Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-06-16

The NAILoR GANG AT LARaE-EscAPK OF
PRIsoNERs.-About nine o'clock last night
the guards at the Jail discovered that Ray,
Croggin, and Bailey, three of the gang of
burglars who were arrested about the time of
the escape Of Washington Nailor and David
Y. Moore, who was committed for voting in
several precincts at the last election, had
broken jail and escaped. They had been con-
nned In the northern cells of the Jail fronting
the high wall on g street. They got out Of
the cell and cut an iron bar out Of the win
dow, which let them into the yard. They
then scaled the high wall by means of a rope,
1t is thought. A party of men were seen
going from the wall in different directions, and
they are supposed to have been the prisoners
and their friends Information of the escape
was carried directly to Captain Mills and
Mayor Magruder, who Immediately stationed
the guards to intercept the fugitives should
they attempt to leave the city. A search was
also made at all the old haunts of the parties,
but they were no where to be found. 1t is
said Moore and smaller man, probably Bal
ley, were seen to leave Moore house on Eiev-
enth street, and take a westerly direction.
The police and court bailiffs were sent to the
different roads, but at the time Of writing this
no certain information relative to them has
been obtained. 1t is generally supposed that
they were furnished with the implements to
effect their escape by friends who had been
allowed to visit them at the Jail.
Since writing the above We have visited the
jail. The iron bar removed was the same upon
which Edwards operated when he attempted
to escape. The cut made by Edwards had
been covered, in repairing, by an iron socket.
The present cut is made near the intersection
Of the crossbar, and in such a position as to
escape notice, having. in addition, been appa
rently filed with bread crumbs. The process
of cutting has evidently occupied considerable
time, and was apparently done with a saw
constructed from knife blade.
They must have had key to FL the lock of
their cell, and to enable them to make their
way into the passage fronting their cells, as
tho lock Is uniDjured, and was evidently not
opened by force. From the yard they made
their way up the wall, at the southwest cor
ner, where it joins the Jail, by means of
rope constructed of bed -ticking; then crawl
Ing along the wall to the northwestern corner,
they let themselves down to the street by a
rope attached to the top of the wall by hook
which implements were evidently provided
from without, as nothing of the description
was obtainable in the prison.
The prisoners were first discovered as they
were creeping along this wall by gentleman
by the name of Reed, who lives opposite the
Jail. Mr.. Reed saw six persons getting down
the wall, which shows that assistance was af-
forded from without, as only four prisoners
escaped. Mr.. Reed Immediately gave notice
at the Jail of the escape.
The guards on duty were Messrs. Waugh
and Latruite. They had been through the
prison and examined the cells Just previous to
the escape of the prisoners, and found them
apparently asleep fifteen minutes after, the
prisoners were discovered to be gone.
An examination Of the Jail shows its miser-
ably rlcketty condition, and we do not wonder
that 1t has been indicted by the Grand Jury.
Last week, the prisoners committed on suspi-
cion of rObbing Mr.. Denton S. Porter, at
Wrenn's hotel, made an attempt to escape,
and with common knife made in a short time
formidable hole in the soft brick-wOrk of
the wall Of their cell; they designing to make
their way into the female quarters, and from
thence into the Jail yard The guards, how
ever, heard the noise Of the cutting and frus-
trated the attempt.
Three of the NailOr party, viz Belt, Steele
and Demaine, remain in Jail
The TESTIMONIAL BENEFIT to Mr.. George
hunkel, at the National Theatre to- night, will
no doubt be largely attended, as Mr. K de-
serves bumper. Our crowded columns pre.
vent more extended notice, but the mere
announcement should be sufficient to fill the
house from pit to dome.
WATCH RETURSs.-The report of the east
ern watch house shows but a single prisoner
last week-Chris Goodwin, workhouse. No
prisoners at the western lookup.
Sunday morning: 4. Edgar, drunk and dis
orderly; wOrkhouse thirty days. j G. Rust,
drunk; do. Tobias Williams, (colored, } drunk
and disorderly; security and cost Terence
Boyle and John Ready, riot; Jail. Jno o.
Dryer, disorderly in the street workhouse
Rod do 10