Trewman's Exeter Flying Post - April 7th 1796.

"Friday last Thomas Wilton, alias Mountain, was executed at the Drop over the Lodge of the new County Gaol, pursuant to his sentence for robbing the house of Norman MacCaslin, at Plymouth Dock, of 3 pair silver shoe buckles, one pair silver knee buckles, and sundry other artcles... SInce his confinement he has several times attempted to break prison, and (after his condemnation) he made a hole through a brick-and-half partition, large enough for him to pass into the Chapel gallery, from which he astonishingly ascended into another ten feet above, with fetters weighing nearly 50lb, and so formed as not to permit one foot to step six inches before the other. Here he broke through a plaster partition, and thus got over the general brick ceiling of all the cells, and immediately under the roof of the whole building, where he was overheard and soon secured. Searching him, a hooked nail and a bit of tin plate where found. This bit of plate he had wetted to a very keen edge as a knife to cut up the floor canvas cover of his straw-bed into long strips. These he had twisted and strongly tied together, so as to form a very stout rope, nearly forty feet long, whereby he intended to have made his descent from the roof into the surroounding yard. He was afterwards confined in a room on the ground floor so chained he could reach no wall, and a guard constantly with him. Since which his conduct has been a mixture of rage and dissappointment, very unbecoming his unhappy situation. He was brought on the platform about twelve o'clock, where he spent some time in addressing the crowd; after which he twice called out aloud, "God Save the King," threw aside his book, and was launched into eternity."