124 ECHOES OF OLD COUNTY LIFE. 



into three dormer-windows of the servants' bedrooms, 

 which opened on to a gutter over the gaol-yard. When 

 Mr. Sheriff came into his house, he, with his eldest son, 

 both courageous men, rushed up-stairs, and on going into 

 the attics found Saunders had reached the top and was 

 already in the gutter, while three or four other men 

 were swarming up the impromptu ladder, and would 

 soon have been alongside of their leader. Young ]\Ir. 

 Sheriff grappled with the leader, took him by the collar, 

 and attempted to drag him in through the window, 

 when the scoundrel, finding his case hopeless, determined 

 to kill both himself and his captor at once, and, seizing 

 Mr. Sheriff by his coat-collar, tried to spring over the 

 low parapet down on to the paving-stones below ; and 

 thus would have dashed himself and Mr. Sheriff to 

 pieces. Fortunately he slipped into the gutter half 

 over the ledge, and hung almost in mid-air till some 

 warders managed by main force to drag both men into 

 the room through the window. Saunders still fought 

 most stubbornly, but was at length overpowered and 

 secured with strong handcuffs and fetters. 



In the meantime, by vigorously pelting those on the 

 temporary ladder and those below with brick-bats, the 

 mutiny was overcome and order restored. It was be- 

 lieved that Charlie Lynn, the Whaddon Chase murderer, 

 had given private information of the intended outbreak 

 to the governor, but had not known how soon it would 

 be attempted. Saunders, who was a good-looking young 

 man of about twenty-four years of age, had been a valet 

 and gentleman's servant, and was tempted and led into 

 evil by bad companions and gay living. He was con- 



