Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-03-08
A LACK Of DISCIPLINE
DemOraIizeS The Massa.
ChuSettS Prison.
ANOTHER PLAN IS FOILEO
officer Hyde Throws Light on Inside
Doings at the Prison.

been meeting ofthe prison commissioners
at the Charlestown state prison yesterday
afternoon for the purpose Of investigating
the recent shooting affrsy and attempt at
liberation of the prisoners of the institu-
tion. 1t did not take place, however, al
though there was considerably more than
quorum Of members Of the board pres
ent TO carry on the work Of inquiry, the
only one absent being Commissioner
Wilde.
Just before the arrival of the party from
the state house word had been received by
Deputy Warden Huckins that conspiracy
was on foot among certain convicts to
make another break from the institution.
The deputy's informant had learned that
1t was going to take place that afternoon
and that the men concerned had been
quietly preparing for 1t all the morning.
AS well as could be learned the plan OF
the convicts was to make the break from
the top of the shoe shop at the furthermost
end Of the yard, from which a spring board
would be thrown to the wall.
Over this the men would run while q
gang in the yard would keep up
A Fusiisde OF Missiles
Of all kinds CLEANED from the various
shops on Officer Ramsdell. the only man
on the wall at that point. 1t is very likely
that pistols would be used also, as Officer
Hyde said emphatically last evening that
he had been informed by reliable parties
connected with the institution that there
was large number Of those weapons in
the possession Of the prisoners.
From the top of the shoe building to the
wall is matter of only ~ or Is feet. 1t
can therefore be readily seen that 1t would
be comparatively easy task after the
crowd in the yard had disabled "old man
Ramsdell," as the convicts call the officer,
for large number of them to make their
way over the wall and on to the railroad
track long before assistance could arrive
from the other officers on the wall
AS soon as Deputy Warden Huckins got
the Tip" Of the proposed outbreak, he
notified the officers throughout the prison
TO be in readiness, and then returned TO the
octagon and awaited the developments.
Evidently Something Went Wrong
with the arrangement Of the would be free
men, for nothing occurred during the en-
tire afternoon to ruffie the usual order Of
things until the men returned to their
cells IN the early evening. As row after
row were locked up and out of sight Of the
officers In the wings hideous yells from the
men rent the air, mingled with groans and
Kisses.
Several times the name of Officer Hyde,
the night turnkey, was called out, to
whom was applied all sorts of epithets by
the angry men. The officer was cursed by
several of the men, whom 1t was impossi.
BILE TO identify. The noise lasted for some
time, and no attempt was made by the
officers to quell the disturbance.
Officer Hyde was interviewed by several
reporters In regard to the state of affairs at
the prison. To them he said substantially
that there was much rottenness existing in
the management and conduct of things
and had been for many years
ut was decidedly wrong to attribute any
Of the difficulties to the present warden or
to others who had preceded him. No ono
man is responsible for them for they were
The Accumulation OF Years.
I'm regard to the as pistols which are
said to be in the possession of the prison.
ers, was informed by many Of the officers
and prisoners too, that there were as many
as that, and these very officers, II they had
the courage, would tell you also, but they
are afraid Of their positions.
In answer to a query as to where he
thought the convicts obtained these weap.
ons, Mr.. Hyde said:
I'm various ways, but principally from
some Of the officers who are worse than
many Of the men incarcerated here. When
sconvict flashes a go bill in front Of your
lace and says for that amount he can have
. revolver, and another and still another
tells you the same thing, and every day
evidences OF the existence of the weapons
crop out, wouldn't you be inclined to be-
lieve that things were not going on as
they ought tor
"Scores on scores of the men have chests
also for the concealment OF these weapons,
access to which is only obtainable by ap.
plying to the convict who holds the key
| tell you there is no discipline, no system
and no management
1T was only Saturday night last that
one OF the officers was walking along one
Of the tiers In front of the cells when
mrly convict stepped to the iron grating
,f his door and said: Damn you, we laid
put Seavey, didn't wei Well. we'll lay out
more OF you yet, you cutthroats and rob
bers. This is only the beginning of the
end Such remarks as those should be
sufficient to place the convict In solitary,
but they are allowed to pass unnoticed."
Other officers were asked II they cared
20 say anything about the trouble. but all
bvinced desire to avoid the matter. One
man remarked that he had a family 10
support and he thought too much of bis
n2Oo year to talk too much out Of school.