The Borough Of Media.

The court-house served its purpose very well for a number of years, but by 1870 it was found that additional room was absolutely necessary, and preparations were made for meeting this need. It was not, however, until the summer of 1871 that definite action was taken in the matter. The commissioners then advertised for proposals for enlarging the court-house by the addition of two wings, each to be thirty-eight feet square and two stories high. About the middle of August the bids were opened, and the contract was awarded to John Hinkson, of Chester, his proposal for the work being twenty-nine thousand dollars, or nine hundred and fifty-nine dollars below that of the next lowest bidder. As a matter of curiosity, it may be stated that the bids were as follows: Taylor & Worth, of West Chester, $49,677; Staunton & McGarry, of Philadelphia, $40,000 ; S. P. Rush, of Philadelphia, $35,471.90 ; Churchman & Morrow, of Media, $35,500 ; Kirk & Henderson, of Media, $33,021 ; Isaac Worrall, of Media, $32,670.70 ; Simon Litzenberg, of Chester, $32,430; David S. Kendell, of Philadelphia, $32,500; Isaac N. Flounders, of Media, $31,903.64; Joseph Wells, of Thornbury, $29,959 ; John Hinkson, of Chester, $29,000. Chalkley Chalfant, of Media, contracted to do the painting for $1350. The work was duly performed according to the contract, and some slight improvements have been made upon the building since, rendering it a court-house of which Delaware County may well be proud.

An awe-inspiring incident occurred in the court-house at the March term, 1878. Thomas Townsend, of Lima, while passing along the aisle in the courtroom, apparently in the best of health, fell to the floor and expired instantly. The cause of his sudden demise was apoplexy.

A singular escape of prisoners occurred from the court-room on Dec. 3, 1883. John Williams and James Clark, who were on trial for burglary, as court was about to adjourn concealed themselves under a bench inside of the dock, and the sheriff absent-mindedly leaving the room and not thinking of them until he got to the jail, returned to find that they had fled the building. They were soon recaptured, explained their shrewd but simple means of making their escape, and subsequently were sent to the Eastern Penitentiary.

Concerning the history of the jail subsequent to its completion, there are a number of interesting items. It is recorded that on Tuesday, April 18, 1854, the last of several prisoners, who had for some time been confined within its walls, was discharged, and that for nearly a week the prison was without a solitary inmate, - a condition of things which seldom if ever occurs nowadays.

During the first few years after its completion escapes of prisoners from the jail were frequent occurrences. John Cope, a colored man, regained liberty by scaling the wall, on Aug. 22, 1851. Seven days later, Robert Lees hung himself upon the door of his cell by means of blankets torn into strips and twisted into the form of a rope. He was discovered by fellow-prisoners, who gave the alarm. He was taken down and handcuffed to prevent his trying further suicidal experiments. He complained of being deprived of his usual exercise, a privilege which the sheriff had deprived all of the prisoners of after Cope's escape over the wall. Thus the liberty gained by one man brought about more rigorous confinement of the many.

On Dec. 29, 1851, two prisoners escaped from the jail during the absence of the sheriff. One of them was recaptured, but the other, although closely pursued, could not be caught.

John Doughty not only escaped confinement, but passed from it into the great unknown; dying in his cell on Feb. 13, 1852. This was the first death in the prison.

On Nov. 30, 1860, David Mulley, who was imprisoned on the charge of attempting to shoot a man, escaped, but was recaptured. He was a desperate case, and made a second escape on March 6, 1861.

Christian Heff escaped over the wall on Feb. 18, 1861, by means of a rope made of blankets. Just before the prisoners were locked up he had concealed himself in the yard, and when all was quiet he managed to fasten his rope on the wall, and, climbing it, had only to drop down on the outside.

Three persons broke jail on Oct. 1, 1861.

James War made his escape March 24, 1865, and William Waln, a horse-thief, regained his liberty July 19th of the same year.

The frequency of escapes by prisoners and other causes led the commissioners to make improvements in 1868. One of the county papers thus speaks of the work in a July issue: "The prison at Media has recently undergone considerable improvement, an addition having been built of forty-three by forty-eight feet, the height to the square being thirty-eight feet. There are now forty cells, all of which are properly ventilated and secure. The iron-work of the prison was done by Messrs. Jaggers, Coverdill & Co., of