The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-10
CITx1NTRLLIGENC NCR.
A LEAP FOR LIBERTY.

OUurIey,, Harris Escapes from the Custody of
the Uhief and Three DetectIves-A FriahttuI
Leap In the Dark from the Lightning Kx-
press Train.
In proof of the old adage, "There's often slip
'twiXt the cup and the lip" we have to relate
circumstance that is sadly discomfting to the
police force of Philadelphia. This is none
other than the escape from the custody OF an
official quartette of Mr.. "Curley" Harris OF
whose arrest in Plttsburg, and the process by
which he was remanded into the charge OF the
Philadelphia authorities, we gave yesterday
full description.
II will be remembered that from fear that he
might be liberated by the Pittsburg justices
upon some legal technicalities, Chief of Police
ST. Clair A. M1lhollaud and Detective Gordon
rushed to the Iron City in a specially chartered
locomotive, and when arrived in its depot drove
in hot haste to the court just in time to defeat
the stratagem by which Mr.. Harris sought his
liberty. When in the custody of the Chief, De-
tectives Gordon, High Constable Mutt, and Spe-
cial Officer McCarty, "Curley' was hurried TO
an eastern-bound express traln que III ty thls clsy
at $40 o'clock this morning, which came rush
ing here at the rate of thirty miles an hour.
That "Curley" should not escape after the
great task of arresting him, the officers took
turns in guarding him; and from what we are
about to relate, the reader will discover how
lust the smallest evasion of a duty will often
work an almost irreparable evil. Detective
Gordon, on the route from Harrisburg to this
citv. kept watch upon Mr. Harris and, for the
purpose of placing his escape beyond perad-
venture, put one of the steel bracelets upon his
right wrist and the other upon the left wrist of
the prisoner When about twenty-five miles
from this city Gordon was relieved by McCarty,
who was instructed to use the handouts in like
manner. But, probably deeming this a useless
precaution, since the train was flying at q ter
rife speed, he placed the handcuttS on both the
wrists of ''Curley."
AS they were rounding q curve, few miles
west of Paoli, 'Curley" arose and went toward
the closet, without arousing any suspicion. At
that moment the swaying of the coach threw
omen the door. and ,"quick as thought" the pri-
soner rushed out upon the platform and jumped
from the train. At this desperate man9uvre the
officers for moment, sat stupefied. McCarty
broke the silence by hurrying out upon the
platform. He looked back, but looked into an
inky darkness, and then calculated "Hes
gone" The train was stopped as quickly as
possible, but not until 1T had gone more than a
mile from the spot where "Curey" had made
his terrific leap. The detected officers hurried
back in the darkness, casting on either side OF
the track eager, searching glances, to discover,
as they perhaps surmised, the mangled body of
the daring fugitive AS they went stumbling
along, one of them kicked something soft He
stopped down to feel it. Pardieu it was nothing
but McCarty's hat, that had blown Oft when he
leaned out from the platform to discover the
prisoner. They hunted long, long while, but
found no 'Curley," and finally the Chief had to
leave his three assistants to continue the search,
while he went to the nearest telegraph station
and sent out messages to have all the roads
guarded and extra precautions taken and then
took the fret train to the city
When he arrived at the West Philadelphia de-
pot he found the trusty Detective Haggerty in
charge of q posse OF Reserve officers, who had
by the Mayor been detailed to receive the crimi-
nal. Their eXpectant countenances assumed an
indescribaby woe-begone appearance when the
story of the escape was detailed, and they all
came slowly to the Central Station, sadder, per-
haps wiser men.
No news of "Curleys" rearrest has yet been
received,