Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-05-11

JAZZ, DErzyERY:-Last night, about eight
o'clock, five negro men who have been incarce-
rated in the county Jail of this county, for some
weeks past, charged with being participants in
several robberies lately committed in this city,
and named respectively john Palmer, alias
sMosely, Overton Jackson, James Chapman,
John Turner aud Robert Coleman. effected
their escape, and were, at last accounts, still at
large. The manner in which they broke jail
was as follows: They were confined together in
a large cell on the second floor. In the wood
work surrounding the lock on the door Of this
cell they had burnt with a red hot poker a hole
sufficiently large to enable them to draw the
bolt. Between six and eight o'clock yesterday
evening they drew this bolt, and, emerging from
the cell, descended the stairs, and secrcted
themselves near the door of the main entrance.
About eight o'clock, Mr.. Archibald Fleming,
the turnkey, on opening this entrance door,
was instantly knocked down and run over by
the entire party, as was also the wife Of the
%jailor, Mr.. Padgctt, who had come with MIR.
Fleming to the door to lock it, after he had
entered, and making directly for the street
door, opposed only by a widowed daughter OF
the %jailor, whom they met in The passage, and
in whose hands one of them left his coat and
hat, in his efforts to break loose from the grasp
she had upon him, opened it, and were soon
lost 10 sight. As Mr.. Fleming was knocked
down he was cut on the hand, but not serious
ly injured, by what he supposed was a razor,
Intelligence was at once conveyed to the po-
lice and constables Of the city, and pursuit lm-
mediately instituted, and it IL reported that
three of the escaped prisoners were seen about
five 0 o'clock this morning, near the house on the
Fredericksburg road, formerly occupied as a
tavern ny Mrs. Cash, about four miles below
this city, with four officers on their track, one
mile behind them.
The Sheriff has, as will be seen by an adver-
tisement in to-day's Gazette, offered a reward
for the arrest of these thieves: and it's thought
they will be RECAP tured.
The following is the statement Of the %jailor,
Mr.. Padgett:
L SlClud NU " SlONh -. lh'r ]hi- -
jailor of this county, served out supper in the
iail. The prisoners who have escaped were
turned into their room. az usual. Between that
time and 8 o'clock, when prisoners are usually
put in cells, they succeeded in burning the
facing of the door in which the bolt of their
prison door is locked, and, in their stocking
feet, quietly descended from the upper story to
the front door; and when the turnkey, Mr..
Fleming, opened the front door for the purpose
of locking them up, they arose from their stoop-
ing position, unobserved, and made a rush,
knocking down MI. Fleming, and cutting him
on the hand with a razor, in the hands OF one
of them named Chapman. Mrs. Padgett, who
was in the rear Of MIR. Fleming, for the purpose
of locking the door after Mr.. f, was also
knocked Town by one of the desperadoes. Mr..
Padeett, in the room near to the door, hearing
the fall of Mr.. Fleming sprang to his desk for
his revolver, but, too late, his wife and turnkey
were PROSTATE, and the prisoners too far gone
This morning he called upon the j Justices COM
posing the Committee on Public Property, and
after an examination of the premises, and clio
iting all the testimony from the prisoners, have
given the TAILOR the following a. their opinion
Of this unfortunate matter:
We the undersigned Committee on Public
Property represent that we have this day ex-
amined the iail and the cell from whence the
prisoners made their escape, and find that The
escape was effected by means OF burning the
wood in the facing Of the door OF the cell in
which the prisoners were confined, suttlcIeht to
loosen tho bolt, and enable them to open the
door Of the cell, and thus placethemSelyes near
tho front door leading into the jail, or upon the
steps, which they could easily descend, and
with a sudden rush, when the jail door opened,
taking the iailor by surprise, and IN this way
made their escape, and we therefore cannot
find that there has been any darellclInn 81 duty
on the part Of the lailor.
SAM'L BEACH,, J. 2,
JOHN SUMMERS.
JOSEPH Cotton.