Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-08-31
A DARING ESCAPE AT SING SING.
Convicts seize n tug and Effect Their
Escape.


Convicts seize Tug and Effect Their
Escape.
An extraordinary affair occurred at
the Sing Sing Prison on Thursday last,
ut quarter before twelve. A tug
boot having a canal boat in tow, and
going north, was observed approaching
the prison dock with considerable ra-
pidity. The guard warned the pilot to
keep off, and the warning was needed,
apparently. Notwithstanding, the
steamer glIded close to the pier. I'M
mediately twelve convicts, as if under
standing the whole movement. made a
rush from their work, hoped ON board
the canal boat, and ran pell NELL over
1t to the tug and into the engine room.
The engineer was dislodged, and one of
the convicts went TO the pilot mousse and
took charge of the wheel. Immediately
the tug was headed for the west shore.
The alarm was given as quickly rs pos
! sible, and many of the regular prison
guards rushed toward the pier, aimed
their pieces mt the convict pilot, and
shouted for him to stop, but he crouch
ed down out of sight, and the vessel
still kept moving Word was sent To
Sparta, Il mile south, where Il sailing
vessel was procured and sent in chase.
The Childs, of the prison, also started
up the track to SIM Sing dock, and
got a sloop under way, filed with arm
ed men. One of the vessels
sent out to capture the convicts,
overhauled the tug near Rock
land, when the convicts took to small
boats i'll the vicinity, which some boys
had, and, rowing quickly TO the shore,
escaped to the mountains One of the
convicts got III boat with boy and was
pressed SO close that he seized the boy
and placed him before him SO that the
guard would not fire. The guard did
fire, not at the escaping convict, but
with the intention to intimidatc him and
cause INN TO surrender. He kept on
pulling instead, and reached the shore,
where he joined his associates.
Latin, inspector, states that the
convicts are now in the woods near
Rockland, and will be recaptured, as
they are surrounded. 1t is believed
this affair was planned two weeks ago
by persons in New York city. The
tug-boat WAS the Dean Richmond, and
the captain is A. NJ Norton. The en- |
gineer was Farrell. A boy was also on
board named Farrell. Both are under /
arrest. The tug left New York at $50 |
this morning. The captain says two
men hired him to come TO Sing Sing to .
convey n load of furniture to New .
York. They hired him for the
same purpose fortnight ago. She
came up, but after landing, the T
men said the furniture was not ready, I
and they would go back. They paid /.
the captain one hundred dollars on I
board the tug to-day. After the tug
was captured there were found on /
board conyicts' clothing, 4 number OF /
false whiskers and moustaches, and .
several revolvers, when were brought |
from New York. All the conyicts had I
ample time to change their clothing for
the suits brought up III the boat. AZ !
ter the tug left the prison dock, the
escaping conyicts cut the canal-bOat
loose, SO as to give more speed to their
vessel
As soon as the affair occurred, all the |
conyicts IN the prison were locked up, F..
and every guardsman was sent III pur-
suit. IL is believed that two of the men
who planned the escape are III the
mountains with the convicts. 1t is
possible that desperate fighting will .
take place in the mountains on the west
shore before the convicts are captured. |