Caldwell County MO Archives History .....TROUBLES AT THE OLD CALDWELL COUNTY JAIL 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 4, 2008, 12:57 pm

TROUBLES AT THE OLD CALDWELL COUNTY JAIL
	Narrator:  W.W. Clevenger of Kingston

     The first jail in Caldwell county was razed 1891 and the present one was 
built.  Mr. Clevenger's father was sheriff in the earlier days, and he himself 
was deputy, so he knew many incidents connected with the older jail.  The 
first jail was finished the end of 1869, the first prisoner was a man named 
Martin charged with murder but freed of the charge.  D.P. Stubblefield, who 
died 1834, and for years was known as a Republican leader, was the first 
sheriff in this jail.  J.W. Harper, a farmer living west of Hamilton the next 
one, L.B. Clevenger (father of William W.) was the next, followed by D.A. 
Glenn, W.W. Clevenger, William Brown and others.
     Prisoners those days used to dig out pretty regularly.  When Sheriff 
Brown was in office, a prisoner asked for a razor to shave, and then used it 
on the sheriff to effect the escape of all the prisoners.  When they were 
recaptured, they henceforth made their toilets without a razor.
     When Mr. Clevenger's father was sheriff, some prisoners took out the pump 
tubing and hammered it into balls.  Then they tore up the jail blankets and 
were going to use sling shots on the sheriff and his son W.W. the deputy, when 
their outfit was discovered.
     When Sheriff Brown was in office, he had four noted horse-thieves once in 
jail.  He heard a rasping noise one night and knew they were sawing out.  
After awhile he detected where it was and told them to stop.  He was there by 
himself facing four desperate men.  He had a revolver, but he was almost at 
their mercy should they attack.  Just then W.W. Clevenger came into the 
corridor and Glenn felt mightily relieved, for they could not attack two men 
armed with revolvers.  


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