Conspiracy to Murder and to Break-out of the Co. Gaol Kilmainham. 28 Jan. 1832
Within these few days an alarming system of correspondence has been discovered by the active exertions of Mr. George DUNN, Governor of Kilmainham gaol, in progress between 18 convicts, (against whom sentence of death was recorded at the last commission) and 7 of their accomplices, who still evade the arm of the law. These men belonged to a desperate gang of house-breakers that infested the city and its suburbs, for many months past. Many of them were recognised in the dock as resurrection men, hardened in the path of nightly outrage and all of notoriously bad character. While the eighteen awaited in Kilmainham their committal to the hulk at Kingstown, whence they were to be transported for life, their comrades still at liberty, contrived to engage 2 individuals confined for debt in the upper rooms, to communicate a plan of escape to the convicts. The sister of one, named GRIFFIN, undertook to visit a debtor and to bring him a dozen small saw blades, which would all fit into the same small handle, also a couple iron ranters (bit and brace boring tools) hid in her stays, time after time; these the debtor engaged to hide in pieces of bacon and lower by strings into the day-yard of the felons range. With these tools they were at night to cut through the iron bars of one window. Those who escaped thence into the open range were to break open the locks of their fellow’s cells with the ranters all were then arm themselves with stones and with broken up staves and hoops of the water tubs, rush upon the turnkeys and murder them. SMITH, the chief conspirator, entertained particular spite against ALLISON and GILHOGLY and had obtained from the debtors by means the string, a cannister of snuff, wherewith if possible, to blind the turnkeys on the first assault. The tools, bacon, snuff, &c., were purchased by one of the debtors, who was allowed 2 pence in the shilling for all the articles he took the trouble purchasing and conveying thus to the convicts below. This is a man pauper, who experienced particular kindness from the governor during his confinement. His treachery is now justly punished by solitary confinement, with bread and water diet. The plan had proceeded some length at the time of detection. An iron window bar was found nearly sawed across and 9 saw blades, with their common handle were found hid in one of the chimneys; 2 of them broke in the work. SMITH became furious when detected and broke up all the tins, buckets, tubs, &c. he could lay his hands on. He had strong hopes of escape and had formed plan after plan to act on, if the first, second, or third should fail. If the debtors had not succeeded in conveying the articles to him, one of the outstanding gang was ready to convey the materials for escape to the convicts during prayers in the chapel on a Sunday. If watched too closely, it was arranged that a forcible rescue should be attempted from without. The plan was this; their 7 at associates large were to proceed to the house of Mr. SMITH, overseer of the public works at Kingstown, with which it appears they were well acquainted, rob it and with the proceeds purchase tools, ladders, and clothes, then attire themselves as officers of the police guard and at midnight walk separately up to the 2 guards on duty at Kilmainham, (one before the prison and one behind) and stab or shoot them. They had calculated all the chances and feared no detection from the first shot, if it were necessary, as the remaining guard would naturally imagine it had been fired by his comrade. Four or 5 of them were to scale the outer wall by rope ladders, descend into the yard by means of the ladders, get into the range, break open the locks of the prisoner's cells, with their ranters and so liberate them. During this attempt, 2 of them were to remain without on the watch, personate the prison guards and cry the hour. If all these schemes were thwarted, it appears the leader (SMITH) had 3 others, on which he intended to act 'seriatim' till he succeeded. After their removal to the hulk at Kingstown harbour he had arranged to provide new brogues for his comrades, between the soles of which similar saw blades were to be sewed, to enable them cut 1 or 2 window bars, drop into a boat kept on the watch to receive them and escape to land. If baffled in this also, SMITH had sworn all the convicts to attack the crew of the transport the instant they were put on board for the voyage. If any of their attempts succeeded, it was proposed to seize a small cutter lying in the harbour and sail for Holyhead - 3 of the 18 being sailors and able to manage for the rest. However, the landsmen wished to remain on shore and if observed breaking out, separate instantly and save themselves the best way they could. If on the contrary they escaped securely, they intended to proceed instantly to rob the house of Mr. H., the private entree, to which, one of them declared, was quite familiar to him. Finally, if all the previous plans failed, the 'master ruffian of the band' had also bound them by oath to mutiny on the passage. If prosperous, he intended to run off with the ship to the United States. We understand that full informations of the conspiracy have been laid before Sir William GOSSETT, by the high sheriff of the county. The affair has undergone a thorough investigation and great credit is given to Mr. DUNN, whose vigilance and sagacity anticipated the incessant ingenuity and desperate views of the felons entrusted to his safe keeping. They are now confined in separate cells, with every precaution that experience can suggest, until their transmission to the hulk and the convict ship, where clemency will be shewn them, by which any of their diabolical schemes could be carried into effect. transcribed by Teena from the Warder and Dublin Weekly Mail https://cotyrone.com/ _______________________________________________ UlsterAncestry@cotyrone.com UlsterAncestry Mailing List Searchable Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/ulsterancestry@cotyrone.com/ https://lists.cotyrone.com/mailman/listinfo/ulsterancestry Website: https://cotyrone.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CoTyroneIrelandGenealogy/
