Madison County, Indiana - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 7 of those read), 1897

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 7 of those read)

The jail mentioned in the preceding chapter, like the one that preceded it. in the course of time became insecure and inadequate, and from motives of economy and other considerations it was considered advisable to dispose of it as advantageously as possible and erect a new one. Accordingly in 18S0, the old building was sold, and the Commissioners purchased the site of the present jail, at the northeast corner of Eighth street and Central avenue, the consideration being $] ,400. A frame dwelling occupied the lot and this was .sold and removed. Notice was dul\- given to architects inviting them to submit plans and specifications for the new building and at a special session of the Commissioners' court held October, 1880. T. J- Tolin & Son, architects, submitted a proposition to the Board, which, after due consideration, was accepted. Notice was subsequently given to contractors and builders of the intention of the Board to build a new jail, and that bids for the work would be received on the 11th of February, 1881. On that day the Board met and opened the bids, which were three in number. It was considered that the bid of W. H. Myers & .Son was the lowest and best, and they were awarded the contract. They agreed to erect the building according to the plans and specifications for !i!17,989 and gave bond for the performance of the contract. The building was completed in 1882, and has been in use ever since. Although tliere have been several escapes from the jail, they were not on account of its faulty construction, but rather the result of negligence on the part of those having the prisoners in charge. The first escape was eft'ected through

The Cunning Of A Wom.Vx

An accoimt of which \vill be found, not only interesting to the general reader, but may be of benefit to those who are placed in charge of criminals.

the son-in-law of Philip Kellar, a saloonkeeper at that time on the south side of the scjuare in Anderson, shot and vvounded a negro who had assaulted Kellar. The grounds upon which Kuhn justified the act was that his father-in-law was a cripple, one of his arms being paralyzed. Kuhn was arrested on a charge of shooting with intent to kill, and not being able to give bond, was placed in jail. His wife, to whom he had been married but a short time when he became involved in the difficulty, was very attentive to his wants and was a fre(|Uent visitor at the jail, often taking him his meals. Randal Biddle, who was sheriff of the countv at the time, had known Mrs. Kuhn from her infancv and being naturally greathearted, svmpathized with her and permitted her to visit the cell where her husband was confined whenever she asked permission. Kuhn had been in jail probablv a month wlien his wife called at the jail one evenintj in company with a young negro about the size of her husband. The turnkey was requested to let iicr and the young negro \'isit her husband in his cell, and as siie had been in the habit of enjoving that privilege, the request was granted as usual. Mrs. Kuhn and her negro attendant had not been in the cell but a short' time until they appeared at the circular cage and asked to be let out, which was promptly done by the accommodating turnkev. After getting out of the cage and into the jail office, Mrs. Kuhn and her companion lost no time in rjuitting the premises. The turnkey thought everything was all right until about two hours after Mrs. Kuhn's visit, when the negro who had entered the cell with her was heard calling upon the turnkev to be released from confinement. As soon as the turnkev sa%v the negro be realized the situation and at once communicated the fact to the sherifl' that Kuhn had escaped. Mrs. Kuhn had gone to the jail with a box of blacking and after she and the young negro, whom she had br'.bed of course to act as she directed, entered her husband's cell, at once prepared for his escape by blacking his face and otherwise contributing to a "make up'" that resembled her negro companion's apjiearance as much as possible. Her scheme was successful and the escape of Kuhn was tiie reigning sensation in Anderson for weeks after. Mrs. Kuhn's conduct, while reprehensible perhaps from the standpoint of law, was very generally applauded. She was indicted for conspiring to liberate a prisoner but her attorney succeeded in having the indictment against her '-quashed." The voung negro who so materially iissisted her in her plans was iield in custody for a while and then liberated. Kuhn escaped and was gone a year when he was arrested one night on a train at the Crossing as he was attempting to pass through Anderson on his way to Chicago. lie was afterwards sentenced to the Michigan City prison for a term of two years on a plea of guilty to the charge against him and seryed his term.

The First Prisoner

In this connecion it may be mentioned that while it is no part of the purpose of this \vork to give the names of persons who have been imprisoned in tlie jails of Madison county, it is permissible to state that the first person to enter the new jail as a prisoner was William Hudson, a well-known character in .Vnderson at the time it was completed. "- Bill." as he was commonly called, had been arrested for some slight misdemeanor, intoxication perhaps, and was boarding out " his fine, when the inmates of the old jail were transferred to the new one. When he was informed that the prisoners were to be taken to the new "-cooler," he requested of Captain Coburn, who was at that time deputy city marshal of »\nderson, under Marshal Augustus Heagy, that he be taken to tlie jail first as he wanted the "' honor" of being the iirst man to enter the institution as a prisoner. The officer gratified Hudson's ambition, and he therefore enjoys the distinction he so ardently coveted.

I He New Court House

As stated in a previous chapter, the burning of the old court house lendered it necessary for the Board of Conimi>- sioners to adopt measures looking to the erection of a new building. Long before the old building was destroyed, the matter of disposing of it and the erection of a new one better adapted to the times and the needs of the county bad been discussed and it seemed to be the general desire of the citizens of the county that a new temple of justice should take the place of the old one. There were therefore, \er\ few, if any, regrets when the old building burned, and had it not been for the destruction of many valuable records and papers in the clerk's office its loss would have been hailed with feelings akin to joy by a majority of the people of the county, ratlier than sorrow. The old court house had answered the purpose for which it was built fairly well but it had become antiijuated and while improvements miglit luive iiddetl to its conveniences they could have contributed nothing to the beauty of its appearance. The progress tiiat had been made in the development of the county and the improvements that had been made in its immediate surroundings emphasized the importance of having a new place of justice that would Ije commensurate, in some degree at least, with the greatness of the couiitv and the " new order of things." With the old building out of the ^vay therefore it was evident that the hope which so many had long entertained would now be realized and thai a temple of justice would be erected worthy of the county. But to erect a building such as the people demanded required time and money and the Board of Commissioners went about the work deliberately. The Board met in special session the day after the court house burned and took immediate steps to provide offices for the clerk and sheritY and also a suitable room in which the sessions of the Circuit court could be held. Rooms were rented in what was then known as Westertield's hall, and the clerk's and sheriff's offices were moved to the new quarters. The late Edwin P. Schlater, on account of his familiarity with the court records and documents of the clerk's ofhce, was appointed special commissioner to look after the damaged records and papers and see that as many of them could be saved and restored to their proper places and files as possible. This duty was discharged acceptably by Mr. Schlater and it was through his instrumentality that many valuable documents were saved from destruction.

The sessions of the Madison circuit court were held in the hall of the Westertield block on North Main street for a number of terms, when the Commissioners rented the upper rooms in the Hannah and Boring block on the north side of the public sc[uare, and the Circuit court was held there until the new court house was completed - a period of a little more than four years. The clerk's and sheriff's offices were also removed to this block, which made it more convenient for litigants, members of the bar and everybody having business in the circuit court.

The Commissioners prepared for the building of the new court house by levying a light tax upon the taxables of the county, and, after duly advertising for plans and specifications, on the 8th day of February, 188'2, the plans presented by architect G. W. Bunting ^vere accepted. Notice was given that sealed proposals for the work and materials would be received at tlie auditor's ottice on Monday. March 27tli, 1H'<'2, and on that date the record shows that the contract was awarded to McCorniack & Sweeney. Their bid was $15l\(l<l(), and. althouirh there were other bids, and one for a less amount by several thousand dollars, their proposition was regarded as the best presented. They began immediatelv, with a large force of laborers, laving the foundation of the building. J. E. Redmond superintended the work for the contractors, and Xeal C. McCullough. since deceased, looked after the county's interests as local superintendent. There was no interruption in the work, and it progressed as rapidly as was possible until the day designated for the laving of the corner stone. This event will be considered in the following chapter.

It may be mentioned here that as soon as the stone began to arrive for the new court house the little brick office building in the south-east corner of the s(|uare, reference to which was made in a preceding chapter, was vacated bv order of the commissioners. This building was erected in the good year lS4'.t - the vear of the American Argonauts who flocked to California for gold like those who sailed with Jason after the golden fleece - under the supervision of George !Millspaugh, William Sparks and Robert N. Williams, who were appointed for that purpose by the Board of Commissioners.