The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-25 00:00:00

TIIE ESCAPE OF A FE "lAN.

The Clon»zcl Chronicle gives the following account
of the recent escape of a Fenian prisoner from Clon'
mel Gaol :—" The prisoner, when arrested under 3
warrant from the Lord Lieutenant, gave his Bain°
as Charles Ausborne, but later inquiries discovered
his real name to be Laurence O'Brien. He had
been in the police force, was three years stationed
as a sub-constable in Kildare ; he is stated to
have been a man of great activity and intelli-
gence. After leaving the force, he emigrated to
America, where he remained until the early part
of this year. Since his return to Ireland sus'
picion rested upon him, and there appears to be
good reason for believing him to have been deeply
implicated in the Fenian movement. He went
through Fethard, Clonmel, and Cashel in company
with General Burke, of Ballyhurst notoriety. 10
his proceedings were closely watched, and at length
he was arrested, discharged for want of sufficient
proof, and re-arrested soon after under the Habeas
Corpus Suspension Act, and committed to Clonmel
Gaol. O'Brien, a most troublesome prisoner all
through, was confined in a cell from which it was 135'
turally believed escape would be impossible. Th°
walls of this cell are some sft. or 6ft. thick. Light
is admitted by a narrow opening, protected with
double bars of iron, set transversely and imbed'
ded with lead into heavy blocks of stone. Tb°
outer door was of wood, sheeted and cased With
iron; the inner, a heavy iron gate, both well faS'
tened outside with double locks and strong bolts and
bars. Into this cell the prisoner was locked on Wed'
nesday evening last ; and at 6 o'clock next morning
it was discovered that O'Brien's cell was untenanted.
The prisoner had succeeded in effecting his escape
in the prison dress. The lower half of the heavy
iron grating of the window had been cut through in
part with a file or some other instrument, the re'
minder being forced by some means from its
leaden socket, while one of the side blocks °'
limestone had been broken in two, and the loosened
part removed. The iron grating and broken
masonry were found in the cell, with the prisoner's
hat, which was filled with pieces of cement and
limestone ; also, a stout bar of iron skilfully sharp
ened at one end and tied round with cloth to PO'
tect the hand, and to lessen the sound while work'
ing. This bar was cut off from the iron suPP°ll,
of the metal stove pipe, which the prisoner had
found means to procure or remove from its place 3t
the end of the corridor while passing to his coil'
There were found in addition some two or three
pieces of rod iron, finely pointed ; a rude iron hair
mer, a knife, and a small coil of rope unopened'
From one of the remaining window bars a thin rope
doubled hung loosely, reaching Bft. down, outside,
the window itself being fully 301 t. from the wall
below leading to the main entrance. By this means
the prisoner is supposed to have lowered himself to
a level with the iron gallery, or passage from the
pressroom to ' the drop,' and, having been drawn
across, if he had an accomplice, or, which is Just
possible, having swung himself over the passan°
gallery—in which one of the sheets of the prisoncr,;
bed was found, with the ends double stitcbof
together—he scaled the railing, crossed the r°°
of the gatehouse barefooted, and got upon the
parapet of the outer walls of the prison, from which
it is believed he descended into the street, some 181 t.
or 20ft. by means of another rope, which was als°
found hanging from one of the embrasures."