Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-10-01
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TOLD A nTREAsuREn STORY
How Convict Fooled the Warden and
Made His Escape From Prison.

maue MS Escape From Prison,
One of the most remarkable escapes
OF state prison conyicts in Massachusetts
ON record occurred under the admins.
tration of Frederick Robinson, who was
warden from 1S43 to 1849.
A convict named William Phillips.
alias Porter, had been sentenced to the
penitentiary for nine years for burglary.
When on trial, he made some remarka-
bic disclosures to his counsel relative 10
a large amount of valuable property
which had been missing for several
years and was secreted in place known
only to himself, it being the result of a
successful break which he claimed to
have made while in pursuit of his ardu-
Gus and hazardous calling.
To the credit of the gentlemen of tho
legal profession it is believed that the
lawyer was too shrewd to accept of this
buried treasure as security for his serv-
ices until it had been produced and de-
manded spot cash for his fee in getting
for his client only nine years lmprison-
ment. The "enterprising burglar" did
not despair of turning his remarkable
secret to account even after he was Sc
curely behind the bars of the Jail. He
first made q confdant of the city mar
shall of Charlestown, but he, good soul,
could profit nothing by it without the
cooperation of the warden of the pris-
ON, who had the prisoner in durance
vile. So the warden was taken into con-
fidence, and the convict told to him his
story with so much particularly, with
such attention to minute details and
with such apparent frankness and with
an honesty that was surprising in one
who had probably before this never
breathed an honest breath in his life,
that the warden was charmed with his
ingenuousness and the prospect of secur-
ing a share of the gains.
1t was arranged that the three should
go together to Barnstahle, where in a
secluded spot, it was said, the stolen
property was buried deep in the ground,
and to be secure against interruption it
was agreed that the digging should be
done in the night. There were to be no
witnesses to the proceeding, as that
might prove inconyenient in case any
inquiry should be made as to the right
they had to retain the property in case
the owners should put in claim. Be-
sides it would be impolite to show any
distrust of the honesty of the honest fell |
low who had dealt so honestly with
them. Picks and spades were provided, |
and there was an equal division of the |
spoils. One man worked in the pit |
while the other two kept watch on the
outside. No advantage was taken of the
convict's loss of social cast or his help
less condition. He was not required to |
do any more work than the others, and
nothing was done to make him feel his
degraded position.
The work went merrily on until quite
a depth was reached, and the poor pris-
oner who had performed his stint was
helped out to make room for one Of his
whose turn it was to go
down into the hole. They were assured
that the requisite depth had almost
been reached, and, while one dug, the
other, with the convict, eagerly watch
ed the progress of the work. But such
is the perfdy of human nature that !
the convict, Phillips, forgetting the
good offices performed for him by his
the warden and the city
forgetting the fact that
be had given up the secret of the treas
ure which he had carried for years
pushed his friend on the outside into the
pit, and abandoning all of his wealth
TO them ran nimbly away, never so
much as stopping to say goodby. Itwas
with much difficulty that they extricat
ed themselves from the hole, and,
strange to relate, they also abandoned
the wealth SO near at hand. So far as
any one knows, it still remains in that
retired spot in Barnstable. The two
officials were as reticent about it as the
convict had been, and the only certain
that was given of the Incl
dent came from the convict himself, for
he was subsequently recaptured. He
had the audacity to say that 1t was
"only little joke" he played on the
men, and there was really no treasure
there at all,
1t is possible that the honest fellow
again lied. and that after his release
from prison the crafty rogue dug il up
and is living In aftluence, honored and
respected for his great wealth, Certain
Il is, he was never arraigned for the es'
cape, and the only Official notice that
was taken Of his eseapade was when
Of the Legislature, with a hn-
lnor0us turn of mind, introduced an act
a large sum 0f money
''to enable the warden Of the state pris-
pa TO eontinno his search for hidden
'reasure For reasons now forgotten
lbis generous recommendation mover be-
fAme q law, Boston Transcript
Adverse Opinion on tlse weFls's faiF,
has the gFostast show on earth