Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-16
ELEVEN CITY PRISONERS,
DISSATISFIED WITH LIFE IN THE
WORkHOUSE, ESCAPED YES
TERDAY AFTERNOON.
THEY CUT OUT A REAR DOOR
And Took Out Over the Hills Toward
the Pennsylvania State Line.
Most of Them Were Cripples-The
Husky sGuys" Remained Behind.
No News of the Absent Brethren.
Most of Them Were Strangers.


No News of the Absent Brethren.
Most of Them Were Strangers.
There was a joyous celebration of
Easter Sunday at the city prison. 1t
was balmy spring day. and the weary
Willies were moved by the spirit of UNI
rest. Edmund Randall, the evangelist.
was up in the morning, and exhorted
them to do good. Perhaps they were
actuated by desire to give the COM
munity an object lesson on the inse-
curity Sf the workhouse walls. How
ever that may be eleven of the prison.
ers decided to leave the institution.
In the case of the city prison. the old
adage where there's will there's al
ways a way" invariably hold good.
There were just twenty-five inmates
in the institution. Just half of them
made up their minds to go. Singularly
enough they were the lame, the halt,
and the blind, while those who re-
manned were the able-bodied fellows.
One of the men who took French leave
was minus an arm, another was short
leg, and one or two others were al
most blind. Clutches were in evidence
as the Coxeyites beat hasty retreat
over Wheeling hill, stopping upon the
summit to join in the sweet refrain
Il had a good home and left"
The hardy husky guys" who re-
NAMED were discreetly silent about the
departure of their brethren until they
were gone beyond recall. They were
gentlemen with very fine sense of APP
probation of a good thing They pre-
ferred regular meals, light exercise.
comfortable hunks, and congenial
companionship, to the rough knocks
which they would probably suffer in
their efforts to get sufficient to supply
the inner man, without being subject
ed to the indignity of saving wood.
Besides, the scrap" box had been re-
plenished, and the greasy deck of
cards was still in working order.
So it happened that the cripples left
and the others remained.
Nearly all who departed were
strangers. Sam Reynolds and Chas.
Mentz were on guard at the time, but
of course they did not dream that
anybody would try to break through
the walls of the prison. The escape
was easy enough. There was an old
unusued door above the closet in the
rear of the building. 1t was nailed
shut. One or two pocket knives were
put to work, and within a short time
the boards had been cut. Then the
able-bodied prisoners helped the Grip
pies through the hole. The adieus
were more hurried and more sincere
than they were affectionate.
The squad moved up the hillside in
northeasterly direction, starting
about LAS o'clock. When the guards
looked in upon the happy family, and
noted the fact that the bunch had been
split in half. the Coxeyites were al
ready working the back doors along
the National Road for handouts"
No person appeared TO be very much
concerned about the departure of the
illustrious eleven, else an effort would
have been made to effect recapture.
What looks upon it's face as a deplor-
able public calamity, may therefore
be reasoned down to blessing in dis
guise. If the gang will keep away
from Wheeling, the authorities will
not offer any reward for their recap
ture
This wholesale delivery is one Of the
largest on record, although 1t is said
that under a former administration,
the full quota of prisoners rebelled be-
cause they were refused pork chops
and plum pudding, and hair mat
tresses, and left rather unceremoni-
ously between two days. The Iase
gentleman of leisure who decided to
leave the institution, carried away
with him as souvenir OF his sojourn,
a heavy ball and chain.
1t has been suggested that the blood
hounds from the penitentiary al
Moundsyille might be secured TO track
the fugitives.
A Great Flower show.