The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-04-14
REMARKABLE EXCURSION.
ur., yndluna PoMltsntiArlss Exchange
CSuylrts = Description Of the PTsCAu'
,,nns Taken,

csuyICts - Description Of the PTsCau"
tlons Taken
MICHIGAN CITY. Ind. April "a
rrnbaply the iarsest transfer % prison
.oryle,s that ever took place In this
co"ntry was successfully carried out to-
5,v T,yo hundred and ninety-one pris-
"r ,s rom the MICHIGAN city prison
nm, nut ON a special Monon train and
aiken TO JcttersonvIllc, while from the
,,tter place $50 prisoners were sent
nere. Behind this transfer lies an In
,crostipg bit of history. and 1t may be
,,,t tho state will yet be compelled to
inmate the example OF certain Ecn-
nj Who. tradition states marched his
sni5lsrs up the hill and then marched
,rnyn down again. In other words, the
,,risnnrts may have TO be re-traRsterred
an account Of legal complications.
A. The last session OF tho state legis-
:, ,,,rr. n law was passed converting the
snuthern penItcntiGry into n rcformato-
"a and making Michigan City prison
ne prnlteutiary Tor the state. The law
nroyIded that all prisoners under 30
wears OF age serving their first sens
fences were to be transferred to JET
,ersonylIle the exceptions being those
sentenced for treason or murder. An
irdctcrminate sentence law was also
passed. About two weeks ago, however,
Judge Hubbard, OF the St Joseph cir
cult. in sentencing young man named
Allison for larceny, declared the indie
terminate law unconstitutional. ALI
san was given q two years sentence ana
sent 10 Michigan City. The prison otii-
,ials refused to accept him ut first, but
mon advice OF the attorney general,
ma So should the question be carried
~ tho supreme court and Judge Hub
Earb's decision upheld, grave conSe-
Suenccs might follow. This is not pro-
S9hle In this case at least, as under
the indetcrniinate sentence law Allison
sayid be given sentence OF from two
"a fourteen years, and his lawyers do
not care TO risk It. After the decision
a conference was Immediately held be-
tween Governor Mount and the prison
officials, and the governor gave orders
10 20 ahead with the transfer. The Ut
most secrecy was observed rs to the
inns OF departure, even the guards se-
Isr,ad TO accompany the prisoners from
bera being kept in Ignorance. Sunday
nonn the gates OF the prison We're
Locked and the tedious job OF selecting
the prlyoners TO be transferred was be-
run This consumed most OF the after
noon. The men We're then given an eN-
,ra supper and locked In their cells for
The night. At four o'clock this morn
,nr the real work OF the transfer was
begun The prisoners were routed out
and ten selected guards assisted the
baeksmlhs IN rlyetlnS the stacktes on
no prisoners. Two at n time they
were taken from their cells and their
less shacklcd.
About two hours time was consumed
IN this. and then the prisoners We're
taken to tho dining room for the last
time when breakfast was served them.
While this was going ON, the train
which was to convey them 10 Jefferson
yne was backed up to the north gate.
II consisted OF nine cars, the first coach
a hospital car, the next six for the con-
yiris. one car for the militia, Company
A OF Indianapolis, who we're to assist
IN guarding the prisoners, and one FOR
the press. As soon as breakfast was
finished the men were lined up and
marched TO the train. First came the
invalds. eight OF them, who were con-
yeypd 10 their car in cots. then the rest
the unaccustomed leg Shackles, were
bundled on board. Three guards and
two trtlstle5 were locked IN each car.
Every precaution had been observed
against an outbreak. The windows
Bere rot barred, but everything that
might be used as weapon had been re-
moved, even the doors were removed
from tn water closets and the air brake
apparatus taken away. The guards
had no weapons except their heavy
canes. but the prisoners We're not nl-
lowed to leave their seats. anything
they nigh. require being brought to
them, and orders had been given TO
shoot at the first head that was poked
out " n window, At nine O'Clock all
was in readiness. and one OF the most
remarkable excursions ever undertaken
started on the Journey south. The
Monon officials had taken every pre-
caution to ensure the safety Of the
train. Every foot OF track between
here and Jacksonville was inspected
fifteen minutes before the trains passed
and every bridge was carfully examined
i've minutes before II went over. Even
the switches We're spiked and the trains
were given the right OF way over every"
thing. No stops were made for cross
ings. Governor Mount having given
Permission for this violation OF the
state law. and no stops were made eX-
cert for the purpose OF changing en-
Eines or taking water. The triiln was
in personal charge OF +. w. Quimby'
trainmaster OF the Monon, and the crew
was composed OF picked men, veterans
in the service. who could be relied upon
in an emergency, The MonOn wreck
iny train was under orders all day
ready to start at moments notice in
case Of accident.
This entire programme was duplicat-
ed at Jacksonville when the prisoners
there were transferred to Michigan
civ