New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-30
A KENTUCKY T4MSEN.
CRITICISM or THE WAY HE CONDUCTS Ms;LID-
ERTY HALL-EsCAPE OF MURDFRERs
~ rIfYISrM<S

CRITICISM or THE WAY HE CONDUCTS Hs;LIB-
ERTY HALL-EsCAPE OF MURDERERs
ON CHRISTMAS
Louisville Dec % (SpeciaD.-Ths city has III
Tamsen although he IL the sheriff here but
merely the county jailer. His name Is Dick" Watts
and he has long known large part Of Louis
villes population The whirligig Of politics finally
brought him one of the richest prizes of the mu-
acknowledgement of the county jail Since he has
been in office he has been noted for his kind
ness toward his charges than for his vigilance in
keeping them behind the bars. The escape Christ
mas Day OF prisoners. three of them murder
ers was his GROWING misfortune. but it pre-
coded by a number of instances of bad Judgment
which kept him continually in hot water
Dick Watts. everybody calls him, is partcu-
lary aggrieved because the prisoners left his
hospitable establishment only a few hours after
they had enjoyed his bounteous Christmas dinner.
One of them had obtained big carpenters bit and
cut circle OF holes the steel ceiling of his cell.
This round pane OF steel was removed, ana adnls-
sion gained TO the garret OF The jail hole was
of blankets lowered The rest of the affair needs
describing
His appontees have also his keen relish of a joke.
Some OF them were found to have taken lot OF
house which they sold to dealers and collectors.
They didn't think the stamps were OF any further
use to the county although their value has been
estimated at $2s. 900.
Goodness Of heart ana confidence in human nature
never better exemplifed than in Dick" Watts.
Some time ago a negro woman accused OF grand
larceny took 1t into her head to leave the jail She
walked just she would have left her own
house one even asking her where she was going.
another prisoner to find her This one was serving
a term Of eleven months for malicious cutting He
returned In due season. but unknd critics said that
the taer had been indiscreet Similar comment was
made of the liberty he allowed to Nine. Jabri.
clarvoyant, whose youth and attractiveness made
IL Impossible for him to be harsh with her. She
was allowed TO go out TO her meals and 10 call on
friends well as TO receive visits from many per-
in the jail parlors. She Federal prisoner,
and Judge Barr of the United States Circuit Court
dspleased with the jailers goodness OF heart
that he fined him for contempt of court
Darney Beaufort. a foreigner. against whom
various Grand Juries had found indictments. hap
pened to be sojourning In Caste Watts. lie had
York. and felt a uncomfortable desire become
a full hedged citizen. The tailer thought this q
worthy ambition and allowed him TO to court
under escort. Beaufort duly naturalized. and
the United States has gained citizen who Is far
| from being credit to IL. Watts also allowed q
murderer to leave the Jail but under guard.
Watts sometimes believes in red tape and some
times he doesn't Once colored youth strayed into
the jail among the prisoners. He liked the place
| and stayed After he had been there some six
weeks Il was discovered by chance that he was In
there without right So he wax put out This shows
that Watts's hospitality is appreciated by some
persons. II II wasted the three murders
| ers and four burglars who forsook him on Christ
| mas Day.
One OF the best stories about the taller Is In re.
lation TO negro Watts became suspicious that his
had under his care some persons who not
entitled TO be guests of the county Seeing q col,
| ored man In a corridor. he asked him his name
| The prisoner gave fictitious one The jaller went
! TO his records could find such name and tri.
| umphantly turned the man out into the cold world