The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-01-14 00:00:00

INSPECT
THE VARIED A
CHANDELIERS, P

ND ANTS, and other GAS

FITTINGS

Displayed in the Show-room of
WILLIAM PENN SMITH'S BRASS FOUNDRY

26 and 28,jerESSTREE7
(Tw• Doors fr

atom of Duke-street,)

advantage of choice

Ndie but experienced Gastittera employed

ESCAPE OF ROBBERS FROM CARLISLE GAOI

Between three and four o'clock on Saturday morning
John Thompson, William Mounsey, and Thomas Pin-
nick, three desperate characters, who (along with another
man named William Graham) were committed about six
weeks ago to take their trial for highway robbery and at-
tempted murder, made their escape from Carlisle gaol by
a well planned stratagem. Three of these fellows have
been previously convicted more than once. Their con-

duct, when examined before the ma

strates at the Town.
re. They had robbed

was of the roos

and their violence on the occasion was such that they left
him in his cart apparently dead. He, however, recovered.
Ever since their committal to gaol Graham has been
subject to epileptic fits; consequently, the surgeon or-
dered that he should sleep in a cell with two other pri-
soners, whose duty it was to take charge of him during
these attacks. He was at first separated from his fellow-
offenders, but since the sessions, which were held last
week, there were no other untried prisoners remaining,
with the exception of one ; the governor, therefore (who
is prevented by law from placing convicted prisoners

long with those who have not yet been tried), had no
to place one of his own party with
th the untried prisoner already

him, in connection
alluded to. On Friday morning this man object
to remain any longer in the same cell with the two
highway robbers on account of their extreme wicked-

of their comp;nions with them, thus Making a party
of three. Owing to an uproar shortly after two o'clock on
Saturday morning, the night watchman (John James)

went to the governor's bedroom window and sta-ed that
there was great shouting and knocking in ward No. 4,
and that he thought Graham had another fit. The
governor accordingly gave him the keys and a light to go
into the gallery and ascertain the tact ; he went to the
door of the cell in which the three robbers were confined,
looked through the keyhole, and. seeing the other two

prisoners holding Graham, inquired
amiss ?" One of the party replied,
. .

make haste and open the door ; the f
Knowing that Graham was subject to fits, he incautious_
opened the door, and introduced his light, though
against his instructions, which are never, under

is dying

any circumstances, to enter a cell _
No sooner had he opened the door than he was seized by

1 himself.

the throat by

,hrown upon

every resistance, but all wa
Mounsey civilly said to him, '

of no aveil ; moreover.
If you don't be quiet d--

sharply, it willbe worse for y

but if you are quiet

. _
you are only a working man like ourselves, we won't im-
brue our bands in your blood." The three robbers then
left the cell, having locked in it the watchman, who still
shouted. but could not be heard from the go
room. They then liberated their

.rnor's bed-

was locked up in another cell, and the four immediately
proceeded to plan means for effecting their liberation.
They first procured a plank, which they fixed upon the
spikes of some railings bordering the south wall of
the prison;_ they next carried off a short ladder used

by the night watchman for lighting the lamps. This
they placed upon the plank, but as their machinery was
still defective they secured a long towel, which proved
very useful. The towel was handed to Graham, who

(being the tallest man) mounted first, and with difficulty
got upon the wall. The other prisoners, assisted by Gra-
ham with the towel, were then pulled up one by one, till
the whole four were perched upon the wall like so many
cats. Their next business was to descend. They ac-

opposite side of the wall ; the towel was again brought
into requisition by Graham, who let the other three
down till they reached the top of the ladder, which
they descended with comparative ease. When 14founsey

reached the ground he threw down the ladder and shouted
to Graham (for whom they all appeared to entertain
a great dislike,) " Stick there, you b-y skylark."
The three men then made off as quickly as possible along
the Caledonian Railway, and, according to Graham's
statement, ran in the direction of Ravenglass. Graham
not being able to help himself either in one way or an-
other, sat upon the wall for at least an hour, when he
called a watchman, telling him that all the prisoners were
escaping. and that he believed they had murdered the

night Watchman. The governor was instantly aroused :
he ran out half naked. and saw Graham upon the wall.
Several watchmen now entered, and one of them, holding
up his baton and pointing to Graham, exclaimed, " Come
down, you villain, or I'll blow your brains out." " Oh'