The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-18
A SCHEME THAT FAILED.
ConVicts' Plot to Escape From Clinton
Prison Exposed.
PARDON GRANTED THE INF0R MER
The Murder Of Several Of tho Guards Wa
Included In the Plan Of the Prisoners
The Attempt Was to Have Been Made
Sunday Night.

ALBANY. July 1S--The revelations made
noon by Walter N. Thayer, warden oi
Clinton prison, at Dannemora, has caused
great sensation. He related to the Cover
nor a brutal scheme of a number ri long
term prisoners, confined in his prison, t
gain their freedom, which included the
cold -blooded murder of several of the prison
guards. One of the prisoners who wa'
asked to enter into the murderous attempt
to escape refused, and 1t was through him
that the prison authorities became aware
OF the plot.
The Governor, when he heard the facts,
Immediately pardoned the prisoner who
had the courage and manliness to prevent
human slaughter.
At noon Sunday in Clinton Prison, n
the prisoners filed through the prison cor.
ridor, in lcck-step, on their way past prin
cipal keeper McKenna to obtain their ra-
tions for dinner, one of the prisoners
slipped into the hand of the principal keeper
piece of brown wrapping paper, two feet
long by foot wide, which was written
upon on both sides in lead pencil.
The writing thereon was as follows:
Mr.. McKENYA:
Sir-I hardly know how to begin to
pencil what wish to say to you. i am
nearly insane thinking over and worrying
over it, Now, sir, there is scheme gotten
up here among several convicts to escape
from here tonight, Sunday, the 10Th, and
the manner in which 1t Is plotted Is some
thing that / cannot keep a secret on ac-
count of the cold premeditated murder
that Is planned to effect their escape.
/ was asked to go into the scheme, but
refused to have anything to do with it..
These men then told me il the officials got
wind of it they would hold me responsible,
and that there was some half dozen more
men in it that knew nothing about, but
that they knew that / was asked into II,
and they took an oath IL it failed that they
would put me out of the way. So, you
see, sir, that I'm taking big chances to
save these keepers lives, so ask you as a
man to make sure and not expose me in
any danger. ~.
Now, sir, this is to take place tonight,
Sunday, after IL o'clock when Mr.. Long
aud the other night guard comes on.
There are two doors cut already for these
men to come out after Mr.. Long or the
other guard makes the first round. These
men will come out when the guard is on
the top gallery, close their cell doors and
thenyget into the alleyway. One of them
will have big bar of iron and the other
will have large knife.
After these guards make their first
round one of them always makes q second
round on the tagging about half an hour
afterwards. This is the time fixed for
these prisoners to act. When this guard
comes in front of the slley they intend to
I'm, fpt toa al1
and murder him. They will take his gum
then sneak down upon the other guard at
the Office and do him, take his gun also
They then intend opening up five or six
cells, letting the men out.
Now, sir, the number Of these convicts'
cells are-69-4 company, S6-2 company
One mans name il Wright and the others
name is Reace. The rivet next to tongue
of the door that the lever rests upon is
backed out from the inside of the door,
and that bar Is out so that the tongue Of
the door can be pushed out and the door
then is opened. They have the rivet
plugged up with soap and painted so that
it would take close inspection to detect it,
The cut bar Is hid by the string of the cur
tain hanging on the door. Both these
mems doors are fastened in the same man.
ner.
Now, sir, be sure and make no mistake
by coming to see me, or sending for me.
have done right by you, SO hope you
will do the same toward me. l remain
yours respectfully, (here is signed the priso-
ner's name with his cell number and COM
pany.)
Warden Thaycr told the Governo, that
after the prisoners had finished with din
ner, the two prisoners referred to in the
above communication were removed from
their cells and an examination showed the
truth of the prisoners information. The
locks of the two cell doors had been tam.
pered with rs described. Hidden in the
bed tick in Reaces cell was found long
sharp knife. In the tick in Wright's cell
were found a crowbar about 2 1-2 feet
long, drills, saws, files and cold chisel.
Thus was the prisoners information con.
firmed in every detail.
On account of their associations with
Reace and Wright, the warden caused an
examination to be made of the cells of two
other prisoners namen Joyce and Russell,
both long term men, serving 80 years. In
Joyce's cell were found several pieces of
iron i'm the bottom of his hash can, which
were hidden from view with covering OF
hash. The warden thinks that these
pieces of iron were, in cor nection with
stockings, to be used as slungshots.
Wrights term expires in 1893, whi;s
Joyce is 20-year man. No confessions
were necessary from these two men, the
preparations they had made for escaping
being positive proof.
When Gov. Flower heard this story
from Warden Thayer he Immediately par
dened the prisoner who wrote the commun-
ication to the principal keeper.
Both Gov. Flower and Warden Thayer
refuse to divulge, for the present, at least,
the name of the prisoner who probably
had saved the lives of several prison
guards. They thought IL might bring
trouble upon him, IL not from the prison
ers whom he gave away, possibly from