Secured in this manner we left him, and on the 6th of April found his neck-chain parted again. I then replaced it with a strong ox-chain about seven feet long, firmly stapled to the timber. The next morning the gaoler informed me that from the uncommon noise he made in the night, he was convinced he must be loose from some of his irons or chains. I then concluded that he must have broken his steel fetters, as I judged it impossible for human strength or invention, in his situation, to break either of the ox-chains; but to my utter astonishment I found the ox-chain parted and tied with a string to the staple, his handcuffs, fetters, and log chain having remained uninjured. We fastened the ox-chain to his neck again, by driving the staple into another link. After this, he remained more quiet, his wrists having been much galled and swelled by his irons, and bruised and rendered sore by his exertions to free himself from them.
At this time I received a letter from the Clerk of the Circuit, of which the following is a copy:
St. John, March 15th.—Dear Sir,—At length I enclose you the precept for summoning a Court of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol Delivery in your County, on Thursday, the 20th of April, for the trial of the horse-stealer—I also enclose a letter from Major King, for his saddle, stolen from him at the same time.
Yours, &c.,
Ward Chipman.
To Walter Bates, Esq., High Sheriff.
After this our prisoner remained for some time rather more peaceable, and amused himself with braiding straw, which he did in a curious manner, and made a kind of straw basket which he hung on the partition to contain his bread. Sometimes he would make the likeness of a man, and sometimes that of a woman, and place them in postures singularly striking; discovering much curious ingenuity. At this he would amuse himself in the day, but spent the night in shouting and hallooing, and beating the floor with his chains.
On entering the gaol, we discovered the image or likeness of a woman, intended to represent his wife. He had it placed in a sitting posture, at the head of his bed, with the New Testament open before her, as though reading to him, while he sat in the attitude of hearing with serious attention. I was induced to look into the New Testament, and found it open at the 12th chapter of St. Luke, and the leaf turned down at the 58th verse, which read as follows: “When thou goest with thine adversary to the Magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.” It would seem as though he had intended to represent her as reproaching him for his escape from the constables on his way to Kingston, while he would defend his conduct by referring to the above portion of the Scripture. He produced many other likenesses, which he would place in different significant postures manifesting the most remarkable ingenuity and invention.
A special Court for his trial had been summoned to meet at Kingston on the 20th of April; but it was postponed until the 4th of May, on account of the ice having remained unusually late in the river, as will appear by the following letter:
St. John, 5th April, 1815—Dear Sir,—I have received your letter detailing the very extraordinary conduct of the culprit in your custody. There is certainly a mystery in this man’s means and character, which is unfathomable, and I fear there will be considerable difficulty with him on the trial. Your vigilance and exertions of course cannot be relaxed. As the best thing to be done, I dispatched your letter, without delay, to the Attorney General, that they might adopt, at Head Quarters, any such measures as they might think expedient for the further safeguard and security of the prisoner.