight years ago. during
the term Of Office of Sheriff Hess. The
south wall Of the structure was dynamited
and two heavy stones blown out. 1t was
here that the substantial, though homely.
architecture prevailed. Stout iron bars, six
inches apart held the stone slabs together
and formed a sort of cage through which
the prisoners found it impossible to pass.
1t was soon afterwards ascertained by the
sheriff that federal prisoner, Join Wheat
en-, had concocted the plot to use dynamite.
Wheaton was sent from Logansport, and,
while awaiting his trial, a can Of dynamite
was passed to him from the office. The
county profited by Wheaten's work and or
dered heavy network Of wire placed over
the doors leading from the Jail to the cor
ridor. and through which prisoners yet
converse with their friends.
The old Jail has been the scene of many
tragic incidents. Aside from the legal exc
cutions. two or three suicides, CHASTITY in
detail. can be readily called to the mind Of
indianapolis citizens. The first murderer
ever sentenced to death in Marion county
was William Kluck. He cheated the
gallows by taking morphine. the des-
perate act being committed the morn
ing Of Dec. 10, twenty-three years ago.
Col. n. r. Ruckle was sheriff of the county
and was preparing to hang Kluck on the
day he killed himself. The murderer was
a well digger, living on South Meridian
for the murder of his wife. He cut his
throat with a razor which had been passed
to him by one Of his friends day or two
before.
"Syke" Hartman. implicated in the
Young murder with his sister, the famous
Mrs. Glenn. also ended his career in a cell
| William Abrahams were awaiting trial
| for the Young murder, In 1869. Hartman
| was found in, his cell with a cash in his
| throat. He was dead. and razor found
| near him suggested the suicide theorys The
| razor was known to be the property OF
Abrahams. and many people believed that
Hartman had been murdered, but 1t was
| finally shown that Hartman had borrowed
the weapon of his fellow-prisoner with
suicidal intent
A DOUBLE EXECUTION.
The chief event of tragic interest that
| characterized the history of the old struc-
| ture was the double execution, in 1880, OF
| two murderers. William Merrick and John
AOhn Iln%H OF.
| John Pressly from a scaffold erected i'm
medately west Of the Jail In the court
house yard. Merrick. it will be remem-
| bered. was a wife-murderer and Achey
paid the penalty of the fatal result of a
quarrel which he had with George Leggett
| a gambler. The crime of these men was
| closely followed by the murder of pretty
| Louis Guetig, in the rear OF the Spencer
| House. Guetig was tried and sentenced tC
| die on the same day named for the execu-
| ton of Merrick and Achey but secured a
| new trial and expiated his crime six months
later The cell occupied by the handsome
4 young murderer yet bears many of the
| wall decorations placed there by him, and
| which have proven a source of terror tc
| many superstitious prisoners.
| The last murderer hanged in Indianap-
Oils was the negro Phillips, who killed his
demned to die. He paid the penalty of his
crime in the old Jail. The execution OF
Phillips was made prominent in criminal
history from the fact that he was hanged
| With silver tube in his throat placed
desperate attempt Sever ai'f his Pg 9uguia
| vein with a knife. The hanging itself was
| attended by no unusual incident.
| lncarcerated in the building about to bt
| vacated was Andrew Koerner, who killed
Mna IN Y YfS on sot6 aan
| The court decreed that he die on the gal
lows. but through the influence of many
| German citizens. Governor Porter com
muted the sentence to life Imprisonment
| William Greenway, a colored elder, killed
a girl named Ida Kersey in 1873 and was
in the custody Of the sheriff for severa
months. He also escaped capital punish
| ment by a communication OF his Sentence
He afterwards died in the southern prison
| During the term of Sheriff I.angenburl
| an attempt was made to break in the doorl
of the jail, but the old-fashioned structUr.
arrived aaG OF oue he mob until tn
demonstrations. This was the case o.
Bissow. white man. accused of crimina
| outrage. The charges were made gooC
| against him and he was sent to prison fo
| seven years.
| The New Jail.
The corridors of the. new iail wer
thronged with visitors all yesterday after
noon The building stands practically com
plete, and, although IL will cost the count,
considerably more than 100000. it was bull
with view to safety, comfort and dura
bility. Sheriff Emmett has arranged to TAX
the prisoners over in squads of ten Stron
chains will shackle the feet Of the men. an
the women will be transferred in the polio
patrol The building. constructed almos
entirely of stone and iron, presents hand
some appearance from the outside Its in
terror has the appearance of solidty rattle
| than elegant finish The main entrance [
the jail Is from Alabama street. A room
Office opens out from the street and leads t
a large corridor on the first floor, 6ividin
| the cell room on the north from that O
the south Directly above the corridor a
immense skylight has been arranged Wit
a view to light and ventilation when nee
essary. Three galleries overlook TIE mai
corridor. Fourteen substantial iron cell.
seven on each side. make up the north &c
house. The apartments are large and we
lighted, and each is supplied with sprin
mattress. Heavy straw ticks will be use
as bedding. and each prisoner may have III
use OF three blankets, OF which four hur
dred We're recently purchased. y bat
room and dungeon, the first fully equipped
stands at the north end OF the corridor
the cell house. The cells on the south sid.
Efg ~ N9