The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-22 00:00:00

CLEVER ESCAPE FROM PRISON,

The Dundee peepers give particulars of the clever escape
from Dundee prison already noticed. The chief actors are
David Jenkins and John Milton, who were tried at the last
circuit court, and sentenced to 10 and 8 years' penal servi-
tude respectively, the one for assault and robbery, and the
other for theft. About half-past 1 o'clock in the morning,
as the night watchman was looking mound him he observed
that there was something wrong with a flower-pot near ono
of thewalls of tbe court buildings. Suspecting that all was not
right an examination of the prison was made, and cell No.ll
where Jenkins and Milton bad been confined, was found
empty. Milton--who had twice attempted to commit sui-
cide while he had been confined in gaol, was kept handcuffed
as a precaution against his being able to do anything to in-
jure himself, but Jenkins was allowed the free use of his
hands. On an examination of the floor being made
(the cell being next the ground) it was discovered that
one of the flags had been raised. This stone was of im-
mense size, being 5 feet by 2f feet, and three inches thick.
This stone lay immediately above pelt of a tunnel which
was constructed some years age for the purpose of supply-
ing the ceps with fresh air, and from this tunnel the
air was conducted to other cells by a series of branches.
The mouth of the tunnel was situated in the courtyard.
The tunnel was searched, and in it was found a poker about
three feet long, and its broken and twisted condition suffi-
ciently testified tl had been the instrument the prisoners
had used as a sort of lever to rais Oho stone. The prisoners
had gone into the tunnel and c. awled through it to the end,
and, clearing away the earth which stopped the opening with
their bands or the poker, Lad gained recess to the courtyard
of the prison. It cannot be conceived how Milton, hand-
cuffed as he was, could have gone through the tunnel, unless
Jenkins had dragged him. They bad next proceeded to the
back of the Court-house Buildings, and by means of the
stanchioned windows which immediately adjoin the prisou
gate wall it is supposed that they gained its top. To
enable them to reach the ground in safety, the rope
attached to the flagstaff on the top of the wall had
been brought into requisition; but, as it had broken from
the strain to which it was subjected by one or the other,
it is evident that ono of the prisoners must have been in-
jured. The spot on which the prisoners alighted was
covered with small stones, and those were found, after the
escape had been discovered, to be smeared with blood.
Drops of blood were traced in a continuous stream along the
whole length of Bell-street, Panmurc-street, eowgate,
King-street, and a portion of Priecu'e-street. The pol er
with which the prisoners bad raised the stone in the floor
of their cell belonged to the prison, and was used in con-
nection with one of the stoves that stood in the corri'or.
The handcuffs which Milton wore were found within a
pond enclosure in Douglas-street, lying on a bank. The
handcuffs had Leen filed off 'Milton's wrists, and it is t up-
posed that he or sonic ene else on his behalf had thrown them
over the wall, intending to consign them to the bottom of
the pond, 1 ut they had aligtted on the lank at the side of
the pond instead.