St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-09-16

a modern jail really is. On the following
week the prisoners who have been kept
in the antequated structure that tor 40
years has sheltered the criminals in the
county will be transferred to the new
building.
History OF THE OLD JAnS.
When Caledonia county came into ex-
istence as a political division there was
the usual rivalry among the towns to Sc
cure the county Offices and buildings.
Peacham and Danville were the strong
est in presenting their claims, and Dan
vile secured the prize. Two OF her citi-
zens, MIR. Dow and Mr.. HartshOrn
offered to give land for site tor the
buildings and common, and therefore
they were placed where "Danville Green"
village now is. The line separating
BOWS and Hartshorn's land passed
north and south through the village.
The original court house was erected
upon the corner of the streets northwest
of the common, and was constructed OF
wood. 1t contained a large room in
which court sat, and two smaller rooms
for the accommodation of jury and law
known but the county docket OF Janu-
airy 7, 1897, the first court term held IN
the county as then existing, records that
they met at the courthouse in Danvllle,
Monday, January 7, 1897, and adjourned
TO Daniel Smiths" from which we may
understand it was then unht tor occu-
pancv. The next record concerning the
courthouse is in an order of the court,
January. 1901, accepting hecourt house,
"provded it is painted and stove pro-
cured by January term next Some
wears before the county seat was changed
to st. Iohnsbury the building was re,
moved to its present position ana raised
no. giving the town hall on the ground
foor. with the court room above, and
pillars on the front were added. A
"gaoW was built and accepted by the
court in January, 1899, which also hxed
the limits of the gaol-yard wherein per
sons arrested for debt could remain.
Delinquent debtors paid their debts by
taking up their residence within the jan
limits, which were extended in lSlo TO
cone mile north, east, south and west
from the gaol." This gaol was OF logs,
hewn square. and notched at the ends so
as TO interlock with each other and
mined together. The docket of the an
nary term, 1907, records the drawing OF
orders for So, 900, in favor of David 81
kins, for building the gaol. This IS un-
derstood to have included the gaol house
in which the keeper was to live.
The second jail was built by subscrip-
ton and cost about $4,000 1t was
built of immense granite stone, some
of them 20 feet in length, quarried IN
Danville, hewn and dowelled together:
The notorious counterfeiter Bristol Bill,
was once confined in this Jail and tried
here: and it is said the authorizes at
BOSTON sent an officer to Danville to
warn them of his desperate characters
and get him sent to Boston tor safe con
6nement who, after inspecting the Jail
returned, saying he was safer here than
there. When he came to trial, Bliss N;
Davis was states attorney, and "Bristoi
Rip became so enraged at him that ne
stabbed him in the throat, and barely
missed taking his life. 80
II was from this building, that
"Bristol Bill' attempted to make ms
escape by making key to the OUTSIDE
lock from his wash basin. This lock ana
The tin kew are now among the interest
mo relics at the Fairbanks Museum.