USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > East Granby > History of Newgate of Connecticut, at Simsbury, now East Granby: its insurrections and massacres, the imprisonment of the Tories in the Revolution, and the working of its mines. Also, some account of the state prison, at Wethersfield > Part 5
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" coldest in the winter. This phenomenon iste
" attributed to the circumstance of the cavities in " the rocks being stopped with snow, ice and frost " in the winter, which prevents so free a circula- " tion of air as is enjoyed in the summer. On the " 18th of January, 1811, at eight o'clock A. M., " the mercury stood in the cavern at 52 degrees ; P " and in open air, as soon after as it was practica- " ble for a person to get up from the cavern (which " could not have exceeded five minutes), it fell to " one degree below 0."
Among the accidents which have occurred to visitors, was that of Mrs. Christia Griswold of Poquonock, while standing at the mouth of the shaft leading down into the cavern, accidentally stepped off, and fell the whole depth, striking on
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rethe rocky bottom. The buoyancy of her clothes, r some other cause, saved her life, though she threceived injuries from which she never entirely oldecovered. A prisoner afterwards fell at the same lace, fetters and all, without appearing to injure im, it is said, in the least.
Two years since a party of students were on a isit to the mines, when one of their number tepped into the shaft, and fell to the bottom, iseceiving injuries which caused his death in a inew months. The descent upon the ladder is now st a- he asily accomplished by any one, and the trouble s well repaid by the interesting relics below. When Newgate was in full blast, it was a very opular place of resort for travelers and pleasure arties, as from a report of the overseers in 1810, : appears that 5,000 persons visited the place an- Qually. S
By some, this place has been compared to the ncient Bastile of France, but the comparison is ar from being correct, except in the frightful emo- ions which this dungeon is calculated to inspire. Che floors and the roof of the Bastile were made f iron plates riveted upon iron bars. The walls vere of stone and iron several feet in thickness ; he whole being surrounded by walls, and a ditch
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0 f e y n
gı er- he he
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25 feet deep. The entrance to each cell waset through three consecutive doors, secured by dou- ble locks. The scanty food, and the silent, una- vailing grief, endured by the wretched victims of that dreadful abode, often reduced them to entire idiocy ; besides, they were taken from those death- like cells each year, and subjected to the horrible torture of the rack, which often dislocated their joints or crushed their bones, and all this perhaps for merely uttering a sentiment averse to some political party in power ! The soldiers and officers also of the Bastile, except the governor, were pri- soners in everything but in name. When they entered the walls of that prison, it was for the term of their lives, and a wish expressed even to go out, was instant death. Newgate, in every respect, would bear no similitude to the Bastile. Indeed, the treatment of the prisoners and of the guard was often too lenient, although for disobe- dience, punishment was sometimes inflicted in the severest manner.
A description of the daily management at New- gate will, at this day, be found both interesting and amusing, The hatches were opened and the prisoners called out of their dungeon each morning at daylight, and three were ordered to heave up at
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time ; a guard followed the three to their shops, u acing them at their work, and chaining those to anie block whose tempers were thought to require of. All were brought out likewise in squads of muree, and each followed by a guard. To those ho never saw the operation, their appearance can le ot be truly conceived, as they vaulted forth from inne dungeon in their blackness, their chains clank- slag at every step, and their eyes flashing fire upon the bystanders. It resembled, perhaps more than 8 hything, the belching from the bottomless pit. fter a while their rations for the day were carried them in their several shops. They consisted for e 0 ne day of one pound of beef or three-fourths of a ound of pork, one pound of bread, one bushel of otatoes for each fifty rations, and one pint of cider every man. Each one divided his own rations or the day to suit himself-some cooked over their wn mess in a small kettle at their leisure, while thers, disregarding ceremonies, seized their allow- nce and ate it on an anvil or block. The scene ras really graphic, and might remind one of a notley company of foreign emigrants on the deck f a canal-boat, during their visit to the far West. 'hey were allowed to swap rations, exchange com- hodities, barter, buy and sell, at their pleasure. e 1
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Some would swap their rations for cider, and ofte would get so tipsy they could not work, and would "reel to and fro like a drunken man." Old Guineauf an aged convict, was frequently commissioned bem them to go abroad and purchase the good creature fo them, and would often return laden with two or threen gallons. Sometimes, by taking his pay out of the cargo on the road rather freely, his ship would get becalmed, when he would cast anchor by the way side for the night, making the consignees doubly glad upon his safe arrival "in the beautiful morn- ing." Lieutenant Viets's tavern, a few rods from the prison, was an especial accommodation, nott only for travelers, but for the better sort of convicts He who could muster the needful change, would prevail on some one of the guard to escort him over the way to the inn of the merry old gentleman, where his necessities and those of his escort were amply supplied at the bar. Many an unfortunate fellow, after his release from bondage, has "cast " a longing look behind " to the old temple of Bac- ! chus, and appreciated the sentiment of the poet : " Of joys departed never to return, ₹
" How painful the remembrance."
All were allowed to work for themselves or others after their daily tasks were finished, and in that
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te vay some of them actually laid up considerable ums of money. A little cash, or some choice bits ea f food from people in the neighborhood, procured nany a nice article of cabinet ware, a good basket, fo gun repaired by the males, or a knit pair of stock- emgs by the female convicts. The writer, when a oy, was often rewarded for a pocket full of fruit with miniature ships, boxes, brass rings, bow and rrows, and the like; all being more valuable for lyhaving been made at Newgate, and all showing the n articular branch or handicraft to which each had een accustomed. During the day the guard was hanged once in two hours, at the sound of the orn, and in the night a guard entered the ca- erns every two hours and counted the prisoners. Che punishments inflicted for offenses and neglect of duty were severe flogging, confinement in stocks on the dungeon, being fed on bread and water thuring the time, double or treble setts of irons, hanging by the heels, &c., all tending to inflame . heir revenge and hatred, and seldom were appeals nade to their reason or better feelings. From hirty to one hundred were placed together through he night, solitary lodging, as practiced at this day, sbeing regarded as a punishment, rather than a Blessing to them. b re 0 S
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Their employment consisted in making nails barrels, shoes, wagons, doing job-work, farming and working on the tread-mill. . A building for a tread-mill was erected about the year 1824, fo) the purpose of grinding grain for prison use, and occasionally for the neighboring inhabitants. large wheel, between twenty and thirty feet long" was furnished with horizontal flanges as steps upon which the prisoners trod, and their weight causing the wheel to revolve, furnished the motive power to propel the machinery. Of all labor re- quired of the prisoners, the tread-mill was dreaded the most, and the most stubborn were put to this employment. In extreme cases, one of the lady birds was put on the wheel among the men as a punishment, and that was generally sufficient to subdue the most refractory in a very short space of time .*
The following is from Kendall's Travels in the Northern Parts of the United States. He visited! Newgate prison in 1807, and says :
On being admitted into the gaol yard, I found a sentry under arms within the gate, and eightt
* Female convicts were form- passed authorizing their com- erly sent to the county jails, mitment to Newgate. but a law was afterwards
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Isoldiers drawn up in a line in front of the gaoler's ng ouse. A bell summoning the prisoners to work ad already rung; and in a few moments they began to make their appearance. They came irregular numbers, sometimes two or three gether, and sometimes a single one alone; but whenever one or more were about to cross the ard to the smithery, the soldiers were ordered h) present, in readiness to fire. The prisoners rere heavily ironed, and secured both by hand- e uffs and fetters; and being therefore unable to Talk, could only make their way by a sort of imp or a hop. On entering the smithery, some went to the sides of the forges, where collars, ependent by iron chains from the roof, were to ce astened round their necks, and others were hained in pairs to wheelbarrows. The number f prisoners was about forty; and when they vere all disposed of in the manner described, entries were placed within the buildings which ontained them. After viewing thus far the econo- dny of this prison, I left it, proposing to visit the ells at a later hour. A i
This establishment, as I have said, is designed o be, from all its arrangements, an object of error; and everything is accordingly contrived
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at
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to make the life endured in it as burdensom and miserable as possible. In conformity witto this idea, the place chosen for the prison is nix other than the mouth of a forsaken copper mine of which the excavations are employed as cells They are descended by a shaft, which is secured by a trap door, within the prison house, or gaoler" house, which stands upon the mine.
. The trap door being lifted up, I went down ar iron ladder, perpendicularly fixed to the depth of about fifty feet. From the foot of the ladde: a rough, narrow, and low passage descends stil deeper, till it terminates at a well of clear water over which is an air shaft, seventy feet in height and guarded at its mouth, which is within the gaol yard, by a hatch of iron. The cells are near the well, but at different depths beneath the surface, none perhaps exceeding sixty feet! They are small, rugged, and accommodated with wooden berths, and some straw. The straw was wet, and there was much humidity in every part of this obscure region ; but I was assured I ought to attribute this only to the remarkable wetness of the season; that the cells were in general dry, and that they were not found un- favorable to the health of the prisoners.
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Into these cells the prisoners are dismissed at ithur o'clock in the afternoon, every day without nexception, and at all seasons of the year. They herescend in their fetters and handcuffs, and at lspur o'clock in the morning they ascend the iron edudder, climbing it as well as they can by the 'id of their fettered limbs. It is to be observed hat no women are confined here; the law pro- riding that female convicts, guilty of crimes of trhich men are to be confined in Newgate prison, etre to be sent only to the county gaols.
1 Going again into the workshop or smithery, I round the attendants of the prison delivering tickled pork for dinner of the prisoners. Pieces mrere given separately to the parties at each forge. el'hey were thrown upon the floor, and left to be hashed and boiled in the water used for cooling the iron wrought at the forges. Meat had been h istributed in like manner for breakfast. The spod of the prison is regulated for each day in The week; and consists in an alternation of pork, I eef, and peas, with which last no flesh meat es allowed. Besides the caverns or excavations elow, and the gaoler's house above, there are ther apartments prepared for the prisoners, and articularly a hospital, of which the neatness
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and airiness afford a strong contrast to the oth parts of the prison. It was also satisfactory find that in this hospital there were no sick.
Such is the seat and the scene of punishment provided by Connecticut for criminals not guilt of murder, treason, or either of a few other capita offences. What judgment the reader will part upon it I do not venture to anticipate; but fo myself, I can not get rid of the impression, tha without any extraordinary cruelty in its actua operation, there is something very like cruelty i the device and design."
The following is a relation of some of the escapes, and insurrections, which have occurre at various periods in Newgate prison, during period of nearly forty years.
In November, 1794, a convict by the name of Newel escaped from the prison by digging out. Il was the practice at that time to allow the prisoner the choice of lodging in the stone cellar under the guard-room (generally known by the name of the stone jug), or of going from thence down into the caverns. During the night a noise below wa heard by the guard, and some of them went down among the prisoners to learn the cause, but could discover nothing out of place. In the morning or
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unting them, as was customary, one was dis- vered to be missing. It was found that the isoners, in some unaccountable manner, had en ntrived to loosen and pull out one of the large ilt bic stones on the bottom of the cellar. Through tre aperture thus made, they hauled out the earth, as uring it down the shaft, and incredible as it may em, they dug a hole through gravel, earth and ones, under the floor and wall large enough for a an to crawl out! It appears that when the tard went down among them in the night, the isoners could hear their arrangements for de- hiending, and instantly replaced the stone and pre- recented a discovery of their operations. Newel, bing a very small man, was the only one who icceeded in making his escape; he was never o taken.
In the year 1802 the prisoners rose upon the er ard. The commander, Col. Thomas Sheldon, was heen sick, and soon after died ; all the officers and he iard were sick also, except Mr. Dan Forward, a herivate. With occasional assistance of people in ashe neighborhood, the entire charge of the prisoners, vn; that time amounting to between thirty and forty, levolved upon him. They had heard that many onl` the officers and privates were sick, and observing
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that one man performed nearly the whole durt their suspicions were confirmed, and their plus strengthened. It is not certain whether there wir a fair understanding among them; if there wall their courage most miserably failed. While thee were passing down into their caverns at the clo of the day as usual, and when nearly all of the !! were going down the ladder, those who remained refused to proceed, and began an attack upol Forward, who was standing near. He was a robus stout fellow, over six feet high, and always ready for any contest ; and instead of retreating, he re turned their compliments, taking one by the nec and another by the heels, and dashing them dow into the shaft upon the rest, who had now begu to come up. The neighbors hearing a scuffle a the prison, ran over to his assistance ; but their ai was unnecessary, as Forward had vanquished hi foes and turned their course into the dungeon. 1 is very likely that all could have escaped if Forwar had betrayed the least sign of fear, or had resorte to persuasion.
At this time a very contagious fever raged at th prison, and soon began to spread among the con victs. It was without doubt owing to the filth i and around the prison, and to the want of care an
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uttention to their cleanliness and comfort. The pl sease. was so virulent, that in order to arrest its waogress, a barn was engaged of Capt. Roswell vahelps, into which they were to be removed. heeople in the vicinity were employed to take care the sick and perform the duties of guard ; but edll the prisoners except three Irishmen being sick, ne was found impracticable to remove them, and Dofter some weeks the disease abated. None of the strisoners, however, died, and no other instance of d general contagion among them ever occurred. re In 1806, on the 1st of November, a rebellion chok place which for its results deserves notice. W bout thirty prisoners in the nail shop had procured weys made from the pewter buttons on their clothes, and with those keys they were to unlock their fet- iders. It was agreed that one of their number inould strike a shovel across a chimney, and that has to be the signal for them all to unlock fetters, and commence an attack upon the guard, to wrest cheir weapons from them and use them to the best Idvantage. The signal was given-their fetters havere unlocked, and two of their number began the attack. Auron Goomer, a negro, and another, seized in officer by name of Smith, who not having time d) draw his. sword, struck upon them with scab-
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bard and all, and while the scuffle was going on The guard named Roe, ran to the spot with his muskitte and levelling it at Goomer, shot him dead on 11di spot. Two balls passed through his head, his hinth was singed, and his brains scattered around ting shop. His comrade seeing his fate, returned to ley post. The courage of the rest "oozed out at theri "fingers' ends," for not one of them dared to sle from their places, although their shackles wela unfastened. Had a well concerted attack bede made and sustained by the rebels at this moment they would have commanded the prison in fivh minutes, and could have put to death every office and private in their quarters.
Three brothers by the name of Barnes, natives ( North Haven, were imprisoned together for th crime of burglary, in 1803. These were the mos active and finest looking men in the prison. The were very ingenious and adroit, and would con struct almost any mechanism required of them These were the fellows who planned the insurrec tion before spoken of, and they made the pewte keys for unlocking the fetters. They were experi enced in making keys, and could once, it is said open any store in New Haven; but their ingenuit at length brought them to an unfortunate place.
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The fact is surprising that the same three com- tted the same offence again, and were convicted 1 l imprisoned again just three years after ! These ha thers were regarded by the officers as extremely agerous, and for various offences in the prison, hy were kept bound with two sets of fetters hering the day, and also chained to the block, be- stes being sometimes chained by their necks to a ejam overhead, and at night they were put into eee dungeons, and their feet made fast in stocks. enOne of the convicts named Parker, had been fvnous for counterfeiting the character of priest. ice: had been known to have many violent attacks pretended piety, generally appropriating to him- sof the name and office of an unordained minister, theart which he managed with a great deal of os xterity, and commonly without suspicion on the eurt of his dear hearers, that he was an imposter. n's exhortations had been terrible to all stony hearts, mld where his preaching lacked mental light or ecric, he always had ready supply of bombast and dily contortions. ter
ri- Another game it is said he performed to admira-
idIn. When he could hear of the absence of a long ty t friend in a family, he would appear and claim
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the identical relationship himself, and act all 1pce tragedy or romantic pathos of a joyful return.
In one instance he claimed to be the stray h band of a disconsolate woman, and was receives by her with all the attachment supposable at stin a happy reunion. His real identity was not dn covered until in taking off his shoes, the lady : marked that he possessed more toes than belong to him - her husband having lost one by ampute tion ; he replied with ready adroitness that the loi toe had grown out again since his long absence This determined the question as to his identit and he at once received such a summary ejec ment, as is best administered by a woman of se sible spirit.
How astonishing such adroitness ! to be preach and "steal the livery of Heaven to serve the dev in ;" to be brother, son, or husband, and appearin more natural, so to speak, in a fictitious gar than in his real character. When his term service expired, and as he was passing out of th prison gate, one of the convicts exclaimed, "wo | the inhabitants of the earth for the devil has gon has gone out among them."
Prince Mortimer, a prisoner, lived to a very ad
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llt ced age. He died at the prison in Wethers- 1, in 1834, supposed to be 110 years old; he hyamonly went by the name of Guinea, which eivs probably given to him on account of his native SEO ntry. His complexion did not in the least belie dname, for surely he was the personification of yreness visible. His life was a tale of misfortunes, ng. his fate won the commiseration of all who utew him. He was captured on the coast of linea by a slaver when a boy; was transported nch filthy slave ship to Connecticut, then a slave titony, and was sold to one of the Mortimer family ec Middletown. He was a servant to different se cers in the Revolutionary war; had been sent errands by General Washington, and said he had herraddled many a cannon when fired by the thericans at the British troops." For the alleged me of poisoning his master he was doomed to rwgate prison in 1811, for life. He appeared a rmless, clever old man, and as his age and infirm- s rendered him a burden to the keepers, they fre- ently tried to induce him to quit the prison. Once took his departure, and after rambling around in rch of some one he formerly knew, like the aged soner released from the Bastile, he returned to gates of the prison, and begged to be readmitted
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to his dungeon home, and in prison ended his happy years !
Samuel Smith, alias Samuel Corson, a native of N Hampshire, while confined at Newgate for passsi counterfeit money, wrote an account of his car life, which was published in 1826. He sta many queer circumstances about himself and various paths of crime which he had follow through life. It appears he had been a recruit officer in the service, and was stationed at Play burg, N. Y. One of his pranks is worthy of bei recorded in his own words.
One evening, I, together with a number of nc commissioned officers, took a walk down town 1 our amusement, and on our return home, I saw a light through the window of a Mr. I.'s hous something laying very carefully rolled up, on table under the window. I also perceived th there was no person in the room. I now thinki to get something rare and fresh, in order for o suppers, lifted up the window, and on putting n hand in, felt by its ribs and size, enough to co vince me that it was a good roaster, and I of cour made it a lawful prize. Putting it under my co I said nothing about it to my comrades, until o
e
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val at my quarters, where I invited then to ept of some refreshment. After striking a light introducing a good bottle of brandy, I thought S le most convenient time to uncover my booty, rder to satisfy our craving appetites. At this nent, all eyes were gazing at the mysterious e, when lo! to my utter surprise and astonish- at, it had turned from a roaster to a (dead) colored 1. You can hardly imagine, dear readers, what e my feelings at this critical moment, not only h exposition among my fellow officers, nor dis- ointment in my intended and contemplated per, but also in the thoughts of robbing some appy parents of their darling child. I need not , that they had a hearty fit of laughter, at my ense, whilst my wits were all to work in order evise some manner of getting out of the hobble, restoring the infant undiscovered, to its proper mers. This I thought best to do, by returning hmediately to Mr. I.'s house, and in order to ac- plish this, I took it again under my coat and re- m ed to the main guard, to obtain liberty to return le village. On asking Lieutenant Ellison (who r's officer of the guard) he discovered something arte hanging below my coat, and insisted on wing what it was; when I had of course to N 0 a W t 0 f n
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reveal the whole secret to him; he also lauas heartily and told me to go on. When I retun to Mr. I.'s, the house was filled with both mer women, who, having missed the child, diddl know what to think of its mysterious flight. at first thought of leaving it at the door, but ing the numerous hogs in the vicinity would stroy it, I altered my mind, and taking it by heels, threw it into the room among them .. this crisis, how must they have felt, to see i appear amongst them, and feeling at the s time, the effects of innumerable particles of gi which flew in all directions over the room. Tİ screams were indescribable-by which, in a moments, not only the house, but the street filled with astonished spectators; all anxious know what was the matter. On my return ho I met many repairing to the house, and on so of them enquiring what was the matter up street, I told them that I believed there wa crazy man in the house of Mr. I. On arrivin the barracks all was still, and I heard nothing n respecting it for some days.
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