New-York tribune., 1869-05-25
THE BUTCHER,CART ROBBERS

STEPHEN BOYLE, SENTENCED TO FORTY YEARS
IMPRISONMENT, ESCAPES FROM SING SING
NO HOPE OF HIS RECAPTURE.
Within only a few days past the escape from
Sing Sing Of Stephen Boyle the alleged Kalamazoo mur
derer ana the leader Of the wellknown gang OF
"ButcherCart Thieves" has become matter OF pubic
comment although there is reason TO believe that has
long been known in certain circles. When the escape
occurred is not yet positively known, nor can any OF
those not thoroughly initiated IN the mysteries OF sing
Sing manag cement Tor nismanaecmenp tell how IL was
accomplished Certain it is that the bird has hown'
RovIe then known only as Edward Francis arrested
early in the evening Of February 1869, in secondaye
by Roundsman Maoney and Officer DOran OF the -Four
teenth Precinct Police. The former while standing near
the corner Of the Bcwery and Sprngst on tho even
ing in question, two suspciousoo men stauu
ing in front OF the jewelers. store Of Mr. s p Squire OF
No lS2 Bowery the window OF which there was most
tempting display OF valuable gems and jeNelry. The
rouudsman Judging from the actions and appearance
of the men that they about 10 break the window
and rob the store resolved 10 arrest them. Cautiously
screening himself behind lady, who was passing ut the
time he got within few feet OF the confederates when
he was discovered and they took TO their heels turning
the corner of springst Following them at full speed.
the Roundsman them getting into butcher cart,
which stood near corner he seized Boyle by the Leg
but the thief too strong for him. and succeeded In
entering the cart which then driven up the Bowery
at furious rate the driver seeming to have been fully
prepared assist in the escape Of his confederates As
the cart dashed Off followed by the Rouudsman, Boyle
rose from mis- seat and steadyng himself as well as pos
sble fired shot at the pursuing officer Fortunately
the ball did not take effect Nothing daunted by
this attempt on his life, Roundsman Maloney
still continued the pursuit. sounding an alarm
as he ran. He was Joined by Officer
Doran and the chase continued. Turning of the
Bowery at HoustOnst., the thieves dashed mady on.
until at secondave the cumsness Of tho driver or the
~ fIa
into collision with car and overturn. The driver ana
Boyles other accompce (name unnown) cleared them
selves from the overturned cart and escaped but Boyle
was not so fortunate The officers who had witnessed
the accident arrived just in time TO arrest him. and con
yeyed him IN triumph to the Police Station subsequently
an examination Of Mr. squre's premises was made, and
on the pavement front Of the show-wndow there
found bag containing a and large piece OF iron
On the succeeding day Boyle taken 10 Police Head
quarters where he gave the name OF Edward Francis.
Unfortunately for him. however, Detective Bennett Of
the Central Office recognized him, and Identified
him as Stephen Boyle, notorious Eighth Ward thief, and
man who had long been known as an interruptions tool
IN the hands Of certain politicians. lie also Ieo6E
nzed as the alleged murderer q sheriff QTcntt u Koa
eheape from prison 9g ING light q Dec 8 is61 Boyle
wac known y Mleg9n 5 GHs ShaW ana % Snasr tHss
and cutthroas Of that State. Early IN December 1861
he and Hugh DalTagh, noted western ,r,lIar Gnr'
glar, were convicted on charge Oh pnikwy'
and sentenced TO q term IA stato Prison; Ir!,on;;
up IN the County jan AT kaalnazoo HAVING De3n Io
yided by DdTTaghs outside friends with tools ana arms,
the deperate prisoners the night Of Dec ., ehecicd
their escape from me PRISON. buI were seen Jus o'e t
of the walls by Sheriff Orcut This 0cer attempted 10
rearrest them when Boyle, drawing from his breast
pistol which he had concealed there fred several shots
at him, iHIctuG wounds which subsequently, caused us
reward Of 800 for the apprehension Of either OF thon
and within three months Darragh arrested ~ this
mazoo tried. convicted and sentenced 10 the State
Prison for life Unless the State Prison AZ jackson
"A ltpft. .NUl0
Sing Sing appears TO be- there Is every probability that
this notorious thief undergoing the punishment which
Boyles history between December 1907, ana Febrn.
ary, ls69 Is one tissue OF erm,s ranging an ae way @
ceny He was principal IN the robbery OF the WI
Bank messenger hOut Two yeaih ago. WIFI
carpctbag containing over $4,000 was stolen lie was
implicated ~ the robbery OF the messenger oi he Bans
of New-Iork, ON winch occasion tlOO1Go lh bl.i, ana
returned 10 superintendent Kennedy lie
the mga%ay SoCSr % wS @ and n Se 6e has Az
In at least twothds Of the heavy transactions In
years What his political history s there no need to
ask. That he was repeater an Elghth ward rough,
slug" "buly," and political hack" for political
bscks less scrp1ious or more tmOrOus than himself
ell known aud that he useful TO his friends his re-
cent escape 10 held by many 10 prove beyond doubt His
connection with The butcher cart thieves whose success
fui and bold operations during last Winter excited so
much comment, gave HIM great influence among crlm
nails OF all classes, and this Influence he used during the
last campaign with mastery effect
the arrest although the prisoner ayowedy held to
await requiston from the Governor o! Michigan That
TegusitiOn came, and with IL Michigan officer, but
although the charge OF murder pending against the
prisoner IN Michigan, he tried IN this city for minor
crlDe, or fbiher iOf series Oh crimes, hnu
was sentenced 10 forty years imprisonment
The Michigan officer carried home with him the assuring
intelligence that his State might have possession OF the
prisoner after he had served out bs term At Sing Sing
Inc judge In sentencing Boyle recapituated few OF
his many crimes delivered an eloquent address on the
enOrny OF crime in general ana the crimes OF Boyle In
particular, alluded patnetcay to the evil OF permitting
criminals Of Ls audacy and long experience TO remain
at large TO prey upon society, ana hhaIy
admuistcrcd o the heaviest sentences recorded In
Newly Ork Count lOr many year. There was great re-
iocinR over this sentence. The newspapers gOrcd IN
The sTctnes display ed by the upright judge aud alto
geher BOyle's tral and conviction dd 10 Teassure
tine public as To the possibility Of Furnishing criminals
than any recorded ofa NewYork judge. During
tho week In which Boyle was tried and for short period
before aud after, the Criminal Court news eagerly
scanned, and on nearly every day some astOnishingy
severe sentence was recorded sOin0 criminal who had
often before slipped through tine taoDs Of tho law with
as much as though he had been one OF Mumlers
spirits, receiving only suglt reminder mat he had
gone TOO far" was sent 10 work out long term In the
service Of the State. Tic hydra-headed were
satisfied They felt that the recurrence
of such fearful crimes the Rogers
murder forever provided against They felt secure
attack tho highway robbcr. But they knew not
tho insecurity Of Sing sing, their scfcongistuauon
Eouil have been shortliIcd They did not appreciate
the fact that gratitude has existence among politicians
as we'll as other classes did they consdcr that iu
dcial proceeding may easily be diverted from its original
purpose and becOIVe actual blessing % its supposed
victim Now tnat BOYLE has effected his escape from
u lhe strongest prisons In the land, without leaving
fgn and without the fact apparently becoming known
nnul weeks after lis occurrence the question recIs:
HOW was the escape enected, ana who cOnnycd at M
ANOTHER CONVICT ESCAPES FROM SING SING
A female convict named Riley made her escape
from sing Sing Prison shortly before "a o'clock Sunday
capacity Of nurse II ia supposed that SHE crawled up
LoIgh the tEyigt and then let herself down by the
nghhg ROD outside TO tile ground. She was rot missed
nltll o'clock yesterday morning, when the guard was
turned out to rearT0st her.
------------
THE sTASToNsT. TRAGEDY.
i'm ~ 10 a