Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-08-28
rnE puRaLAR KERNELL.
After Right Years George Kerneli
Returns GO the Kentucky Penl.
tentinry from memphfa-hnterest.
ing History of the criminal.

After Right Years George KernelI
Returns 60 the kentucky Fenls
,. Ten from n .n mP,,.,na,
Our readers will remember that few
days since Sheriff Doyle turned over to
Kentucky officers an escaped convict
named George Kernel, alias Cornell.
The Louisville Courier.Journ OF yes
terdAy gives the following interesting
history OF the noted burglar
One night in the month Of December,
1864, the clothing store Of Jones a Tapp,
at that time located on the east side Of
Sixth street, between Main and Market,
was entered and robbed of $500 worth
clothing.
Detective Gilchriest undertook to dis.
cover the parties. and upon the next
night at seven o'clock he had so far
succeeded as to capture two Of them,
one OF whom was named George Wat
son, alias Burdell, alias Fiester, alias
Fedeler the other being named George
W. Kernelf, alias Cornell A man
named Cannon was also arrested.
The trial Of the three men came off at
the January session of the court, 1865,
and each was sentenced to seven years
hard labor in the penitentiary.
During the night one of the prisoners
informed the jailer that an eHortwas to
be made by the trio 10 escape the next
morning, just as they should enter the
vehicle to take them to the depot The
jailer, remembering that Cannon and
Watson had complained of sore ankles,
and had wrapped a blanket around their
feet to prevent the iron from cha6ng,
concluded to examine the irons, and was
surprised to find that they had by some
means obtained case.knife, and, hav-
ing made saw Of it, had cut entirely
through three inches OF iron. This plan
was nipped in the bud, and on the fol.
lowing morning they were whirling over
the road to the penitentiary at Frank
fort.
Kernell instead of being ironed at
his feet, had his hands manacled behind
him. During the time in which they
we're riding Watson and Cannon had,
unnoticed, picked the lock of Kernell's
irons and got his arms free. Selling
him, although the train was running at
the rate of twenty miles an hour, they
pushed him out Of the window before
the officers could interfere. The train
was Immediately stopped and search
instituted, but Kernels hiding place
was not to be found.
Nothing more was ever heard OF Ker-
nell by detective Gilchreist until infor-
nation was received, short time ago, |
that he was in Memphis Fastening |
there he found Kernell and arrested him
a second time, after lapse Of eight and |
one-half years. Yesterday morning he
was taken to Frankfort, and has now
commenced working out sentence of
seven years. When detective Gilchreist
arrived at Memphis he found an officer
from South Carolina, who had also come
for Kernell. He informed the detective
that Kernell had been sent to the South |
Carolina penitentiary for term of FIVE
years, but had escaped. He also met
an officer from Mississippi who had come
to arrest Kernel for jumping his bail.
This officer reported that Kernel and |
another burglar had been arrested for
burglary in Mississippi, and when the
case was examined, Kernell gave BAIL
while the other man, in default, was
committed to Jail. The result was that
Kernel fed, while his pal was sent to
the penitentiary for twenty-one years.