Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-01-26
JAIL DELIVERY.
Two Noted Burglars Make their Escape
from the StatiOnhouse.
They are Assisted by Some One Connected
with the Force.

Some months ago, our readers will re-
member, the house of Mr.. n. Dow, Secre-
tsry and Treasurer of the Dry-Doch. Com
psny, was entered and robbed of $500 in
money, and valuables 20 the amount of
two or three hundred dollars more. It
will also DO remembered a VIC pub
lished a statement made by one of the
burglars, afterward arrested, Of how he
was robbed by one of his pals" and left
penniless. The case was put in the hands
of detectives McCune and Connen, who
have since pursued 1t most indefatigably.
Day-before-yesterday they learned that
the robbers were In the city, having been
drawn hither, like the balance OF the
crowd of thieves and swell-mob now in
town, by the chance of plumber during
the i~nterregnum pending n installation
of the new police. They Immediately set
their lines for them, and succeeded in ar
resting them in Britton's saloon, a cellar
on Front Row, near Jefferson street, during
Monday evening. They proved to be the
notorious Tom Wilson, alas Smith, alas
English Tom, and Ben Sipling.
They were taken to the Adams street
station and locked up. We are informed
by detective McCune that orders were
given to have them placed in separate
cells; but instead of this, they were put
in a VIGOROUSLY insecure room at the head
OF the stairs together.
Yesterday morning when they were
wanted they were not to be found.
Al examination of the premises showed
that they had made their escape by pry-
ing off the boards, securely nailed and
botted over the transom, and forcing the
bars of the iron door leading into the back
yard of the -stationhOuse, (which is COW
cred, and is simply q room without q
hoor). They then leaped from the head
of the stairs (leading from this door to the
ground) on 10 the top Ofthe water-closets,
over which they walked to the rear wall,
which is of brick and eighteen inches
thick. This they dug through, and crawl
ing out of the hole dropped to the ground
in the rear of the building.
After a careful examination of the
grounds we assert, most emphatically,
that the escape could not possibly nave
occurred without the connivance and aid
of some one or more of the police force on
guard at the time. The thing is an abso-
lutte i~mpossibility, andshould beinstantly
investigated.
The boards fastened over the transom,
inside the building, could not nave been
removed without the aid of pow
erful tools, and the process of NOV
ing them must have made cOnsidera-
Bile noise. Not only that, but from the
manner in which they were fastened IN,
they would have to be worked at from
both sides. The prisoners could only get
at one side-VhO took OF the outside 6OHrd9
1t is not likely that any pals of these
men would dig through the back wall and
break into the s-tationhOuse to get them
out-and if they did, the work of cutting
a hole through 3 brick-and-a-hslf wall
must have occupied some hours, and
made q great deal of noise.
Again, the boards that we're forced of
the transcm Were nOUhere to be found
yesterday morning. l. it likely that the
escaping burglars would trouble them
to lug off two heavy pine boards,
each four feet long by twelve inches
broad. and two thick7 Il is suggested by
the detectives that they were burned in
the stove in the office. This Is the only
reasonable supposition in explanation OF
the matter.
Meanwhile, detectives Cornell and
McCune, who haYe spent so much time
and labor in running these ~rascals 10
earth, are much ohagrined and nettled at
this affair, and are determined to sift it to
the bottom.
While we wish to no do man an Injury,
and would suspect no man yrongIully, !
would still AJAX Chief O'Donnell to or
der a rigid examination into this affair.
Il Is the universal opinion expressed by
every n with whom we conversed yes
that the whole affair was planned
executed in the stationhOuse.