Evening star., 1863-03-28
LOCAL NEWS.
ESCAPE FROM JAIL.
One OF the Fusitives Seized.
Ingenious Mode of Escape.

This morning, Mr.. Roberts, one OF the
guards of the Jail, was going his rounds, he
discovered the legs of a man protruding from
q hole " hIch had been made through the wall
beside the window on the east end opening in
the corridor in front OF the cells on the north
sice OF the building and east of the stairway
lie Immediately seized the would be fugitive,
and on pulling him back, found that he was
John kiiroy, who was committed TO jail on the
18Th OF December last by Justice Clayton, for
larceny, and who had but few months TO
serve.
On getting him inside and making examina
ton. Mr. r. discovered that the cell door was
standing Il little open. but that the other pris-
oners IN the same cell wefe asleep, or feigning
To be so, and calling the othcr guards, MeSsrs
Lockhurdt and Thomas means were at once
taken to secure them, the cell being locked,
and the irons with which klroy had been
fastened to another prisoner named William
Hardie removed and new ones placed on him.
On looking among the prisoners who re-
manned in the cell, it was discovered that Har-
die, and another convict named William A.
Tompkins, had escaped through the hole INTO
the yard, and from thence over the wall by
means of rope made of their bedding, to which
a brick had been attached and thrown over the
wall.
lead, ingeniously margined with thin splints
OF wood, so contrived as to cause the key to
work in the lock without noise. Another larger
KEY. made for the back door leading into the
yard, but which did not fit and which doubt
less had been made by friends Of the parties,
was found near the cell. There Were also
found several rough iron knives, probably
smuggled to the prisoners by their friends,
with which they cut the hole, but no traces of
the file or saw by which the irons coupling
Hardie and hilroy were cut. Kilroy had,
when Mr.. Roberts drew him back, his shackles
yet hanging to his ankles.
The guards had been on their rounds through
the building about an hour previous, and found
all quiet, and the wall through which the hole
sfe
Hardie is an English burglar, about IS or 50
years of age, and was committed by Justice
Thompson some months ago for breaking into
the store of Claggett d May, where he had
piled up large lot of goods selected for re-
moyal.
Hardie was ont of Jail but short time this
morning. for, as he was passing through the
Center Market, doubtless looking for convey
ance from the city in a country wagon, he was
met by roundsman Shield, of the Third Ward,
who arrested him. He was sent to the Central
Guardhouse for greater security. He sho wed
a savage temper when seized, and vowed ven
geance against Shield for arresting him.
VIM. A. Tompkns alias Lagrange, (who is
yet at large,) was committed some months
since for stealing q watch at Willard's Hotel.
and made an attempt once before to escape jtii
by knocking down one Of the guards while
going his rounds, for which he was sentenced
to six months in Jail In the larceny case he
in the penitentiary He had nearly served
out the Jail term. He is French Texan, and
was in the seceSh service, and before his
rest was presented by the secesh women of
Baltimore with a silver-mounted cane. as a
mark of sympathy for him as rebel sufferer.
He is five feet four or five inches tall, stout
built, round face, long light hair combed back
over his head, and light moustache, and bears
considerable resemblance in cOuutenancs to the
late John G. Calhoun. In a recent fight with
a prisoner he had an eye blacked He is be-
lieyed to have been the principal worker in the
party, having sometime since got the jailor to
transfer him to the cell with the others, IN ot.
less to work with them in the attempted es.
cape. N~a#t
-o--
DESCENT ON THE "BRIoK."-Last evening,
Sergeant Clark, with the police of the Sixth
Ward, acting under orders of Superintendent
Webb, made descent on the som.wh noto.
ri0rs brick house situated at the corner Of Pa.
ave.ue end Ninth street east willis ayht
was going on between about thirty citizeas
and soldiers. Whan the pulice entered. there
was a general ske6addling of the visitors the
citizens and soldiers veing with each other as
to who could make the best time. Three SOL