The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-17
The Secrets of sing Sing.

How PEIsoNERs ARE ENABLED TO Es.
CAPE-ARREsT OF Prison GUARDs-
TIE EXPERT MAKER or BrRGLAR's
TooLs IN CUsroDY.
John Clubhouse and William Nanny.
Sing Sing Prison guards, were arrested
Tuesday hy Constable Hitchcock on war
rant from Justice Ferris of White Plains
on charge OF assisting William A Miller
and James Brady to escape. The weaving
of the net Ahich implicated them began
with he arrest by Detectives Farley and
Sampson of John Steurer, the manufac-
turer of burglars tools in Hester street
Then followed the arrest of Harry Smith
as an accompice of lilly Miller, alias Ma
tilda Meyers, whe was recently brought
from Lockport by the same officers.
Harry Smith told the detectives that he
accompanied Mrs Meyers on one of her
visits to Sing Sing, and that she took a
jackscrew with her and gave it to one of the
guard, who buried it whore Miller could
find it.
Mrs Meyers having been lodged in the
White Plains Jail, a detective informed Out
house, who was suspected, that she had told
the whole story, and that if he knew any,
thing about ii he had better turn states
evidence. But in reality Mrs Meyers had
sealed hor lips. Then Clubhouse said that
if he could be guaranteed immunity from
punishment he would disclose the plot.
Nothing more was said until the arrest
When arraignel Wednesday lie expressed
strong desire to avail himself of the privil-
eyes of the statute which allows one crimi
nal to testify against another.
lie testified that in August last Miller,
who was waiter in the guard house, told
him that he could make $4,000 by fixing
things so that he (Miller) could escape,
Clubhouse says that he communicated the
intelligence to Nanny, another guard.
who asscnted to enter Into the plot.
tin box was filled with wax and oil, and
Nanny took the impression of corridor
key and gave it to the witness. Witness
then gave it to Mrs. Miller. who employed
Stcurer to make the key. In the interval
Miller told Clubhouse that 81, 800 was all
they could raise, but the guard says he
agreed to continue the Job for that amount.
The key having been made, Mrs. Miller.
or Meyers, gave it to her paramour in the
with Clubhouse, which resulted in his meet
ing her at the depot few days afterwagd
on one of the night trains. She had a
satchel containing a jackscrew, lever, and
suit of clothes. Clubhouse testified that
he hid the satchel under the sentry box.
where Miller was posted as waiter. The
next day, Oct. 10, 1878, Miller and Brady
cleared out. Two days later person cali
ing himself Kingsland went to Sing Sing
and paid Clubhouse $1,000, which he said
was portion of the proceeds of the Del
aware Bank robbery. The other $500 had
never been paid
Just before Clubhouse gave his testimony.
Nanny, who seemed to have anticipated
the witnesses disclosure, said to him,
john, here in the presence of God beg
you to tell the truth. Remember / have a
wife and little children to support"
Clubhouse dropped his head. His eyes
sought the floor. He convulsively shud-
dered, and made no reply. The eyes of
the two men did not meet after that. This
created favorable impression for NANNY.
Mr.. j. o. Dykeman, counsel for NANNY,
requested an adjournment of the case until
future day, which was granted Mean
while il is expected that several more guards
will be arrested on similar charges.
Now that Steurer is in custody the con-
yicts will not be able to get tools so readily
as before. Steurer is the only manufac
turer of burglars implements who has been
arrested in twenty years. He was the best
in the United States.