New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-03-20
THE REVOLT AT SING SING.

The prisoners engaged in the revolt at the
State Prison at Sing Sing have.a been recaptured and
returned to the prison Lockwood Gtds ONei who was
regarded the rngeader In the daring attempt to es
cape from prison shot by one OF the
guardsn the effort retake him He now lies in critical
condition and his recovery is regarded impossible
Believing he near his end he yesterday volunteered
statement in regard 90 the part played by each Of the
cOnvcts in the revolt Of Thursday morning in which
he admitted that he OF the leaders In the at
tempted escape which resulted in the death Of OF the
keepers, aud the incentive to another effort
ending In the serious woundlng OF q number
OF other persons He said that neither he Of his
companions attended or desired the death OF any OF the
officers OF the prison. He dlscaimed having assisted in
gaggng Mr. Craft and said that this done by Decker
and Burns. Muller and Mulrey did not enter into the
plot of their WILL but forced to take part in 1t
by threats made by O'Ne and the Others. oNeil said
that as all Of left their cells at the time to
the cOOkroOm together they wanted the whole party
take part in the emuete and when these two men hesi
tated join them he and the other two declared that nm
less Muller and Murey changed their minds be would
put knife into them" The CorOners jury which held
an inquest over the the body Of Edwin
Craft concluded their Investigations very lato
on Thursday night finding that MIR. Graft died OF
straDgulation from gagging, and that Sowden dhds
Decker Lockwood alias O'Nel and John Burns had III
directly caused his death. The Jury also found that
Henry Mulrey and Henry Miller accessories The
other prisoners wounded in the fight board the soop
Exchange Improving and In fair way OF recovery
1t intention Of the authorities TO have the prisoners
indicted before the Grand Jury OF Westchester County,
and those engaged in the ARRAY Of Thursday morning will
be tried for manslaughter
One Of the interesting features connected with
tets revolt escape and recapure is the statement OF Mn
Alfred Lawrence, Constable OF Tarrytown, who has
often before assisted In the capture OF escaped con-
viots aud is thoroughly oOnyersant with the
WAYS Of the class. Soon after the escape OF
O'Nei and his companions, Mr.. Lawrence was ad-
vsed Of fact by telegraph Hesmparted the news to
some OF acquaintance and at started the
hills on the lookout for the c0nvicts. Among Others, he
made know the fact to Capt Storms OF Tarrytown who
spoke Of 1t to his two sons Caleb and George Storms
These young men had persons lurking about
their fathers barn in the morning 1t being then about
o'clock In the afternoon and at once went to the barn.
where they found Burns and Miller. Neither Of the
vcts made any resistance, and wero arrested by the
young men, by whom they taken 70 the office OF
Squire Mann IN TarrytOwn. On the way the way they
met Mr. Lawrence who put handouts the prisoners,
and aerward conveyed them TO the prison. When they
had been returned and secured officer Lawrence wen 70
look after the other escaped cOnvcts first going TO Mr.
sormss barn where Burns Miller had been captured
He reached the barn about dark, where he found
Capt. Storms and number OF other persons,
among whom Charles Sullivan, one OF the guard OF
Of the prison Storms atonce addressed himself TO the
officer, saying Lawrence wevo got one OF the men
here and Sullivan has shot him" He then went on TO
say that he had come the barn and In the
floor the others remaining outside. oNel came out OF
the hay and said Captain I'll surrender to you" To
this Capt. Storms replied, "Come down and do So"
While ONeil was coming ont OF the NOV, Sullivan en-
tered and said the prisoner "God damn you III shoot
you" The prisoner threw up both hands, saying "For
Gods sake, Charley, don't take my nfe" But Sullivan
fred and o'Nel fell wounded in the abdomen, After
shooting him. Sullivan rushed upon him and kicked him
on the neck and body and then ordered the prisoner TO
dress Although past recovery from the wound and
loss Of boOe ONe able to put on his clothing with
out assistance and walk into the village He
sank 60 rapidly however that lie had to be conveyed
to the prison in wagon and yesterday he was himself
convinced that lie was dying. The rough language I'D
dressed TO the prisoner by Sullivan and the apparently
needless shooting after O'Nei had surrendered to
another man. II left without explanation would DO ex-
ceedingy reprehensble. Nc charges have been made
against Sullivan, and 1t is claimed that the act Is Justified
by the people the village and is not complained OF by
the prisoner himself BY way Of explanation or Juscs
tion however asserted that when the convicts es
capped from the prson they had taken with them TO
yOlyer belonging 10 the guard who had been killed. and
OEel being regarded the leader OF the party
il was believed be had the weapon In his posses
SION In coming out OF the hay the prisoner held his
right hand behind him In such as to induce suli'
van TO believe that he intended using the pistol,
and as he raised his hand when In the act OF
jumping out Of the the guard fired, as
he believed, IN Selfdefense 1t is further
claimed that In dealing with desperate men
like OEei the greatest preoaution necessary TO
them from taxing the lives OF their captors and
that in such opportunity their part to COM
NIT murder Is almost equivalent to the act The pistol
which was from Craft has not been found aud 1t 70
About osScf IN TSa-ay Evening Mr. Lawrence left
Tarrytown and went gown the turnpike taking with
one mile below the village they waited In the road for
the other prisoners MulveT and Decker who were still at
4
that 1t useless to wait longer as II seemed unlikely
that the convcts still in the hills, or would pass
that way they But Lawrence insisted that he
knew the Of the escaped conycts that they were
point "As soon as the moon goes down." said
asy % be 90 Soo5 the after P sne he Ssa
noise as OF walking over the frozen EARTH and ws
per1g 10 Bas u.s. Are coming ne prepared 0d
their pnson clothes gnmvIiDs through the dark
and was able to distinguish the those whom he
wanted One of them endeavored 70 conceal his prison
dress by wearing horse blanket which they had stolen
from Mr.. Kennin's stable near Iarrytown. Mr., Law,
and his companion allowed the eonvcs 10 come up
attempting to stop them AS she officers rushed out
aT Ssn thss told BSshei to take care prisoner
while he went in pursuit Of Decker who was running
sSGeS his p s& 0sh Thought Decker
Soon tSroW uS his hands and submitted 70 the ace
les Both prisoners were then taken to pug
Sing they kept at the hoe In the village uLt morn
Escapes from the prison at Sing sing have recently be-
come 80 e9mmon as to excite much comment ana give
FebrTary and previous 10 this escapade ony one prs
got outside OF the prison walls II IL DO proper 70
has no walls in the in which these things are usu
ally spoken Of as applied to prisons TGe MALLS arc %as
approach the prison and have communication with the
Of the Village and the Villagers feel sufficient in
the prisoners TO be almest considered part OF te mail
tuition Last night the revolt was talked over az family
the street, WltneRreht