Author:
Scott Marsh-LVGHS Founder
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Date Posted: 05:16:56 11/20/02 Wed
Author Host/IP: du01069.pco.ptd.net/204.186.1.69
Like I said in a previous post I have been researching the Molly Maguires and the handprint of the wall of the Jim Thorpe Jail very intensely and have come across a very important fact. Alec Cambell,the man who supposedly left the handprint on the wall was NEVER held in Cell 17 where the handprint is. On the night before the hangings two newspapers covered the story. One,the Shenandoah Herald listed the prisoners and told of what cells they were in,according the this paper,Cambell was moved from cell 8 to cell 10. The Philadelphia Evening Telegraph also has Cambell being moved,but from cell 8 into cell 14. That news was put out at 6pm and 12 midnight the night before the hangings. Cell 17 is no where near cell 10 or 14. Below is an out take of the article.
MArk here is the condensed version of the cell
story, all from the Shenandoah Herald, or Phila Evening
Telegraph.If you enter the Mauch Chunk prison at the main
entrance and look toward the far wall were the gallows was
built the cells in 1877 were numbered
thus:Kitchen on the left and the cells running along the left
side looking at the gallows are 1,3,5,7,9,11,13being
on the last one on the left.On the right side is
the office then cells 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 being the last
cell on the right.As you can see there is no
cell 17 on the lower tier in 1877.According
to the Herald on June 18, 1877 Campbell was located
in cell 10 on the right side. And O'Donnell was in cell 7
on the left side.All the other prisoners were in
the upper tier.On June 21, 1877 the Herald
reported Thomas Fisher's cell is not twenty feet from the
gallows.Also on the 21, the Herald reported that the prisoners
were all brought down to the lower tier.Jack
Donohue was taken from upper cell 21 and placed in lower
13.Edward Kelly was taken from upper cell 19 to lower cell
11.Doyle was taken from upper cell 20 to lower cell
12.So the night before the executions the cell
assignment according to the Herald is:All lower tire
cells:O'Donnell cell 7 Kelly cell 11 Doyle Cell
12
Donohue Cell 13 Campbell cell 10 being moved from
either cell 8 or 12.Then the Phila Evening
Telegraph stated:Campbell was moved from cell 8 to
14 Doyle cell 20 to 12Kelly cell 19- 11 Donohue cell
21 to 13 O'Donnell 7 cell.
And here is another article from the Philly Evening Telegraph....
June 20, 1877
About six o'clock last evening the four men were transfered to the
cells in the rear of the corridor in this order Campbell from 8 to
14, Doyle 20 to 12, Kelly from 19 to 11 and Donahue from 21 to 13
after the change was made the prisoners were shaven, and given the
usual prison fare bread and molasses and tea for supper. They were
waited upon in the evening by their spiritual advisers. Father M.R.
Bunce, of Mauch Chunk, Father E.V. McElhone, of Lowrytown, Father W.
Heinan of East Mauch Chunk, and Father James Wynne, Of Sumit HIll.
So there seems to be a discrepancy in the reports on the movement of
Campbell. The Evening Telelgraph states he was moved from 8 to 14 and
the Herald says he was in cell 10 on the right side ??? Either or if
you are looking at the gallows from the front of the prison he was on
the right side of even numbered cells not anywhere near the left side
were the hand print is located. According to the other report on the
other board he was in cell 10?? Cell 14 would be the last cell on the
right.
I emailed the Jim Thorpe Chamber of Commerce and the Jail itself a week ago. So far I have not been given a response. So,is this just a story to get the tourists into the jail??? One has to wonder.
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