The New York herald., 1872-08-24
TTNION DIME SAVINGS BANK
~ 1896 and 39S Canal street, corner Laght
Six per cent interest on SIS TO $4,000.
Assets $40, ,6S,279 5s
A SWIM FOR LIBERTY.
Exciting Scene on Blackwell's Island Ysstsr-
day-Two Convicts Bolt from Their Keeper
One is Caught, tho Other Escapes
He is Cheered by the Passengers
of q Passing Steamer.

Blackwell's Island had its little sensation yestcr
day. About eight O'Clock in the morning the guards
on the New York side OF the river heard some pist0
shots fired In quick succession. The guard boat
was rowed rapidly back to discover what was the
cause Of all the noise. 1t was then found that one
of the perennial sensations or the isand--dn
cscape-had been attempted, and in one instance
had been successful.
The story Of the keepers is as follows Mr.. Fitch,
the head keeper Of the Penitentiary accompanied
by the warden, had started at an early hour to
look after gang of convicts, some eighty in num-
ber, who doing some work on Wards Island on
the new Lunatic Asylum. For this purpose Mr.. Fitch
had taken Of the two guard boats which sta
toned at the island to look after the men who work
in the open air. This lett
ONLY ONE GUARD BOAT
on the place. An order of the Supreme Court came
down for prisoner, and, the keeper being absent,
the man in charge Immediately had the only remain
ing boat sent over with the prisoner to the usual
landing at Sixty-frst street. In the meantime q
keeper named Wilson had started with gang Of
some fol men along the river side on the opposite
side of the island to work in the quarry The men
were put to their work, and for some moments all
went on quietly. Suddenly, while the keepers eyes
were turned In another direction, two of the con-
victs, both boys OF seventeen respectively named
John Egan and James Kelley, "broke" and
started Off at quick run across the island
towards the branch OF the East River which runs
along the New York shore. They had obtained o
pretty good start when the officer In charge be-
cam c aware OF what was going on. He Immediately
drew his revolver and fired 1t OF In the air, and set
Off at his greatest speed after them Egan was
some distance ahead OF Kelley, and both the guard
and the two boys kept on at very lively gait, VIII
calling to the prisoners repeatedly to stop or
he would fire at them. They, however, took no no
tce Of this but kept on Egan arriving the river
first. He Immediately
DASHED IN,
spite OF the tide which was running very strong,
and struck out manfully for the opposite shore.
Kelley got to the brink one moment later but hesi
tated ain instant before diving in. This one moment
OF hesitation and he was lost, for Wilson collarcd
him just as he was about to make the leap. He
Instantly pinoned. BY this time several keepers
Off their revOlvers to bring the boat over from the
opposite shore. They were perfectly helpless, OF
course, without boat, and had the aggra-
waiting satisfaction of seeing Egan striking Our
with might and main and gradually approaching
the opposite side, at Jones' Wood, waiting with
clothes in their hands to receive the swimmer
when the steamer ID. X. Martin passed and cut on
the view. When it was gone Egan and the people
on the shore had all disappeared. When the
OF any service. A policeman was, however, sent to
Jones' Wood TO see after the prisoner, but no traces
OF him could be found.
ANOTHER STORY.
The passengers on board the ID. r. Martin, which
runs between Huntingdon and this city, tell story
which differs in many respects from that of the
keepers. The boat was sufficiently near for them
TO hear the pistol shots when they were fired, and
they say that the revovers OF the keepers were
prisoner who was captured fell wounded to the
ground before he reached the river side. The
revOlvers were then pointed nc the man in the
water and several shots fired at him. inefectu-
ally, however, but he continued to strike out, and
was probably out OF range of the bullets. Tho
sympathics OF the passengers appeared to be all
the side OF the escaping convict, for the men
up and cheered him. and some lady passengers
waved their handkerchefs at him and testified the
lveltest interest In his escape. They saw him land
and his friends on the bank put clothes around him
and rapidly make their way through the wood and
disappear. IL appears th.t these
ESCAPES ARE NOT INFREQUENT,
though:much less so than formerly Nothing would
probably have come to light about this one but Tor
the passengers on the steamboat spreading II about
In the time Of Keene the last keeper OF the RENT
tentiary, four five escapes happened every week.
Mr.. Fitchs severer discipline has remeded the evil
very much and yesterday 8 escape would probably
not have been so successful but for the unfortunate
circumstances which caused both the guard boats
to be away at the same time. The HERALD re-
porter had n conversation yesterday with one OF
the under keepers regarding matters in the prison.
He said that he considered 1t quite wonderful that
more escapes did not take place, as the number OF
Keepers or guards was totally inadequate to the
men they had charge OF. Each keeper had on an
after. Should these men at any time arrange upon
a preconcerted plan OF escape It would be
IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE KEEPER TO PREVENT
at least some of them from getting Off IN case thce
scattered in different directions. Generally, it was
true, boat was stationed near the men at oat
door work. but frequently 1t was called away. Tive
boats for the entire Penitentiary certainly not
enough More boats and more keepers were neces-
sary II 1t was sought to make escapes from the
absolutely Impossible. There Is no
wall or preventive to escape OF any kind around
the Penitentiary grounds. All depends on the
sharpness OF the guard.
Egan and Kelley were both convicted at the Gen.
eraI seasons Of larceny and had quite long term
yet To serve.