The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-15 00:00:00

ESCAPE FROM THE COLCHESTER

BOAOUGir GAOL:

(From the Essex Berard.)
On Sunday morning considerable bustle and con-
sternaVon took place in the town in consequence of
the extraordinary escape from the borough gaol of
the prisoners, Geo. Partridge and Jas: Greelograz.s,
two members of the London swell mob, who Were
remanded on a charge of being,concerned in steal-
ing a canvas purse, containing between 51. and 61.,
from the till iu the shop of Mr. Geo. Cant, fruiterer,
Wire-street, on Thursday week. The Mayor gave
strict orders to the gaoler to keep the prisonar epa-
rately, and not to allow them to hold any coenmu-
nication with each other. They were accordingly
kept in different cells, but complained of want of
airing. Mr. Harvey, the gaoler, released them both
from the cells for that purpose about ten minutes
past six o'clock on Sunday evening, and allowed
them to walk in the large yard together. Shortly
afterwards Mr. Harvey hearing a noise found it to
proceed from a deserter, and a boy, prisoners
in the cells, who exclaimed,' " Them two
fellows are off !" meaning Partridge and
Greengrass, whom they heard scaling the high
walls of the gaol. Information was given to the
police, who upon going. round to St. Runwald's
churchyard, in Angel-lane, behind the BorOngh
Gael, discovered Partridge resting behind a tomb-
stone. 'He appeared to be suffering, as if stunned
irom,a fall, and was immediately conveyed Vack
to the gaol. ifs companion, Greengrass' had ef-
fectually made his escape, for although the borough
police were despatched in all directions, and Many
of the inhabitants were actively searching lerennd
there, he has not since been seen or heard
of. Mr. Turner, assisstant to Mr. Nunn, surgeon
to the borough gaol, was called in to Partridge,-
whose head was stunned, face bruised, and arm
much swollen from his fall. On examination it was
discovered that the prisoners bad made their eaeape
from the gaol in a most daring and extraordinary
manner. Partridge, a rather tall and muscular
young man, had, it appears, pushed Greengrass,
a small but very active young fellow, up -the
high perpendicular door of a dust-bin, over
winch hung a revolving chevaux de frise, oa
to which ho somehow suspended himself.
From this height of at least twelve feet, he was en-
abled to pull up his companion Partridge, when
they both got over some lattice brick-work on
the top of a high wall, which cleared them of the
gaol, by admitting them to the roof of
the Adjacent Blue Boar public-house, Angel-lane,
whence they slid down the tiles and fell about twelve
feet into St. Itunwald's churchyard. Greengrass
being light and active, escaped, it is supposed with-
out injury, but Partridge, who was a taller and
much heavier man, injured himself in the,. man-
ner described, and prevented further escape, other-
wise, as he afterwards said, " he should have been
off." Superintendent Dunn, by desire of the
niayor, was iu London on Thursday and Friday, anal
succeeded in ascertainingthat prisoners belonged to
a gang of the mess expert swell • mobsinen in, the
neig ,bourhood of Whitechape', Kingsland, and
Elaggerstone. The superintendent also diseovere I
that the female to whom Greengrass directed a
let er since his inca'ceration in the borough
gaol, was a notorious prostitute. Mr. Dunn put
himself in communication with the police of the

metropolis of that locality, and Lim no doubt
that during this week he shalt be able to gain
the whole of prisoners' antecedents. Although
their escape from gaol undoubtedly detrac•s from

the merit of their original capture,. it is fully ex-
pected that Greengrass will soon be retaken, as his
escape has been telegraphed to Loudon, and,every
nook and corner of this town and neighbourho3d
is under strict police surveillance.
Yesterday (Monday) the prisoner Partridge
was placed at the bar before' the Mayor, and J.
Mann, Esq., at the Town Hat), when he appeared
extremely crestfallen at his capture. Superintenclea t
Dunn handed to the mayor a loiter he had
received from the police authorities at Cardiff,
who denied 'all knowledge Of prisoner, who pre-
viously stated that he came from that town.
The evidence of the prosecutor and witnesses was
now read over to prisoner, who was committed for
trial at the next borough session. Prisoner wit ti some
emotion) denied all knowledge of Greenp.rass, and.
asked to be permitted an interview with his wife

iu attendance, which was granted him. He was
afteiwards removed by the two o'clock train tl
Springfield gaol for safe custody to await his trial.