The Express.
London, England, 1861-08-19 00:00:00

DARING JOICAPE AND itsoaprums.

A daring and succeed ul attempt at escape wax
made at Chatham, ea Thareky, by a coovict named John
lffseillum, who was undergoing a sentence of eight years'
penal servitude at the Chatham convict establishment.
From what has transpired sines the pica of serap_e was so
eucceisfully naiad out, it would seem that
who, although only 18 years of is described as being
an adept in crime, was employed age,
at the extreme and of
Chatham dockyard near the river, with a few other pri-
soners, their work being that of removing mud sad earth
on the bank of the neer. Only a short time ago Hamlin=
attempted to make his escape while employed in Chatham
dockyard, and actually sormeeded la baffling the officers
for some time, until afterwards discovered am far from the
spot where he had disappeared. Skim that NEW he had
been, until a week or two sines, working is chaise lieseeth
his dress, but his period of punishment hoeing expired they
were remove', and he was allowed to work the same as the
other convicts. On Thursday Small= determined on
spin attempting his escape, and there is little doubt had
admitted some of his fellow-prisoners into the secret of his
intentions. Daring the instant that the vigilance of the
convict gthrd in charge was relaxed by his attention beige
to divmied some of the other convicts, Macallum
away from his pin`, passing round by a barge near he
was at work, and beneath a small landing Jetty. Here he
contrived to change his convict dregs, but how he sue-
needed in obtainiog a fresh supply of clothes is one of those
mysteries which would appear to be insoluble except to
convicts themselves. That be had procured some fresh
clothes, however, is certain, aa some porticos of his convict
dress were left behiod. The prisoner then crawled SW
sone timber, of which there is an immense quantity at that
part of the doekyard, and before the convict warder would
appear to have Memos aware of his being miming he had
tieversed • eeneklerable emu in the dockyard, and is believed
to have pined thraagh • door in the marthousemaredy ever
used, this was afterwards timed open. He then seesoded a
pile of timbers, one of which he raised against the booadary
wall, by which meths he reached the top. Althoegh the
part of the wall on which he now was almost faced the con-
vict prison, he dor riot appear to have been peresived
any of the officiala of that establishment, and,
be dropped from the wall to the ground. As he was m-
ain( away, neer the soldiers' rifle.gronnd, in the direction of
Bromptoe, he woe seen by a girl, who had observed him let
himself down by the wall. The eoeviekhowever,iinnsectietely
disarmed her suspicions by asking her who was the neared
&seer, as a policeman had met with a dreadful accident
is the dockyard mid was pearly killed, and he had been
ilhosted to get over the wall lied run the nearest way for a
esegeem Lull= then ran off towards Gillingham, but
cars Initheliathly afterwards mimed. A search was then
ugh far him, sell Sergeant Lawton. of the detective
1+ eel aerosol of the minims tamed oat to sour the
asighbetwhood be elect his capture. After tracking hint as
fee as' all traces of him were lost, and although
the dame meshed in the neighbourhood all day,
esereling the esubeeds, telekdelds. aed hlm=
ef meld be elenieL IntelYgemes a
usage, with a delortgalan d Ids appearasee, was directly
eslograpbed te every prbelpli Ms in the Idea, aid •
reward el 51. tarsi far bin eigtare. late as night
thehmaged meths was sue watering the Mtn of Dartford
by Sergeant Cloddish, of the Kest manty raise. who balm
dhaely arrested heeling Milled be was the man for
whom march was being mils. Whoa impliered, 11111111111E111
Was the treseen in which he waged made end of the
Ithekees sugheil Me the prises= far their hosidieg. He
wee le he shit demo, the later gem being went as a
beet He shied that slam bin amps he bed emu shah
the Mau" these abase to aveid hang seem Oa Satur.2ll.2a
he was mph sehly lodged is Ift. Marfa prime, and
a frees be suit his pinioning kw bees at large, ig.h...as.
sput ahem. the whole of hie life la prime, and before bis
mr"matease bed midergene tear yam? meal servitude.
penal servitude was awarded him for
tee smoothed by him ha Iloothed.