The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-15

TO the injured convict Clay replied pas
sionately: II VIII lie in the black cell until
I rot before l viii take back water He
Dragged that he could remain In solitary
confinement as long as the superintendent
could keep him there 50 he was thrown
into the solitary cell. where he remained
FOR 107 days. he began his service Nov.
and ended on the night Of Feb l9 last
In the dark cell. unable TO read, unable
even 10 see. this extraordinary convict
maintained cheerfulness and a certain
measure Of health until the last two weeks
OF his stay. His daily rationS consisted or
bread and water, except on sundays. wnen
two ordinary prison meals were furnished.
Only once a day was he visited by s,n Oil
Ger while a fellow-convict under the eyes
Of the officer cleaned his cell.
For a long time the officers thought they
had checkmated the convicts in their efforts
70 help Clay. Food which was intended for
him was frequently captured, and TOBACCO
and other articles confscated. The cell.
however, adjOined a storerOom connecting
with the kitchen. and after long watch
ing the superintendent discovered that sue
cessfu efforts had been made to pass to
the man in solitary confinement liquids like
coffee and soup and occasionally a little to-
bacCO. These were introduced by long,
narrow tin tube. through hole in the cell
which had been fngeniously constructed and
then concealed from observance.
y BRIEF FREEDOM.
These articles scraps of which were
found in the cell, convinced the superin-
tendent that he could never break Clays
spirit until he had absolutely isolated him
from the other convicts So he had
special cell quarried out Of the granite hill
side, which forms one corner of the prison
WALL and in this cell Clay was placed, with
two guards at the door day and night In
this cell Clay soon weakened, and on the
night OF Feb. 10 he told the guards to send
word To the superintendent that he had
surrendered. He was reduced almost 10
skin and bones, but his remarkable consti-
tuition enabled him in a few days 10 re-
cover his original strength, and with his
strength came back his unparalleled OBJ
stinacy.
Only week after his release he was once
more taken before the superintendent for
renewed threats against the negro convict.
When in the presence of Gates he displayed
once more his intense animoSity toward the
negro His face paled, froth stood on his
lips, his eyes rolled with passion, and he
seemed ready. even in the presence of the
guards, TO commit any desperate act The
superintendent, though a very humane man,
saw that persuasion was out of the ques-
ton, and once more ordered Clay into the
dark, solitary cell. He is there now, and
the fortnight that has elapsed seems to
have had no effect in overcoming his spirit.
Those who know him well say that he
wants to make a record for endurance I'M
surpassed by any inmate of this or any
other prison IN this country or in the
world. They say also that his luminosity
against the cOlored convict is so deadly
that nothing will ever be able 10 overcome it,
In this contest there will be no weakening
Dy superintendent Gates, VINO, tnOuSn a
very mild man, has shown on several oc-
casions remarkable bravery and firmness.
He the hero of perhaps the most
deadly prison break that has ever occurred
on this coast. About six years ago seven
Mexican convicts planned to make a break
from the prison while they were doing
work within the yard. The gate was open
at the time, and by some means they be-
came possessed OF several long knives. At
the noon hour, just as the convicts were
TO be called for dinner, and as the guards
We're being changed, these seven men
sprang upon Gates and the two officers
who were with him. Tney held Gates up
as a shield and backed toward the open
entrance TO the prison. Gates struggled
with the two men VINO were, holding him
and was terribly stabbed in the neck and
breast In this position he called TO the
guards to shoot the men who were holding
him, even If they had to kill him. As good
luck would have 1t the two men on the
towers were expert shots. They opened on
and dropped both the men who held Gates
without touching him. The others were
subdued by the guards with the help Of a
convict who in for lif1 term This
fellow, VINO was acting as private secre-
tary 10 Gates, seized a pistol in the super
yard and killed two of the mutfneerS.
Gates. although scarcely able to stand
from the loss of blood. superintendent the
removal of the injured convictS TO their
cells before he would leave the grounds.
His life bung in the balance for two
months but. thanks TO a robust cOnstitu-
ton, he recovered. Since then there has
penitentiary. With man of this grim
ness there is little hope of any relenting IN
the case OF the obstinate convict, John
Clay.