Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-07-18
PLANNING TO ESCAPE.
Convicts FoiIed in Their
Desperate Scheme.
GUARDS TO Be MURDERED.
Gov. Flower Pardons the Prisoner
Who Divulged the Secret.

ALBANY, July is.-Walter N. Thayer,
the warden OF the Clinton prison at Dam
nemora, came down to Albany yesterday
afternoon and related TO Governor Flower
brutal scheme of number of long term
prisoners confined In his prison to gain
their freedom, which included the cold
blooded murder Of several of the prison
guards. One Of the prisoners who was
asked to enter into the murderous attempt
to escape reused, and 1t was through him
that the prison authorities became aware
Of the plot The governor, when he heard
tho facts, Immediately pardoned the
prisoner who had the courage and manli-
ness to
Prevent Human Slaughter.
At noon Sunday In Clinton prison, as
the prisoners filed through the corridor. In
lock-step, on their way past Principal
Keeper McKenna to obtain their rations
for dinner, one OF the prisoners slipped
into the hand of the principal keeper q
piece Of brown paper, two feet long. which
was written upon both sides In lead pencil.
The writing was as follows;
begin to pencil what I wish to say to you.
am nearly insane thinking over and worrying
over 1t. Now. sir. there Is scheme gotten up
here among several oonviots to escape from
here tonight Sunday. the loth) and the man.
ner In which IL is plotted Is something that
cannot keep secret on account Of the
Cold. Premeditsted Murder
that is planned to effect their escape. was
asked to go into the scheme but refused.
These men then told me IL the officials got
wind Of II they would hold me responsible;
that there were somo half-dozen men In 1t
that ! knew nothing about, but that they
knew that they were asked into, and they
took an oath IL II failed they would put me
out of the way. So ask you as man to make
sure and not expose me In any danger. Now
this is to take place tonight Sunday after ID
o'clock, when Mr.. Long and the other night
guard comes on. There are two doors cut
already for those 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 gallory, close their oell doors and
then go ahead into the alleyway. One Of them
will have big bar Of iron and tho other will
have q large knife. After these guards make
their first round, one of them always makes
second round about half an hour afterward.
That is the time fixed for these prisoners to
act. When this guard comes In front Of the
alley they intend to spring upon him, drag
him into the alley and murder him.
They will take his gun, then sneak down
upon the other guard at the offioe and do him,
and take his gun also. They then intend
opening up Ave or six cells, letting the men
out. How they intend getting out Of the hall
know nothing about for they did not tell me
or the names of these other men either. Now,
sir, I'm no informer and never injured
another prisoner In my life. II all the men
in this prison contemplated escaping, and
was positive OF receiving pardon By telling
on them. would not do 20. But where
A Cold-BIoodsd Murder
is planned will stop IL, II it's In my power to
do II, every time. Now, l am doing . good
deed toward these Keepers and hope you will
do nothing that will complicate or endanger
me In any way. One mans name Is Wright"
and the others name Is 'Reace."
The rivet next to the tongue of the door that
the lever rests upon is backed out from the In
side of the door, and that bar Is cut 80 that
the tongue of the door can be pushed out aud
the door is opened. They have the rivet
plugged up with soap and painted 90 that 1t
would take close inspection to detect. The
cut bar IL hid by the string Of the curtain
hanging on the door. Both these mems doors
are fixed In the same manner. Now, sir, this
Is all know about this affair. know moth
ing about the other men who are to be let out
or who they are; II did, would feel safer,
for then would know who had TO deal with
and who to look out for. Now. SIR, be sure
and make no mistake by coming to see me or
sending for me- have done right by you. 80
hope you will do the same toward me. re-
main yours respectfully,
Here was signed the prisoners name, with
his cell number and company.l
P.s. IL you do not find the knife and iron
bar In these cells, look for them In the cells
next TO them.
The warden's Discovery.
Warden Thayer told the governor 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 bad been
tampered with az described. Hidden in
the bed tick In Reace's cell was found q
long, sharp knife. In the tick In Wright's
cell were found q crowbar about 1-e feet
long, drills, saw files and q cold chisel.
Thus was the prisoners information con-
frmed :in every detail. On account of
their association with Reace and Wright
the warden caused an examination 10 be
made of the cells Of the other prisoners
named Joyce and Russell, both long.term
men, serving twenty years. In Joyce's
cell were found several pieces of iron In
the bottom of his hash can, which were
hidden from view with . covering of hash.
The warden thinks that pieces of iron
were In connection with stockings to be
used as slung shots. Both Joyce and
Russell admitted that they were In the
plot
Russell said that while he was party
to the scheme, he did not know that
murder was contemplated. wright's
term expires In 1893, while Joyce In q 90
year man. No confessions were necessary
from these two men, the preparations they
had made for escaping being positive
proof.
When Governor Flower heard this story
from Warden Thayer he Immediately
hardened the prisoner who wrote the com.
municstion TO the principal keeper.
Governor Flower and Warden Thayer
refused 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. The warde1. did not
10 near the prisoner after reoeiving his
communication and said last night that
the latter probably does not Jet know the
result Of his warning. The fortunate man
was received at the prison In August, is92,
and had four years 70 servo for grand
larcsny committed In New York city.