The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-14
BREAKING JAIL.
Particulars Of the Latest Escape from Sing Sing
Prison-The Cunning and Dexterity Of Con-
victs-A Bold Scheme Successfully Car
ried 0ut-Shutting Off the Gas and
Cutting the Alarm Bell Rope
The Fugitives Still at Large

One OF the most adrOit schemes ever cOncocted
for breaking jail was successfully put into execu-
tf0n at Sing Sing Prison on Sunday afternoon,
when as reported in the HERALD of yesterday,
three convicts took "French leave OF that nstitu-
tlOn. Two Of the escaped ielons, George De Leon
and John Brady, filed the positions OF hall boys In
the interior Of the prison, the former especially
having been long regarded by the keepers as sort
OF confidential attendant. Accordingly De Leon
was not in the habit OF entering his
cell at "locking-up'' time In the after
noon, but generally remained near the
han keepers 0hlce until the night watch arrived,
about nine O'Clock. Francis Wilson, the third man
who succeeded In regaining his liberty, had long
been considered dangerous customer, and owing
to his r.
MUTINOUs PROPENsrrIEs
he had been kept IN solitary confinement during
the thirty days preceding his escape. He 1t is be-
heved laid the plans which his cOnlederates
carried out; ana as he had about eight years to
serve, while the other two would have been en-
titled to a discharge by reason Of the expiration
Of their terms OF sentence few months hence, II
the hall boys to assist in effectlng his escape.
When the shades Of evening had commenced to
gather over the gloomy corridors of the prison on
last sabbath the gas was as usual lighted, and
Immediately thereafter two OF the three hall
Keepers assembled the galleries for the purpose OF
making the customary examination OF all the cell
doors IN detail. They had hardly time to reach
the sixth tier when the gong In the hospital was
department wished to communicate with one OF
the halkeepcrs. Forgetting perhaps, that there
was standing order against leaving the hall
Keepers office unmatched under any circum-
stances, the remaining keeper
ABANDONED HIS POST
and proceeded In the direction OF the hospital. In
an instant the supposed faithful attendant. De
Leon, cat-likc sprang into the vacant Office and
with u skeleton key picked the lever lock and
In ,np hnlt INtn hod rad
fty cells, thus opening the way to escape for the
same number OF occupants, In case they had all
Heeh .e1 .G Inc secret ns maSh rs s
meter and. turning or the gas, plunged the prison
into utter darkness. lie then
OPENED THE CELL DOORS,
where Brady and Wilson were waiting with bated
breath, when all three sped to the further end OF
the prison, where an iron bar, an inch and half
in thickness, guarding the exterior OF one OF the
windows, had been sawn asunder and then
wrenched from Its place, allowing the fugltives
the keepers, who were examining the upper tier
OF cells, hurried to the ground door, where the
omnous EXCAVATIONS Of
emitted from the dark cells. greeted their be-
wildcred senses. This was enough. One Of the
keepers Immediately rushed to the alarm bell, and
selzing the rope was about to arouse the nelghbor
hood for miles around when, to his surprise, the
hempen string, without acting on the sonorouss
metal above fell silently at his feet The escaped
COnvicts had Outwitted their custOdians by
sEvERlNa THE ROPE,
leaving but one thread to keep 1t suspended In
order 10 avoid detection. 1t was subsequently dis
covered that the lanterns used by the night guards
had been adroitiy trimmed, so that although the
wick appeared above the tubes they were cut so
short underneath that the Oil could not
reach, them. The sounding OF the gong in
evidently been OccasiOned by a confederate In the
plot. IL Is believed that the 1ugitives crossed the
hudson River on the Ice to Rockland county. The
three keepers above alluded to were promptly sus-
pended by Warden Hu5bcll, who seems determined
to bring about better state OF security in the
prison.