The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-08-18
extraordinary Escape of ConyICls
From Sing Sing,

'''" SISG, y. e, August l.,
An eAlrSofdnary atlir occurred at
sing Sing Prison to-day. At llI5Gclork
u tug boat hsving canal boat in law STJ
going north, was observed apnro,rh;nT
The prison dock with considerable r,MiJi,
E. The guard warned the boat to keen
off, and the warning was hceded anpar.
emily, Notwithstanding lhc steamer rIllcI
close 10 the pier. Immediately tweIvp
conyicts, as Il understanding the whole
movement, made rush from their WORK.
eHped on board the canal boat, ami ran
pell mel over 1t to the tug and into tAe
engine room The engineer was ii3lOlgci
aud one 0i the COnviCls dashed into thc
pilot house and took charge ol the wheel,
and immediAlely the tug WAS headed for
the west shore. The alarm was given as
quickly ~ possible, and many ofthC regu
llr prison guards rushed toward the pier
They aimed their pieces ut the COnyiCts
pilot aud shouted Tor him to stop, but he
crouchcd down out OF sight and the vessel
still Kept moving. Word was sent 10 Spar.
Ia Mill, in tue south, where II sailing vessel
was procured and sent IN chase. Mr..
ChlldS, OF the prison, also started IN the
track to Sing Sing dock, and got sc0op
under way, filled with armed men. Ono
of the vessels sent out to capture the con.
vlcts, OvOrhNuled tug near RoCkland,
when the COnViCts took small boats, In
the vicinity, which some boys had, and
rowing quickly to the shore and escaped
to the mountains, One Of the COnyicig
who got inton boat with boy, was press
ell SO close that he seized the boy and
placed him before him so that tho guard
would not fire, The guard did fire,
not Nt the escaping convict, but the intGn.
ton to intimidatG and cause his surren.
der. lie kept on pulling instead, and
reached tue shore where lie OnCd his
associates I.oIln, the inspector, states
that the COnviCts are now in the woods
near lI0ckl0nd, and will be recap.
turCd as they are surrounded. 1t ID be.
liCvgl that this affair was planned two
weeks ago by persons in New York city.
The tug was the Dean Richmond, and
the officers are unler arrest. The tur left
New York at G30 this morning. The cap.
tain says that two men hired him to 90 10
Sing Sing aud convey IL load of furniture
to New York; they hired him for tho
same purpose fortnight ugo, and he
came up, but a0cr landing the men aid
the furniture was not ready, and they
could 60 back, They paid the captain
one hundred dollars on board tho tus. 10.
day, alter the tug was captured there was
found on hOnrd convict clothing
a number 0I whiskcrs and ialsc nous.
tOchcs, and several rcyOlvCrs, had been
brought from New York, and MI Ol the
convic,s had ample time TO change their
clothing for the suits brought up On the
boats. Alter the tug lett tho prison dock
the escaping COnviCts cut the canal boat
loose 50 ny to give more speed to their
vessel. AS soon ug the affair OCCurredall
of the CUnyicls in the prison were locked
up, md every guardsman was sent ia
pursuit Is believed that two Of the
men who planned the escape are in the
mountains with the ConvCls. 1t Is nos.
sibIc that desperate fighting will take
place in The mountains on the west shore
before the COnYlCls arU captured.
A dispatch has been received from Su.
pcrnlendcnt KelsO, stating that two men
lave been arrested at AnglGwOOd, New
Jersey, supposed to belong to the gang
which escaped before dirk tonight Mus.
iCtry firing was heard in the direction Of
It0ctIaud, Unthc wrslshOrc llisthought
IN encounter has taken place between the
'onyIcti and the pursuing guard