Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-25

Escape and htccuptuFc'
From the Boston Journal
The readers of the Journal will remember
thar on Sunday, the 18th of March last, two
prisoners. Andrew ]. Freeman and John Dun
niken, made their escape from the Massachu-
setts state prison, in Charlestown, in most in
renious manner The men occupied adjoining
cells and during the day made hole through
the brick partition between them large enough
for Freeman 10 get through into Dunniken's
apartment. At about six o'clock in the evening
they got from the latter's cell into the corridor
by removing a corner of the front wall close to
the floor and near the door. At the end of the
corridor was a room in which one of the keepers
slept at night. The door was fastened by a
spring lock operated from the outside by key
and moved in the inside by knob. Through
this door they bored hole large enough to in
sert finger, and thus reached the knob, opened
the door, and stood before one Of the long grated
windows. Here they brought into requisition a
good-sized iackscrew, which they had in some
way Struggled into their cells. and with it pried
apart the bars. They got through and descend
ed the grating to the yard below, distance OF
thirty feet Between the shops and the north
wall they had two ladders. These they dashed
together, and placing them upon box, they
were soon on the top of the wall. They also
had rope, upon one end of which was strong
hook. This they attached to the wall, and by
it descended the outside to the street and TO lib
erty.
The men were missed before they had been
gone half an hour, and search was at once in
stituted, which has resulted in the recapture OF
both of them and their return to their Old quar-
tiers. The details of the rearrest of Freeman at
Lowell last Monday are too fresh to need repe-
titon here although there are some incidents
relating TO his movements while he was at liber-
ty that may be properly stated, now that his
companion has been secured.
From the hour that the convicts were missed,
Warden Haynes had been untirng in his efforts
to secure them. A reward of 5000 was offered
for their capture, and six hundred descriptive
lists were sent to the principal cities and towns
in the country. Mr.. Haynes has also watched
the papers closely, and whenever criminal has
been arrested that he thought might be either of
the parties he was intent on finding, he has
made journeys for personal examination, and
il was by. adopting the latter course he has sue
ceeded in turning up both men. After their es-
cape they walked to New York, and as latter
events have shown, visited Mr.. II. g. Dorsey,
the "prisoner's friend" at Pawtucket, on their
way thither, two days after, where Freeman eX-
changed his prison shirt and Dunniken left his
prison keys. They have been constantly in fear
of being rearrested, and their imaginations have
magnified every real danger and manufactured
many which have no other existence. They
have Travelled in all the New England states,
through Canada, New York, Pennsylvania and
Ohio and have been as far west as st. Louis,
never remaining in one place any length of
time. While in New York, and also in other
places, they met many men whom they had
seen as convicts or visitors at the prison, and
they dared not trust themselves in the way of
Identification when reward was set upon their
heads, and therefore they rOamed from place to
place. While walking down Chestnut street,
Philadelphia, one forenoon together, they met
detective Jones of the state police. They at
once suspected that he was after them, which
wa tub lx i'm in q
them, and had no thought of them, but their
guilty forbodings drove them out of the city.
Again, in Buffalo, n. Y, they stepped into a
furniture store, and had commenced converse
ton with one of the clerks, when Mr.. Fay,
treasurer of the Tucker manufacturing com
pany, came in at the door. Frenzied with fear,
they lodged behind a pile of furniture, and
made a speedy exit from the store and from the
city. If Mr.. Fay had seen them he wonld have
recognized them at once, for he was frequently
at the prison and knew both.
The arrest of Freeman was the first intima-
ton the warden had of the whereabouts of
either convict II was known to Mr.. Haynes
that Dunnken had a sister in Brooklyn, and
learning from Freeman that he was sick the
warden naturally supposed that he might take
refuge at her house. Accordingly, last Thurs
day, he proceeded to the quarters of Major
Jones and requested that officers be detailed TO
visit Brooklyn and see if his suspicious were
and Pinkham for the duty, and the warden re-
turned home to await further developments. On
arriving at the prison he found a bundle ad
dressed TO him, which contained the articles
left by the men on the 14th day of March with
Dorsey on which was the following inscription
A PARADOX.
a. Freeman'S shirt, March IA, 1871
A. FreemaR'S shirt, July 10, 1871.
And yet freeman's slave.
Genesis xii, 45.
"And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaph-
nath-paneah;" which in the Coptic signifies a
revealer of secrets, or the man to whom secrets
are revealed.
Genesis xxx, 1851
"He left his garment with one and fed, and
got him out And she laid up his garment by
her, until his lord came home"
A LETTER FROM DORSEY TO FREEMAN.
was also found in this parcel, which is one of
the most important features in the escape. Fol
lowing is a copy.
"PAwTUCKET, r. /. July 10, 1871.
"Mr. AndreC j. Freeman When you and
your companion placed yourselves in my power
on the 14th of March last, it was pleasure for
me to feed YOU to advise you to adopt new
mode of life, to work honestly and diligently
with your hands for a living in the future.
You and your friend promised most faithfully
thus to do, and that you would inform me from
time to time of your good faith in the premises.
L
put you on the road to happiness. 1t seems
you have forgotten everything you promised,
which has resulted as | told you it would, in
your finding your way back to your old quar-
tiers. You asked for an old shirt, gave you a
new one.
promised yOu something, too. | said, lchen
the time arriged, ] would return the shirt you
wore to the state of Massachusetts, and that my
friend Mr. Haynes should be appointed its re-
ceiver. By to days express | send it, prepaid,
to the warden, that you may know that am
not forgetful, and that the time has arrived
The story OF your escape as you related it was
marYelous-wonderful. | was not content
until | made voyage to Charle3town, and be-
held with my own eyes that which to me was
as much miracle as the liberation of Paul and
Silas from the prison at Phillippi, only not like
them, you have abused your liberty.
If the warden in his mercy determines not to
infiict upon you the penalty under the statute
for escaping from his custody, it will be god
like exhibition of his earthly power and |
would fain hope him capable of such an act of
graceful
Good bye,
Your well wisher,
II, G. L. DORSEY.
P. S.-Dunniken gave me his keys as a token
nf