Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-11-22

How AN ESCAPED CoNvIcr FEELs-The
Springfield Union gives this most interesting
story of the iailbreaker Parker, as told by him
self, of his escape and subsequent travels and
capture:
About a week ago / made up my mind to
escape from the Jail at the first opportunity
which offered. | talked the matter over with
COgrOye, and he told me there was a grated
window in the clothing room in the west end of
the wing, which he knew he could force in half
an hours time, if he could only have an oppor-
tunity TO do il without running too great risk
Of being detected. We were afraid Of Mr..
Smiths 1.-THE cOntractor's) oyerseer, who slept in
room near by and was always very wakeiu,
and had habit of getting up sometimes three
or four times in the night TO see that everything
was all right. When the man with thederium
tremenS came in we watched for our oppOrtuni-
ty, and agreed TO try our luck Friday night
The fear of the oyerseer prevented us from
doing so, however, but fortunately he went
| away Saturday night, and we saw our way
| clear 1t was agreed that COlgroye should ask
| permission of Mr. Bradley, the jailor, to sit up
and take care of the man with the 'tremens.'
The request was granted, and he came along TO
my cell and said: Il can get You out in half
an hour " told him if he would would give
give him 500 in cash as soon as | could find
my vile, who was somewhere on Congress
street The man with the tTemenS was yelling
and smashing things in his cell, and COlgrOve
said: yell aWaYl The louder you veil and the
more noise you make the better for uS!'
Instead of being gone in the clothing room
half an hour, it was twice that length of time
before Colgroye returned and exclaimed, so,
what shall do? I've worked hard ID get the
bars loosened in the masonry and can't do it
if work all night. They will see where | have
been trying 10 Get them off, and then what Will
they do to mep He was completely cowed and
talked liked a woman, All this time had kept
in my cell for fear some one might be brought
in, as is sometimes the case in the early part of
the night, and l thought Mr.. Bradley would
never 90 10 bed. He retired about eleven O'Clock,
| however. / swOre at Colgrove for being COW
| ard and a fool, and l told him the thing had
| been carried so far that it must and should be
put through. | asked him how the roof was
| situated, and when he told me, | directed him
to cut through and let me know when the job
| was done.
He departed and returned after awhile and
| told me to come on. | darted out, ran up the
stairs into the room, and tied the door on the in
| side, so that if an alarm should be given we
would gain some time while the officers were
| trying TO get into the room. We tied the ban.
kets and sheets together, and Colgroye swung
out over the roof. The rope we had made parted,
| and he went down with rush. | was close after
| him and fell about ten feet. We ran into the
| street; and the next thing was TO find my wife
and get some money and change my clothes.
W 1OL Ol ~ NltCllNOOu aliCSl ny lnlSldhtj anu
met a man who told us where Congress street
was. When we got there we went to the wrong
house, but soon discovered our mistake and at last
| reached the dwelling where my wife was. We
| woke her up, and put on suit of gray clothes
| telling her the officers would probably be there
| after me pretty soon, and she must not let them
| know how was dressed. found that she had
| only rot S125, and when | told COlsrove the
| amount, he agreed TO let me off from my agree
ment to pay him for letting me out if would
| give HIM SIS,
| When we laid our plans to escape, we in
| tended to take the night tra for Albany, and
| 20 from there to Canada. We found, however,
that we were too late for that after we got out,
and after a consultation at the house, we started
| for Palmer, intending to 90 up over the New
| London Northern road. We missed the road,
| some how and found ourselves at Chicopee
Falls and pushed on for Holyoke, which place
we reached about o'clock On going to the
| Holyoke house, we saw no one up but colored
man. We were afraid to stay there, and went
| out to a considerable distance 10 an IriShman'S
| house, and procured breakfast. We then
pushed on for Northampton, ard stopped at
| little hotel near the depot for dinner. | went
out and found barber who was Just closing up
| his shop. | went in and asked him 10 shave me-
He hesitated few minutes, but finally told me
10 sit down. | remarked, in careless way
| after ! was seated, 81 believe I've worn my
whiskers about long enough" The man said,
"shal cut them off p and drawled out, eyes, .
| and he shaved my face clean.
From Northampton we started to walk up the
| track of the Connecticut River railroad, but got
| on to the road leading to Florence, though Col
| grove swore be knew we were going right. He
| was too cowardly for me, and | wanted 10 get
rid of him, but hated to tell him so, because
| we had escaped together, and it was rather too
bad to shake HIM off. | told him before we
reached Florence that it wouldn't do for us to
keep together, so | would 90 TO Il c hotel, and
H., 81,
| pushed on, and on entering the hotel told the
clerk | was sick and wanted to 20 to bed. He
| replied that supper would be ready soon, but
answered him that didn't want any. / hadn't
been there fifteen minutes before Colgrove came
| in. He didn't appear to know me, but | was
afraid that some one might have heard Of oui
escape, and that we should be nabbed We
staid at the hotel over night, and the next Mon
day. morning they seated COlgrove beside me a
the table; and although we appeared to be
strangers, ! feared the result if some one who
had heard of our escape should come in and see
us together. The latter finally managed to
whisper to me, NOW is good time to get that
500 bill changed" He wanted his pay for let.
| ting me out of prison, and knew ! had a S100
bill which | had not had an opportunity to
change. l went out TO store and bought q
pair of boots, and rendered the bill in payment
and received the change.
When returned to the hotel was frightened
to see that ColgrOve had managed to get his
whiskers cut off This thought was .sure tC
arouse suspicion, and after we had hastily
agreed to separate and make our way to some
place where we could take the evening train for
Canada, we parted, struck for Hatfield depot,
and there saw man reading paper. lasked,
"Have you a Greenfield paper?" "No." as
it Springfield paper?' Eyes" "Will YOU lie,
me take itP "Pm looking at it myself" and
that was ALL got out of him. AT Whatey got
a paper and hastily glanced at its account Of
| the iail rpopbing Groom
field obtained the Union, and | saw the full
description of Colgroye and myself, ! was sc
frightened that made lively tracks for a bach
| street, and kept out of the sight Of everybody
until heard the night train coming | fell
| every moment as though some one was going
| 10 lay their hands on me. had bought twenty
| cigars, and l kept one in the corner of my mouth
all the time, to cover up the tell tale scar
| knew my wife must have told about my putting
on the gray suit, Notwithstanding the caution
| had given her regarding it.
| When heard the tran-the Montreal express
i ran down TO the depot, and after waiting
till it got under Roadway, jumped on. went
| into the smoking car and sat down quietly, but
afterward went into another car. saw Sheriff
| Lewis come through the train, looking sharply
at every one. | didn't know at the time who he
| was, although | was aware he was a SPRING
| field man. He did not know me, and my fears
that he was searching for me quoted as he
| passed by. Pretty soon | saw him come through
again | took off my hat and laid it on the seat
| and leaned the side of my face, where the scar
| is, on my hand, and he went by. l knew Col
| grove was in the car somewhere, but | ddn' I
dare 10 look around for fear of attracting atten-
| ton Soon after reaching South Vernon, i was
surprised at being seized by Constable Randall
| who bent me over back, and looking at the scar
| on the side of my mouth said, You are the man
! want. Give me the handouts, Lewis
knew that Colgrove had gone back on me and
| told what seat | was in.
And now am back here in Jail again. All
ask is that ] may have permission to shakt
hands with ColgroYe in the hall and I'll guaran
tee that he will never require locking up again
This is Parker's story. 1t is undoubtedly tru
in most particulars. 1t is believed that his state
ment that Colgroye cut through the roof alon
is false, and that he aided in the work, tyin
the door and being prepared to make deSperat
resistance in case OF a surprise.
DOUBLE MURDER AT WEsTFIELD.-A shock
ing double murder occurred at Westfeld Wed
nesday evening. Miss Jennie Bates and Charlie
Sackett were walking home from Amy Stone
SHOW at Westfield, shortly after eleven O'Clock
when, after passing through the bridge aboy
the depot they were met by Albert Smith, win
produced revolver and fired seven shots, dar
gerousy wounding both parties. Miss Bate
was struck in the face, just below the eye il
the back of the head, and in the hand, thre
wounds being injected which bled frghtfully
| | though their severity had not been determine
| az our last adyices. Mr. SaCkett was sho