The news of his presence traveled the length of the offices on the
inside of the big structure, and here there gathered in the warden's
office the following officials and visitors: Deputy Warden W. Grayson
Urner, Capt. Ed. S. Randell, Guards John C. Campbell, George C. Gumm,
James Corrigan, and John P. Hickey, Jail Physician Dr. D. Kerfoot
Shute, Dr. H. I. Sout, Dr. T. Sullivan, Clerk J. Fred Harris, and
Messrs. Robert R. Mahorney, Theo Judd, Frank Jones, David M. Proctor,
and John T. Ward.
Houdini was invited to examine the cell arrangement and was shown first
to Murderers' Row, which is in the south wing and comprises seventeen
cells, containing Walter H. Hamilton, sentenced to be hanged last
November, but now living through stayed proceedings; Richard Chase,
sentenced to twelve years for manslaughter; Thomas S. Whitney, John
Mercer, Edward Ferguson, Jeremiah Donovan, and Henry Gaskins--these
having been indicted for murder, their alleged crimes being still fresh
in the public mind; also James A. Backus, the alleged money-order
raiser, and Clarence Howlett, sentenced for housebreaking.
[Illustration: Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1881,
by
C. M. BELL
in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
GUITEAU, the assassin of President Garfield. Houdini escaped from the
murderer's cell in which this assassin was secured.]
Houdini was chiefly interested in cell No. 2, the one occupied by
Guiteau, and presumably the safest of the lot, although it was from
the outside of this cell that "Avenger" Jones shot into it in his
effort to kill the assassin. It now holds Hamilton, who is alleged to
have smothered his wife to death and then sat all night beside the body
of his victim, indulging in a drunken orgy. The officials say that he
is one of the most orderly prisoners ever out there. Howard Schneider,
who murdered his wife and her brother, and Shæfer, the murderer hanged
a short time ago, also occupied this cell.