The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-23
A JERSEY JAIL BREAKING.
Eight Prisoners Succeed in Escap-
ing from Paterson Prison.
Modern Imitators of Jack sheppard-The de
livery Effected While the Warden Was ABB
A sent in Trenton Details of the Escapade.

"wednesday night by the escape OF no less than
eight prisoners from the Passaic county jail. The
recent successful attempts to break prison at Sing
Sing seem to have stimulated convicts MI "''"~
country to extraordinary eSertions to cain fnetr
u'erty and the alair OF Wednesday night IN Pater-
sSn VIII doubtless give the good work a fresh i'm
petus.
PRISONER TO gEEP A PRISON.
On "Wednesday morning Mr.. Woodbridge, the war
den OF the prison, strted for Trenton to attend the
Grand Lodge OF F-eemasonsS but before gong he,
with admirable/care and foresight, entrusted the
keeping OF TIE cells to William Thompson, one OF
She prisoners, who has for some time past been
acting as doormaD, it being the custom OF the
Warden TO select some man for that Office who Is .
detained for tri1ing offence. The jail is strong
brown structure somewhat in the form OF a church,
and from outward appearance 1t looks to be pretty
secure. 1t has at various times held noted crim-
nails, among them Libbie Garrabrant and Van Win
kle Bogert, who is at present an inmate
About quarter to nine O'Clock on Wednesday
night
THE PRIVATE DOOR BELL
OF the prison was violently rung. Mrs. Woodbridge,
the matron, on opening the door. found woman
standing the doorstep in state of great excite
ment and alarm. When she was sufficiently COM
posed to speak she said that she lived
In Marshall street. Immediately in the rear
OF the prison, and that she had just seen
come OF the prisoners attempting to escape over
the prison wall. Mrs. Woodbridge at once proceeded
to the main hall of the prison. and shouted with all
her might for Thompson, the doorman. She met
with no response. Thompson was not within
hearing. But Van Wrinkle Bogert shouted from
his cell that Thompson and number Of the other
prisoners had escaped. Mrs Woodbridge then sent
over to the County Clerks Office, which is i'm
medately opposite the JAIL for assistance, and as
the Clerk and his deputy were still at work they
furiously rang to summon the police, number OF
whom were soon on the ground, but not soon
enough to prevent
THE ESCAPE OF EIGHT OF THE PRISONERS.
When the bell rang the fremen OF the city
thought 1t was an alarm for them, and portion Of
the department turned out. and this tended to in
crease the general confusion. Had it not been for
completely emptted of its inmates, as no obstacle
interviewed to prevent every prisoner from getting
on examination
THE MANNER OF ESCAPE
was found to be as follows:-It is the duty Of the
doorman to lock the cells every afternoon at half
past five O'Clock. The cells are in tiers, each cell
being locked with Key and they.are also fastened
the lower side OF the JAIL in the main hall, there is
large cell which is never used. opening upon the
yard by q small window. The window is secured
by means of bars, an inch and a half thick, with
cross-bars at intervals of thirteen inches. The
same Key which unlocked the other doors
opened this also, and was carried by
the man thompson. immediately after the
one of the upright inch bars near cross bar, was
found cut in two.. Attempts had also been made
TO cut the bars at the bottom, but this was aban-
doned as being TOO slow work and instead the
stone window sill was cleanly dug out, seemingly
with a chsel The bar was then
wRENCHED FROM ITS SOCKET
and broken OF above. 1t seems from the account
gwen by one OF the escaped prisoners who was
aiterward recaptured, that this work has been
gong on for more than week, the plot having
been well and skllfully laid.
When the Warden departed for Trenton the prls-
oners thought they could not linda more conven-
tent time to carry out their programme. When
have been the leading spirit in the movement, in
stead OF combining the prisoners for the night in
their own cells turned them into the vacant one
already described. He then went through
THE FoRMALITY OF LOCKING THE DOORS
on the bare walls and delivered the keys up TO Mrs.
Woodbridge, who ancied that all was right. As the
prisoners did not dare TO attempt to escape when
they first took possession of the vacant cell they
waited patiently Tor three hours more, until the
shades OF night came on. At about hafpast eight
O'Clock they commenced operations. The hole
through which they had to make their exit was
seven and half by twelve inches in size, outside
OF which was wire screen. They must have
crawaed through the aperture head first, and as
one or two OF them were stout fellows they must
have been in pretty close quarters Some shirt
some OF them were pretty tightly squeezed before
they got through.
When the prisoners got into the yard formida-
BILE obstacle met them in the shape OF a wall, which
is some twenty feet HIGH but this they were also
prepared for. At the base OF the wall a heap
OF dirt about three feet high, and on this they
placed short ladder, which they found in the
ladder 1t was easy to reach the cornce of the wall
and get upon the top. When they got TO the top
OF the wall another difficulty beset the liberty
loving convicts. They had to descend twenty ieet,
and this was too great distance to jump without
the risk OF broken bones. TINS little hindrance
they also managed to get over by means OF a
blanket which was cut into strips. the strips
were braided together so as to make strong cord,
connecting at the ends. The top OF the wall was
smooth, and nothing could be found on its surface
TO which rope could be attached The ingenuity
developed in obviating this would do credit to Jack
sheppard himself The prisoners got an old poker,
bentn the shape of nook. This was inserted In the
inside OF the coping, and firm mold for the blanket
blanket, which was full OF knots was an easy task
and when Marshall street was gained
THE COAST WAS CLEAR,
and the convicts were at liberty TO 30 where they
pleased. More would have escaped had IL not been
that assistance so promptly arrived as one or two
were seen skulklng back to their ces'when the
alarm was given.
offences 1t is strange that they should take such
risks to get away; but they may have wanted to
get out TO enjoy the sleigh riding, which is excel
lent in the locality. The following are their names
and the charges on which they were heidi
THE ESCAPED CRIMINALS
William Thompson, the door man, arrested,
FIRST, for malicious mischief in breaking windows
IN the Ere PASSENGER car $ and aterward for steal
ing coat He was sentenced to sixty days in the
County Jail and MS term had almost expired.
Christopher Talent, very young man, was
awaiting trial for larceny on making his escape he
went straight TO the residence OF his parents, who
persuaded him TO return to prison, which he did on
the same night about ten O'Clock.
Michael Condor was awaiting trial on the charge
Of stealing a watch, on December L, from an ac-
quaintance, while the PAIR were together drinking
in saloon.
Charles Jallman was an accompnce of Thompson
In breaking the windows in the railway cars, and
he was sentenced for the same period His time
had also nearly expired.
John McLane, vagrant, one OF a gang was
locked up by the Recorder Tor regaling himself on
game supper on board an old boat In the Morris
Canal
james Kane, a Passaic village man. was locked
mp for assault and battery on his wife. AT ten
O'Clock yesterday morning the prison bell Twas rang,
and Kane was ushered into durance vile again,
having been recaptured by Justice watson, OF Pas
sale. lie did not relish the return to his Old
quarters.
John McAllistcr has been in iail since last SUM-
mer charged with breaking into house on Pros
pect street with burglarious intent. John was
captured In a refrigerator while attempting to
commit the burglary, he having fed thther for
refuge When the alarm was given.