Newspaper Page Text
BY P. C. PENDLETON.
VOL. I.
miscellaneous.
The following graphic inscription of a re
bellion in the State Prison of Massachusetts,
in 18*23, was originally published in the New
England Galaxy of August, 1828.
BK3CLMON IN THIS STATK PRISON.
A more impressive exhibition of moral cou
rage opposed to the wildest ferocity under the
most appalling circumstances, was never seen,
than that which was witnessed by the officers
of our State Prison in the great rebellion which j
occurred about five years since, [in 1823.]
Three convicts had been sentenced under the
rules of the prison to be whipjied in the yard,
,'Mid hv some effort of one of the other prison
ers, a door had lieen opened at mid day com
municating with tlie great dining hall, and
through the warden’s lodge with the street.
The dining hall was long, dark, and damp,
from its situation near the surface of the
ground, and in this all the prisoners assembled,
with clubs and such tools as they could seize
in passing through the work shops. Knives,
hammers and chisscls, with every variety of
such weapons, were in the hands of the feroci
ous spirits, who are drawn away from their
encroachments o:i society, forming a congre
gation of strength, vilenesi, and talent, that
can hardly be equalled on earth, even among
the famed brigands of Italy. Men ot all ages
and characters, guilty ot every variety ot in
famous crimes, dressed in the motley and [>e
culiar garb of the institution, and displaying
the vyild and demoniac appearance that al
ways jiertains to imprisoned wretches, were
gathered together for the single purpose of
preventing the punishment which was to be
inflicted on the morrow, upon their comrades.
The warden, the surgeon, and some other of
ficers of the prison were there at the time, and
were alarmed at the consequences, likely to
ensue from the conflict necessary to restore
order. They huddled together and could
scarcely be said to consult, as the stoutest
among them lost all presence of mind in over
whelming fear. The news spread rapidly
through the town, and a subordinate officer of
most mild and kind disposition hurried to the
scene, and came calm and collected into the
midst of the officers. -he most equable tem
pered and mildest man in the government was
in this hour of peril the firmest. He instantly
despatched a request to Major Wainright,com
mander of the marines stationed at the navy
yard, for assistance, and declared his purpose
toento inter the hall and try the force ot firm
demeanor and persuasion upon the enraged
multitude. All his brethren exclaimed against
an attempt so full of hazard, but in vain. I hey
offered him arms, a sword and pistols, but lie
refused them and said, that he had no tear, and
iu case of danger arms would do him no ser
vice; and alone, with only a little rattan,
which was his usual walking stick, he advanc
ed into the hall, to hold parley with the select
ed, congregated, and enraged villians of the
whole commonwealth,
tie demanded their purpose, in thus coming
together with arms, in violation of the Prison
l«ws. They replied, that they determined to
obtain the remission of the punishment of their
throe comrades. lie said, that it was impos
sible, the rules of the prison must be effected
and they must submit. At the hint of sub
mission, they drew a little nearer together, pre
pared tlieir weapons for sendee, and, as they
were dimly seen in the farther end of the hall,
by those who observed, from the gratings that
opened up to the day, a more appalling sight
cannot be conceived, nor one of more moral
grandeur, than that of the single man, standing
within their grasp and exposed to be torn limb
from iimb instantly, if a word or look should
add to the already intense excitement. That
excitement, too, was of the most dangerous
kind. It broke not forth in noise and impre
cations, but was seen only in the dark looks
Had strained nerves, that showed a deep deter
mination. The officer expostulated. He re
minded them of the hopelessness of escape ;
that the town was alarmed and that the gov
ernment of the prison would submit to nothing
but unconditional surrender. He said that all
those who would go quietly away, should lie
forgiven for this offence; but that if every
MACON, (Ga.) SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 9, 1838.
prisoner souhl he killed in the contest, power
enough would lx; obtained to enforce the reg
ulations of she prison. They replied, that they
expected some would be killed, that death
would he better than such imprisonment, and
with that look and tone which bespeaks an in
domitable purpose, they declared, that not a
man should leave the hall a'ive till the flogging
was remitted. At this period of the discus
sion their evil passions seemed to be more in
flamed, and one or two offered to destroy the
officer who still stood firmer and with a more
temperate pulse, than his friends, w ho saw him
fVom above, hut could not avert the danger,
which threatened him.
Just at this moment, and about fifteen min
utes from the commencement of the tumult,
the officer saw the feet of the marines, whose
presence alone he relied on lor succor, filing
by the small up, er lights. Without tiny ap
parent anxiety he had repeatedly turned his
attention to their approach, and now he knew
that it wans his only time of escape, before a
conflict for life became, as was expected, one
of the most dark and dreadful in the world,
lie stepped slowly backward, still urging them
to depart, before the officers were driven to use
the last resort of fire-arms. When within
three or four feet of the door, it was opened,
and dosed instantly again, as lie sprang
through, and was unexpectedly restored to his
friends.
j Major Wainwright was requested to order
his men to fire down upon the convicts,
[through the little windows, first with jxmder
and then with ball, till they were willing to re
[ treat; but he took a wiser as well as bolder
[course, relying upon the effect which firm de
termination would have upon men so critically
situated. lie ordered the door to be again
opened, and marched in at the head ot twenty
or thirty men, who filed through the passage
and formed at the end of the hall opposite to
the crowd of criminals huddled together at the
other end. He stated, that he was empower
ed to quell the rebellion, that he wished to avoid
shedding blood, hut that he should not quit
that hall alive, till every convict had returned
to his duty. They seemed balancing the
strength of the two parties; and replied that
some of them were ready to die, and only wait
ed for an attack to see who was the most pow
erful, swearing that they would fight to the
last, unless the flogging was remitted, for they
would not submit to any such punishment in
the prison. Major Wainwright ordered his
marines to load their pieces that they might
not be suspected ot trifling, each man was
made to hold up to view the bullet which lie
afterwards put into his gun. This only caus
ed a growl of determination, and no one blench
ed or seemed disposed to shrink from the fore
most exposure. They knew that their num
hers would enable them to bear down and de
stroy the handful of marines, after the first
discharge, and before their pieces could be re
loaded." Again they were ordered tq retire;
but they answered with more ferocity than ev
er. The marines were ordered to take their
aim so as to be sure to kill as many as possible
t! ie ir guns were presented—but not a pris
oner stirred, except to grasp more firmly his
weapon. Still desirous to avoid such tremen
duQus slaughter as must have followed the dis
charge of a single gun, Major Y\ ainwi lght ad
vanced a stop or two, and spoke even more
firmly than before, urging them to depart.
Again, and while looking directly in the mug
zlcs of the guns they had seen loaded with
balls, the declared their intention ‘to fight it
out.’ This intrepid then took out his watch,
and told his men to hold their pieces aimed at
the convicts, but not to fire till they had or
ders ; then turning to the prisoners he said.
‘ you must leave this hall—l give you three
minutes to decide —if at the end of that »ime a
man remains, he shall be shot dead.’ No sit
uation of greater interest can Ixj conceived.
At one end of the hall a fearful multitude of the
most desperate and powerful men in creation
waiting for the assault—at the other, a little
band of disciplined men, waiting with arms
'presented, and ready upon the least motion or
I sign, to begin the carnage—and tlieir tall and
imposing commander, holding up his watch to
count the lapse of three minutes, given as the
reprieve to the lives of numbers. No poet or
i painter can conceive of a spectacle of more
dark and terrible sublimity—no human heart
ear conceive a situation of more appalling
susner.se. For two minutes not a person or a
ijnujcle was moved, not a sound was heard in
thg tin wonted stillness of the prison, except
the labored breathings of the infuriated wretch
es as they began to pant, between fear and re
jvcnge-*at the expiration of two minutes, du
ring which they had faced the ministers of
death, vith unblenching eyes, tv<o or three of 1
those in t,he rear and nearest to, the further en- i
trance, went slowly out—a few more followed
I the example, dropping out quietly and deliber- [
lately, add before the half of the last minute
jhad gone, every man was struck by the panic
and crowded for an exit; and the hall was
cleared as if by magic. Thus the steady sum
-1 ness of moral force, and the strong effect of;
I determination, acting deliberately, awed the
hnost savagomen, and suppressed a scene of I
.carnage, which would have instantly followed)
the least precipitancy or exertion of physical
: force.
We heard this related, sometime since, by
an eye witness, and though some little partic
ulars may not be in exact accordance with the
fact, owing :o the treachery of memory, yet
we know that all the important points of the ;
affair are correctly stated. It affords a useful
[example toothers similarly situated in the gov
ernment of prisons.
From the Focus.
MANAGEMENT —A YANKEE STORY.
I’ve hearr. folks say that the wimin was con
trary, well they is a leetle so, but if you man
age ’em rite, bawl in here, and let ’em out there,
you can drive ’em along without whip q,r spur,
jest which way you want ’em to go.
When I lived dqwn at Elton, there was a
good many first rate gals down there, but I
din’t take a liken to any on em till squire
; Cummins cum down there to live. The squire
had an almity puty darter. I sed sum of the
gals was first rate and a leetle more. There
was many dressed finer and looked grander,
but there was somethin jam about Nance, that j
they couldn’t hold a candle' to. If a feller;
seen her wuncc, he couldn’t look at another,
gal for a week. I tuk a likin to her rite off,
and we got as thick as thceves. We used to
go to the same mcctin and sot in the same pew.
It took me to find the sarms and himsfor her,
and we’d swell cm out in a manner shockin to
hardened sinners; then we’d mosey hum to
gether, while the gals and fellers kept a lookin
on as tha’ they’d like to mix in. I’d always
stay to supper, and the way she cood make
injun caks, and the way I wood slick em all
over with molasses and put em away, was
nuthin to nobody. Sue was dreadful civil
tew, always gittin sumthin nice for me, I was
up to the hub in Iqve, and was goin in for her
like a locomotive. Well, things went on this
way a spell, till she thot she had me tite onuff.
Then she begin to show off kinder independent j
like. When I’d go to mcctin, there was no ;
room fqr me in the pew ; when she’d cum out !
she’d streak off with anothqrchap, and leeve 1
me suckin my fingers at the door. Instead ot,
stickin to me as she used to do* she got euttin
around with all the fellers, jest as if she cared ■
nuthin about me no more, none whatsumever.
I got considerably riled and thot I moot as well
cum to the end of it at wunce: so down I
went to have it out with her ; there was a hull
grist of fellers there. They seemed mity qui
et till I went in, then she got talkin in all man
ner of nonsense, and said nothin tome and
darnel little of that. 1 tried to keep my dan
dcr down, but twarn’t no use. I kept moovm
about as if I had a pin in my trowsers. Ij
swet as if I had been thrashin. My collar
hung down as if it had been hung over my
stock to dry. I cood n’t stand it, so cleared
out as quick as I cood, for I seed twas no use.
tryintosay nuthin to her. I went strate to
bed and thot the matter over a spell; thinks I
that gal is jest tryin of me, tant no use of her
playin possum ; I’ll take the kink out of her;
[if I don’t fotcli her out that high grass use me
for sassage meat.
I hum tell of a boy, wuncc, that got to
skew! late one Sunday morning, master ses,
you tarnal sleepin critter, what kept you so
C. R. IIANLEITER, PUBLISHER.
late ? W by, ses the boy, it’s so everlastin slip,
■j Pyout, I couldn’t get along any how; every
•step I took forward, 1 went tew steps back
ward, and I couldn’t have got here at all, if t
hadn’t turned back to go tuther way. Now,
that’s jest my case ; I have been pultin after
! that gal considerable time. Now, thinks I, I’ll
go tuther way—she’s been slitin of me, ruxur
1 !l slite her—what’s sass for the goose is sass
for the gander. Well, I went no more to
Sabbaday, I slicked myself up,
i and I do, say, when I got my fixins on, I took
the shirt clean off of any specimin of human
j nature about our parts. About mcetin time
off I put to Eltham Dodge’s—Patience Dodge
wajs as nice a gal as you’d see twixt here and
i yonder, any more than she wasn’t jest lik#
Nancey Cummins. Ephriam Massy had used
to go and see her-; he was a clever feller, but
lie was dreadful jely;, Well \ went to meet
in with Patience, and sot rite afore Nance; l
I didn't cny eyes on her till arter mcetin;
she had a feller with her who had a blazen red
| head, and legs like a pair of compasses; she
had a face as long as a grace afore thanksgiv
cn dinner. I knew who she was thinkin aliout,
an twarnt the chap w ith the red head nuther.
Well, I kept boein Patience about a spell.—
Kept my eye on Nance, seed how the cat was
jumpin, she didn’t cut about Lke she did, and
looked rather solmnly; she’d gin her tew eyes*
to kiss and make up. I kept it up untill 1 like,
to have got into a mess about Patience. The
critter thot I was goin alter her for good anii
got as proud as a lame turkey. One day
Eplie eum down to our place lookin as rat by
as a malishy ossifer on a trainin day ; look
here, ses he, Seth Stokes, as loud as a smalt;
thunder clap, I’ll be darnd . Hallo! ses I,
what’s broke 1 Why, ses he, I come down to,
have satisfaction about Patience Dodge, hero.
I've been courtein her ever since last grass a
year, an she w’as jest as good as mine, till you.
cum a goin arter, and now 1 can’t touch her
with a forty foot pole. She aint like the same
gal, and I’m darned if I’m goin to stand it.
Why, ses I, what on airth are you talkin about,
I aint got nothin to do with your gal, but spoie
I had, there’s nothin fqr you to get w olfy about,
if the gal has taken a liken to me, taint my
fault; if I’ve taken to her taint her fault, an if
we’ve taken a liken to one another taint your
fault, but I aint so almity taken with her, an
you may save her for me, so you hadn’t ought
to get savage about nothin. Well, ses he,
(rather cooled down) I am the unluckiest thing
in creation. I went tuther day to a place
where there was an old woman died of the bo1»
or sum sich disease, an they were sellin out
her things. Well ses he, thcr was a thundqt
en bigcliist of drawers full of all sorts of truck,
so I hot it, thot I made a spec, but when I cum
to look at ’em ther warnt nothin in it worth a
cent except an old silver thimble and that was
all busted lip, so I sold it for less than l gin for
it, well when the chap that hot it tuck it hum
he heerd somethin rattle, broke the old chist up
and found lots.of gold and silver in a false bot
tom I hadn’t seen. Now if I’d tuck that chist
hum I’d never found that munny or if I did
they’d bin all counterfeit, and I’d been tuck up
for passin on em. Well, I jest told Patience
about it when she right up and called me a
darned fool. Well, ses I, Eplie, that is hard,
but never you mind that, go on you can get
her an when you dew get her, you can fight
the ruff edges off jest as you please. That
teekled him it did, an away he went a leetle bet
ter plear ed. Now thinks I, its time to look ar
ter Nance. Next day dotin I went. Nance,
was all alone. I axed her if the squire was
in, she said he warnt. Cause ses, I, (makin
beleeve I wanted him) our colt sprained his
foot and I’m cum to see if the squire wont
lend me his mare to go to town. She sed she
gessed he would, better sit down till the squ'rs
corn’d in, doun I sot: she looked sorter strange
an my heart felt queer all around the edges.
Arter a while ses I, air you goin doun to Bet
sy Martin’s quiltin ? Sed she didn’t know for
sartin, air you a goin ? sed I recond I wood,
ses she, I spose youd take Patience Dodge, sed;
I mout and agin I inout net, ses she I heam
vour a goin to git married, ses I shoodnt won
der a bit, Patience is a nice gal ses I, I looked
jat her, I seed the tears a cumin, ses I may be
1 she’ll ax you to bridesmaid, she ris rite up she
NO. 33.