The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-12-04
Sharkey's Escape-A Romantic
: fs. StOry--A WOmanss Plot. 5#s 3 :,

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! StOfy-A WOmAMss Plot. 5& q .
The telegraph has briefly aunoussed tia
escape Of Sharkey. the murder Of DUMB con.
hned under sentence Of death 10 tho New
York Tombs. The New York Sun of 2eth
uit details the particulars:
As 5000 as the fact Of ShsrkeY's escape
WAS Known 1t was telegraphed to tae police
oestIsl office and an investigation was begun.
At FIRST the keeper (Philips) professed tks
utmost ignorance. Then be remembered
that two women approaching froui Sharkey'a
cell had presented their tickets and passed
down the staircase. The wife Of Mr.. Allen,
tho burglar, he had suffered to 90 through
the gate without ticket, she having told
him that Warden johnson permitted her 10
enter without one This woman upon reach.
ing the outer gate 10 the Office, having failed
to shos ticket, was halted BY the keeper
stationed there. Women visitors upon enter.
ing the prison are given red ticksts and
men white ones. The warden said that her
story WAS untrue, and suspected that SONS
one had escaped with the woman's ticket,
and discovered that Sharkey was the missiue
prisoner. Mrs Allen was locked up. Ths
warden called the keepers together and ques.
toned them The one at The outer gate res !
membered two women as he supposed them
to be passing BY hiu' The one with white
veil be thought walked little like woman,
aud spoke to policeman near By about it,
He said nothing to the warden, howe ver, snd
did not attempt TO stop the suspicious per-
SON. Keeper Philips, who was en- the tier.
and who opened tbs gate for TIA disguised
murderer, was much excited Es said ths.
he saw no Que step from Sharkey's cell Hs
is supposed to keep all the cells en- his tiee
10 full view while on duty. 49, .-a+
A prisoner in the cell opposite that ofT
Sharkey told the warden that he saw Mag.
gle Jordan IN front of the cell as usual, and
THAI another woman, whom he afterwards.
as the wife Of Mart Alien. wzx
with her. Maggie Jordan had key .pd
unlocked the cell door, and the woman with
her. passed d package to Sharkey, aud then
The door was closed. He noticed that Sha..
keys moustache had been shaved Of. In
few moments the door was again opened aud
Sharkey, attired in woman's clothing, step
ped out, aud Mrs. Allen gave him her tick
ct. When asked Why be made no cutlery ~
she time, the prisoner said that none OF the
keepers were around. Sharkey wore white
veil, the prisoner said, aud went on with
Maggie Jordan. The keeper at the outer
gate passed the yelled persons in female dress
and they were seen to enter Blocker street
car ct Elm and Franklin streets and ride ~
lar as Canal street, Then they crossed OVER
% the brandresh House aud entered car
Rage and we're drives rapidly away.
T. LII =.
till in the city, and i. was limited that sona
IF the keepers in the Tombs ass 'ssed him :a+
his departure from that place. The com,
nissonsrs Of charities aud correction arc
,ondsmned for granting passes to women Of
VIGOROUSLY bad character to enter the pris.
Oh, and it was It ought very strage tina, keep.
srs in the prison would pass yelled women.
Sharkey is about thirty-one years Of of
Scotch descent His father is Leading men,
b~r Of an uptown Episcopal church, and
man Of high standing. Young Shafkey wac
dissi pated IN his youth, and became reckless
gambler. He was noted As one Of tho bess
dressed men 10 the city. aud during his inns
prisonmsbt was always faultlessly attired.-
His cell was the most comic, table and best
furnished 10 the Tombs. His friends did ey-
u !tHtuk ~ udNo HiS 1tay P'caodut, duu ~ lag
gle Jordan. who notwithstanding his brutal
lty toward her has stood BY him. and vha
1t length effected his escape, sold her best
clothing and jewelry to furnish him with
means 50 that he might live we'll. About
two or three years ago he was reported to b
worth 100000. He spsculated much in
Wall street, and lost money. Ia othor
gambling operations the great buik Of hia
fortune disappeared. Iu September last
year, after returning from, funeral, he met
Robert Dunn IN THE Place" in Hud.o.
street, and accused him Of trying t.. defrauA
him IN gambling debt. A quarrel ensusd+
and no killed Dunn He was convicted IN
the General Sessions, and ssatennod to be
hanged His counsel obtained stay of pros
ceedings, and the case was 20 be argued be-
fore the general trim Of the Supreme Cour..