The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-17
Reed, Hurley
aud Abbott
AT LINCOLN HOUSE.
Talks About That
Famous Supper,

Boston, Nov. 1.-THE state prison
commission met at the state house to-
day and practically finished taking
testimony in the investigation of OFF,
GER J. L. Abbott, from whom Reed es-
capped, at Worcester, Sunday, Oct. 80
Abbott was before the commission
nearly all day, but it is understood that
he had given all the testimony that
was wanted before the hour of adjourn
ment. The board adjourned until Tues
day
Articles in the Worcester Evening
Post during the week attracted atten-
ton and have been thoroughly dis
cussed in official circles and among Abb
bolts friends. These articles advised
the prison commission to investigate
the doings of Abbott, Reed and others
while they We're in Worcester and
called particular attention to a wine
supper which the Post intimated had
been given to John Reed, at the Lin
coin House, Worcester, on Thursday
evening, three days previous to the
time Reed got away from Abbott in the
Sherwood House, at Worcester.
The newspaper articles were shown
to nearly every one who has had any
connection whatever with the case.
Nearly all the people to whom they
were shown thought that it intimated
that at that wine supper the scheme
to let Reed go was Matched. The
banqueting of a prisoner from the state
prison by the officer who had him in
charge was severely criticised. and all
who read the articles said that a thor
ough investigation of the doings of that
night should be made and the facts laid
before the commission before that body
had closed their investigation and be-
fore they had sent their findings to
Gov Wolcott
The article which attracted the most
attention was printed as an editorial
in the columns Of the Worcester Post,
Tuesday evening. 1t is as follows:
IF the prison commissioners want to
get any information about John Reed
they had better begin at the right end.
They do not seem to have yet learned
that the Thursday evening preceding
his escape, he had a wine supper, in
company with others, at the Lincoln
house, and slept at the Sherwood"
This article was shown to Warden
Bridges, j. Warren Bailey, secretary of
the commission, and Officer j. L. Alb
bott, today by a Spy representative.
An endeavor was made to get the opin-
ion of the prison commissioners, but
they were not available for an inter
view.
The Spy representative found plenty
of evidence to show that the commits
sion today obliged Officer Abbott TO
tell his version of the wine supper y
and those who were present. The fact
also came to the surface that the sup
per was brought to the notice of the
commission previous to today, and it is
very evident that thorough investiga-
ton was made by officers in the en-
ploy Of the state at Worcester during
the past three days.
officer Abbott was interviewed by
The Spy man early this evening. He
was shown the article, and told of the
comments that people had made, and
asked if a wine supper had been Civ
en- Reed, and who were present beside
himself and Reed.
Abbott was found at his home, So
Chapman street. He read the article,
and then said
Reed affair. I told the commissioners
today all about that supper. They
know all about my trips, from the time
left Boston until l returned. Just
what I did, and how | did 1t.
IT have been used very roughly by
the newspapers in eve'A city in Masas-
chusetts, especially the papers in Wor-
ficer in the state today that has a better
reputation than the one / enjoyed for
years, and this pounding that L am get
ting is pretty rough. / have told the
newspapers all that | could tell them.
I made an awful mistake that Sunday
night. l turned my back on Reed, and
he took advantage of my move. l plac-
ed confidence in Reed. | did not think
that any man would run away after /
,,e.aH him I had used Reed If
was misplaced confidence.
Abbott was pressed to tell the story
of the so called wine supper" and
after much hesitation, said;
IT went to Worcester with Reed and
upon arriving there felt hungry. This
was long after the supper hour want
ed a meal and so did Reed. We were in
the Sherwood house at the time and 1
asked Mr.. Hurley, the proprietor, if we
could get supper He said that nearly
every place was closed, but suggested
that | go to the Lincoln house.
81 started to go to the Lincoln house
when it struck me that it would be bet
ter to take Mr.. Hurley with me- /
asked him to go telling him that / did
not want to trust my man TOO far. Il
was at my suggestion that Mr.. Hurley
walked with Reed and myself to the
Lincoln house.
I'VE went into a dining room where
there were three tables. called for an
ordinary supper such as any one would
ask for. Reed and Mr.. Hurley did the
same. There was no wine on the table.
We drank no beer to my recollection.
1.-THE conversation was on general
topics of the day
Mr. Abbott was asked if any one else
was present. He replied:
There may have been a man at one
of the other tables"
Abbott was also asked if any one be-
sides Mr. Hurley and himself had any
conversation with Reed. His reply was:
Not a soul talked TO Reed but Mr..
Hurley, myself and Col. Gile his coun-
sell who came to the Sherwood house
after we had left the Lincoln house. l
stood at the door of the room while Col
Gile talked to Reed, but l cannot re-
member a word that was said; their
conversation did not interest me"
How come you to go to the Sher-
wood House," asked The Spy man.
II don't know. l walked in there as
anyone would in q strange town. 1 was
never in Worcester previous to that
day | did not know Mr.. Hurley be-
fore that evening. No one tried to talk
to Reed while | was around.
ut is not true that any scheme was
Continued ON Para aauAsA-A