Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1859 — The Auburn Prison Outbreak. [ARTICLE]

The Auburn Prison Outbreak.

Agent and Warden’s Office, ) Auburn Prison, Auburn. March. 20. ’59( 10 llis Excellency Edwin I). Morgan, Governor of the State of .\ew I ork. Honored Sir: It becomes my painful duty to announce to you, that a disturbance brokeiut in what is known as the II line hop, in this I < ison, yesterday afternoon, by the reins il of a number o; convicts to permit the officers to take out . r punishment, a black min named Ca?s„r. To have permitted ihid to succeed would hive been fatal ton. t.rnly all order in that shop, but in the entire pr Bon. On being informed of this st.iteot things I directed several < f the gu ird and such k eepers as coul be spared train citit v. to*arrn themselves with muskets and revolvers, anl g> to the scene of disturbance. I was-in stroll?- hope that this demonstration Wouidi awe them into obedience. On reaching the shop I found niativ of the men armed with h tmtners ami various implements, ami ev dently prepared to reais’. I give ord rs th it all the convicts in the east end of the shop, should go to the west end except the .negro I'ajs ir. .Most of th- ni obeyed. In .ibouta minute the negro rushed to go past, with a hammer in one hand a*td a long, sharp iu-trument in the other, and when imar the prim-ip H keeper, threw the’ 11 immer, wounding him in the !ie.,d. [ ~r . dered .in I entreated the convicts to go B ick th it there was no harm intend -d them if they desisted and permitted this min to be arrested; but to n > avii). Th-y nude;, general attack upon the officers with missiles, chairs, benches, and w-iatevi rth yc<>uid 1.. y hin is upon. This could not be permitted, and it became my pnn'iil to ord. r the’ guard to fir •. In the im lee, three wen'shot d '.vn two ol whim have since d edjt.he other, the negro (';e - r (being .-ii hin the thigli) will ree iv.-r. All wa - peace diitely alter the tiring- end'd; and it gives ne pleasure, to say ttl.it til- IIITI in tile uther sh >p.- bdiiv d admirably; mH. a word or look was shown to evince .any disapprobation of tin* act. \\ e l ib trod under great disadvan' iges for the want <>f g ,od guns. Some of the muskets sn.pped anl would not go ofi’. This fed tile m ‘il to in-li w” ’ft it it was only a si un, an I til <t the guns w<re nit io .did. 1 ais gre it :y emb ddened them in‘their acts ol i-nsubordin ition; by this, too, liie principle inlanders escaped. I hive sent to the A ijut ui'-G -neral i<><- s >me more guns and •pistois. Tn ■ glims ought to b‘ repeating ones and trie pistols revolv ts. I trust we will have 11 1 use am trie.n, but it b com -s n ‘Ccs.-ary to be prepared for the worst. f will semi you tiie evidence taken before the Coroner’> in pm-t a so mas completed. \'■.-ry truly, your friend.

THOMAS KIRKPATRICK.