The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-27
The Night Warden's Story OF
the Delivery.
How the Masked Men Gagged
and Bound Him.
FIVE HOURS OF MISERY.
Big Frank Recaptured in
Philadelphia.


was 1t executed that perfect success crowned its
projectors, while utter bewilderment has fallen
upon those who seek to grasp It's details. That
strange female should come from q neignboring
city was, OF course, not an unnatural occurrence;
that negress should desire to see the prisoners
seemed, OF course for the mere qualification Of
personal curiosity; that Frazier should talk to the
men and exchange newspapers with them appeared
simply consistent with ordinary prison etiquette,
and that little tug should steam up the Delaware
and come to anchor was to the authorities who
behold tugs going aud coming constantly an event
which created no suspicion. But now however.
when the cells are empty and the prisoners gone,
when the whereabouts OF the mysterious woman
are unknown and when the little boat has disap-
peared elsewhere, all these ordinary incidents
fraught with peculiar significance through
which one can only discern the single fact tnat the
robbers have departed and snapped their fingers
at the bolts and bars of the law.
Yesterday Sheriff Armstrong was out OF town,
and the night warden, Mr.. Rulings, is gradually
recovering himself from the effects OF his tenn
porary injuries. To have interviewed one would
have been impossible while to the other it would
have been, perhaps somewhat painful The state
ments of both were rendered to me to-day, and
were about as foows:-
STATEMENT OF THE ILL-UsED WARDEN.
thus:-"Durng the evening there were no noises
other than those with which my ears have always
been familiar, and none other than those which
proceeded from the interior OF the prisoners cells.
At about hafpast twelve, however, l heard
humping sort OF sound, and subsequently heard
ringing noise, as il some one had struck piece
OF iron against stone. At this time l was in the
western portion Of the main corridor. The sound
came from the opposite. or eastern, quarter.
"a lad INV and
all around but saw nothing. mInutely inspected
the walls, the courts. the areas, but saw not the
entered the Corridor again. Everything was the the
same as had lett 1t. No particular sound was
heard that seemed unusual. ABOUT fifteen min
utes after one heard noise as II an iron tool
door m..i. opened %sn j.; say two %s 9
cried, "Knile the -" Then saw Lawier, and
from his cell. saw no others. LAWYER was Coat
less and hatless and had upon him nothing but
pantaloons and shirt 1t was LAWYER, ! rather
| think now, who kept the masked man from put
ting the knife In me: They did not bind or hand
cur me in the yard, but they ordered me to walk
armed. knew that they were desperate and
would Kill me II disobeyed. AS we were passing
the masked men kept warning me not to utter
even whisper. Tney walked me down cellar.
Tney made me lie down upon the floor. They
PUT GAG IN MY MOUTH,
handouts upon my wrists and bound up my legs
with strong cord. Lawler put his hand into my
hand in again and drew forth my keys. LAWYER
then went above, leaving the two men in masks to
than described strained my ears and heard the
sound otcnking bolts, and also the grating OF the
hinges . Of the door knew then that the masked
s stunning along the CORRIDOR and ten min
down below. 1t was Hurlburt and he was alone
He had removed all traces Of beard from his face,
lying upon the bricks. and saw the masked men
steadily guarding me. He muttered something,
which did not comprehend, and picked me up as
II had been child He set me IN q chair.
There was a clothes line hanging above his head
he threw up mis- hand, caught 1t and loosened IL
about me-, He commenced at my feet, binding 1t
t tightly abSut t my legs Tson so tightly indeed
1pe about my Neck tightly sso a sns
secured the rope to my chair. Then he
bound it round and round my arms and shoulders
paused. and quietly regarded me. Then again he
stepped forward, and carefully tested each coil
MASKED men as We're sens Neither Spoke e wo SW
"DON'T ArTEMPT TO CRAWL"
This Is all he SAID, and those his exact words.
out my watch, aseerta!ned the hour returned It
esa ~sH aa not see sne asne parcu ias
the others at all. Above heard the sound OF 6ur-
rying feet and the lndlstlnct banging Of doors.
Suddenly all became still. Then knew that they
had gone.
Meanwhile had suffered but little for my mind
was excited and only thought OF what was gong
to feel my pain. At first 1t was but slight, yet 1t
increased each moment. 1t seemed as II my limbs
TO be burying themselves in my flesn. calculated
the time intervening before morning as near
as could Judge, It seemed to be i've hours before
dawn. Cold chills ran the circuit OF my body
and the pain found It's way to my throat. My
mouth became parched and dry, and things
swallowed with the greatest diniculty, and sud-
denly seemed to lose all consciousness OF where
was remember nothing more until
THE TIME OF MY RELEASE.
l was in my helpless condition for more than five
hours, and feel confident that one more hour
communicated in an Intelligent and straightfor-
ward manner and covers completely all the lacts
Armstrong, but found that he was able to furnish
me with no information relating to the escape
beyond that which sent you last evening.
Lawlor had by some means or other secured q
jack, and by adrotly using 1t had broken the WIN
dow bars OF his cell, joined the two masked men.
The circumstance OF the ROBBERS freeing the man
Frazier whom they had never known until they
mes nun IN bs SHOWS oU n mat tney
for perlecting the measures Of their escape.
FRAZrER's PLAN.
Sheriff Armstrong assured me this morning that
he Ielt confident Frazier had planned the whole
thing. He spoke OF Frazier as one that was ex-
CceuiHBy suTcWu anu cunning, ana ne mas no
doubt the successful results which have
completely overturned the law all due
to mis- sharp and penetrating Judgment. Frazier
lett letter behind him. and also sort OF o VIII.
The former, it is said was addressed rather point
euly to the Deputy Sheriff, and the latter con-
tanned three brief codicis. The first related to
writing desk, which he requested should be given
TO friend in prison, captain Jerry Browman.
The second related 10 q lamp which was be-
queathed to another pal named sanders The
tnlrd related to, believe, q few cooking utensils,
when were to become the property OF some other
friend. In passing out OF the tail Frazier said
to one OF the occupants Of q cell that he would
write TO MIN In about month, and return
In the letter the money he owed him. The CIR
cnmstance OF the presence of more masked men
tnan the two VINO attacked the warden Is cor
r0b0rated by the statement Of prisoner In one
Oh the upper cells, who says he saw twelve or
fourteen masked men clambering over the walls.
He states, moreover. that he distinctly heard one
say,
III he sticks his head out damn him, shoot"
But 1t is not Known Tor whom the remark was
intended. Nothing further can be learned here
vague rum0r comes over the river that Big
Frank has been caught In Philadelphia