The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-07 00:00:00

CAPTURE OF TWO CONVICTS.

A most daring escape of two convicts from a rail.
way train while in motion occurred shortly after
four o'clock on Saturday morning last, on tho Great
Western line between Reading and Twvford. It
appears that 13 convicts were under orders of re-
moval frum Dartmoor prison to Chatham, and they
were placed in the train in two lots, nine.bcing un-
der the charge of two officers, and the remaining
four with one officer, occupying two separate com-
partments in a second class carriage.
The convicts were fastened to each other by the
hands with the usual irons and chains, and they
were all orderly and quiet, nothing occurring to
excite suspicion that any contemplated effecting an
escape.
The train left Reading soon after four o'clock on
Saturday morning, and when three miles distant
from the town two of the convicts, named John
Brown and Robert Bevill, who were in the compart-
ment where there were nine, suddenly jumped from
their seats and leaped through the window of the
door, the train at the moment running at the rate of
30 miles an hour. The officers in charge were natu-
rally amazed at their intrepidity, but on looking
near the doorway it was discovered that both o
them had managed to slip the irons from offh their
wrists, and that therefore they were not shackled
in any way in their movements. The other convicts
,
did not exhibit any desire to be refractory o
the experiment of escaping not being onro which
they were disposed to adopt.
On the arrival of the train at the Slough station
the railway authorities were made acquainted with
the escape that had been effected, and as it was
Opposed that the convicts l-11ust.either have been
killed or injured the wheels of the carriages were
examined to see if blood was discernible.. None,
however, could be traced, and therefore it was ima-
ginedweere nothk.ill.ed,. but thadt. they
that they
Might have stistain d suc injuries as to Diable
them from getting f_ar away. Telegraphic mes-
f forwarded to the police, both borough
pa es were
:t Reading, and on Saturday morning
and county,
the chief constable 9f the county gave directions
.
tef 66 nten ito examine ti;: woods and thickets be-
tween Reading iifid Maidenhead. This order was
executed on Saturday and Sunday last, but with-
, opt any trace having been found, or any informa-
tion OThairied of the missing convicts. The police
of the borough of Reading were very active in their
inquiries, and had arranged.. for information to be
gi+o.ll to them in the event . of any strange or sus-
picions men being seen in the town.
Soon after the time for the commencement of
service§ tt the places of worship in the town on
Sunday evening, tWd men of remarkably strange
appearance and dress excited the suspicion of a man
passing along the Market-place. At once he pro-
ceeded to the polite-station, and the description he
gave to Sergeant Townsend, the officer in waiting,
led him to suspect that they were the men who
had jumped from the train. He hastened to the
Market-place, but the men were not there ; he pro-
, ceeded further, and meeting with Inspector Hardi-
man he communicated to him hit;
they both made off for the men. suspicions, and
The pfficers saw
them in the High-street, near the shop of
hair-
dresser; Inspector Townsend get in front of
f
then turned round, at once seized both by the col-
lars, and charged them with being
esceped con-
victs. Inspector Hardiman instantly
took charge
of Bevill, and Inspector Townsend held ti:.e other
prisoner, Jowl Brown. The latter made a niC.st
desperate resistance and used fearful epithets, say-
ing he wolild not be taken by one man. He swung
his arms about violently, andstruck the officer a fear-
ful blow on the left eye, but Inspector Townsend
retained his hold of the fellow. Police-constallle
Penner afterwards came up, and Brown was safely
lodged at the borough police-station. The man Bevill
at once admitted that he and Brown. were escaped
convicts and quietly walked to the station.
The policeman hero examined the convicts, and
Brown was found to wear a brown slop frock; un-
derneath this was a woman's old cloak and a shirt,
and when the latter was pulled off the Dartmoor
prison suit was visible. Bevill had only a smock
frock over his prison dress. This conclusively proved
that they, were the men who had escaped, and they
were then removed to the county gaol for safe cus-
tody.
When a remark was made that it was wonderful

they escaped without a broken limb, Brown replied,
" Ah, but it shook every bone in my body." Bevill
was not in the least degree hurt by the leap. They
admitted that after getting away from the train
they walked to a wood in the country, tore down
some branches from the trees, and covered them-
selves over for the day. At night they strolled
about, and when they got to a cottage they entered
and took the old hats and other articles of dress in
order to disguise themselves. It was their intention
to get to London, but they were afraid of going
along the turnpike road. They walked about until,
by roads they knew nothing of, they got into Read-
ing on Sunday evening. On Sunday the Berks po-
lice received information of a cottage having been
broken open at Woodley on the previous night,
and the articles found in the possession of the two
convicts answered the description of what was re-
ported to have been stolen.

On Monday morning the convicts were brought
up before Mr. Micklem and Mr. Morris, two magis-
trates for the borough, charged with having unlaw-
fully made their escape from custody. They wore
the Dartmoor prison dress, and when the evidence
of Inspector Townsend had been taken as to their
capture the magistrates remanded the prisoners
into safe custody at the county gaol, for communi-
cation to be made with the authorities.

Both were thoroughly unconcerned as to whrit
was going on ; and Brown laughed heartily when
the policeman described the dresses he wore over
his prison suit.