The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-24
Extraordinary Career of a Vir-
ginia Horse Thief.
FOUR YEARS A FUGITIVE.
Albert Fortune, a MulattO Despe.
RADIO, and His Adventures.
Arrested in Baltimore, He Is Tried and Con.
victed, but Jumps from Railroad
Train and Escapes.

RICHMOND, Va, April %, 1879.
One OF the most daring and noted horse thieves
Virginia has ever produced-and she boasts OF
good many desperadoes Of this sort just now-made
his last and most remarkable escape from the cars
ofthe Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Rail-
road while being conveyed from Baltimore to the
Penitentary here 10 serve out his term OF inn
prisonment for thirteen years. His name is Albert
Fortune, bright mulatto, five feet In height well
built. with great muscular development. dark,
wavy hair and eyes that glare, when excited, like
calcium light. SpottsylvanIa county was the scene
OF his greatest exploits until 1862 when he was
arrested, tried and convicted Of stealing a mule
and was sentenced to thirteen years in the Peni-
Tertiary He did not remain long In that institu.
ton, however, Tor he made his escape by
JUMPING FROM A PARAPET
wall forty feet high He next turned up In WASH
ington as huckster in the markets there. He was
not permitted to pursue his calling without inter-
ruptiOn, but it so happened that whenever an EFFORT
was made to deprive him OF liberty he either by
artifce or by desperate resistance managed to
eude the officers. He all the time proclaimed that
he would never be taken alive, and the TACT that
he shot the officer at Fredericksburg, who at.
tempted his arrest before his conviction, furnished
proof that he meant what he said. On occa-
sion he was traced to Alexandria and surprised in
negro hut by three policemen, but instead Of re-
slsing he played the Being In his shirt sleeves
he asked to go up stairs and get his coat saying
he would then go with them anywhere. His re-
quest was granted, when he returned not coat in
hand, but
WITH Cooked PISTOLS
and before the officers could recover from their
surprise was gone again. Some time after this
Lieutenant Kelly, of the Washington police who
knew nothing of Fortune or his antecedents,
caught him In the street with bag Of stolen
boots and shoes. Lieutenant Kelly proceeded to
arrest him but Fortune not to be easily secured,
as quick as thought drew pistol and sent a ball
whistling by the head OF his would-be captor. The
lieutenant fired in return some three times,
wounding, but not disabling him. He, however,
got away, and 1t was afterwards ascertaned
went to Howard University, where he
received medical care. Thence he was traced to
an alley in the heart OF the CITY, near Pennsyl-
vania avenue, where friends aided him to elude
further pursuit. He continued at large unit April
I, when he was arrested in Washington, and was
again lodged in the Pententiary here, from which
he again escaped In the disguise OF q mason, hav.
ing contrived to borrow suit OF bricklayer's
0VerallS.
CHASE IN BALTIMORE.
Fortune next turned up in Baltimore, where,
lew days since, he was recognized by former
citizen OF Virginia. who gave information to Ser
geant Frazier and Policeman Barringer, OF that
city, and they at once set about making his
position, and the officers advanced he COM
menced the flight in time-John Gilpin STYLE He
to house near Fayette where he tried door,
but found 1t locked. This enabled the officers to
gain on him, but just as Policeman Barrnger was
about laying hands on him, he Tell and disabled his
right hand. Sergeant Frazier continued the pur-
suit, followed by a large crowd. Fortune, finding
Liberty street, north OF Fayette street. the door OF
which he found open. and ran up stairs
t1nng the apser cradle m wo
child lay asleep and jumped through the
second story window, carrying the sash with him:
on to shed and thence to yard over fences, and
finally emerged on Lexington street. on the South
street corner, and entered an alley nearly opposite
He was hotly pursued by Sergeant Frazier and
Policeman Barringer who had been joined by sew
era other officers. Through the alley the escaped
convict made his way to the cellar OF soap lac
tory, where, light having been procured, he was
FINALLY CAPTURED,
but not before policeman had drawn his pistol
and threatened to shoot him. He offered the OFF,
$500 to let him OF, but the bride was refused.
The daring horse thief was locked in the
OF Deputy strother, OF the Penitentiary here to
whom he was delivered on Monday The Deputy
started back here with his prisoner heavily ironed
both by the ankles and wrists. AT about quarter past
three yesterday morning, and Just after the train
which was bringing him here had left Ashland, For
tune, who seated beside Captain Strother, de-
sired the latter to take him to the stove to warm
himself strother thought this quite reasonable
request, and 80 accompanied the convict TO the
stove, near the rear door OF the car.
A LEAP FOR LIBERTY.
The two had not been there more than minute
OF two when cOlOred train hand opened the door
and came In. and Fortune, selling the opportunity,
slipped behind him, hoped out upon the plat
form and recklesSly Jumped from IL into the dark.
ness The train moving at the rate OF about
forty miles per hour, and the alarm was imrne.
diately sounded and every effort possible made to
get the engineer to stop 1t, but 1t was not brought
to a stand until It had gone more than three-qnar.
tiers OF a mile beyond the point where Fortune nad
made his escape.
large number or horsemen have since been
securing the county in the hope OF securing the
convict but so far he has again successfully eludcd
arrest.