Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-25
TELEGRAMs TO THE STAR
Daring Escape OF Convicss.

JAIL WARDEN GAGGED AND HAND-cUFFEp
Nav CASTLE, DEL. February 25-About one
O'Clock this morning Israel Readings, night
serden at the jail, hearing a slight NOISE in the
yard, opened the door, when be was i'm mediately
seized by gang of a dozen men. They gagged
ana hand cuhed him, tied his feet and put him
IN the coal hole. One OF them threatened hts
lie with drawn knife, but another interfered
they get over the wall by means of :wo small
ladders tied together, which they brought with
them. They carried of with them r Frazier
who was under life sentence for the murder OF
Allison. It Is supposed the party reached here
in q tug boat, which was seen OF New castle
last night, and has disappeared this morning
Big Frank, mentioned in the dispatch, is one OF
the party whipped some time ago, and for
formed, but did not succeed, being fooled nv
citizens being on hand.
TIE PRISONERS RESCUED BY PRILADRrrHrA
ROUGHs-
Four bank burglars, named LAYTON. Hurl
burt, Carter, and Hope, under sentence for ten
years with Frazier, under a life sentence for
murder, were rescued by the gang. They scaled
the prison walls by ladders brought with them
after securing the warden, they opened the
PRISON cells BY means of Jack screws forcing
open WINDOWS. There were - or IS men en-
gagged in the rescue, who are supposed 60 have
come from Philadelphia In a tug and escaped
the same way.
WOMAN AT THE BOTTOM OF 1T.
PHILADELPHIA, February 25 A special dis
patch from Wilmington says: When Deputy
Sheriff Griffin was awakened he found the cell
doors and Jail doors open, and the cOnvicts
IL.
cred in the cellar in a perfectly helpless coudi-
uOn. Being relieved from his bands and gag
he could neither speak nor stand. His laws re-
fused to close, and, in fact, ne was in a condi-
ton, which, had il been prOtracted much longer
would have resulted in death. Frazier who Is an
intelligent man, and was well connected, il is
conjectured, planned the escape; but this is not
certain. During the past few weeks a number
OF strange women have appeared in New Cas-
tie, and one In particular is supposed TO have
been the prime mover in communicating be-
tween the burglars and Frazier and their allies
outside. This woman has been seen in New
Castle upon a number of occasions inq uiring
for families whom she did not 90 TO see. but be-
took herself to the house OF some colored peopie
who, IL is supposed, were bribed to carry word
10 the house, Frazier took exercise in the cor
ridor one hour each day, and probably passed
letters between the two cells in which the bur
glars were confined. The burglars have be-
haved well since their imprisonment. They
have rot lived upon prison fare, but upon food
furnished by the sheriff. and for which the
prisoners themselves paid. One thousand dol
lars reward Is offered for their capture
The supposed c0nfederates anne from Philad
phla 10 New Castle late last evening on a steam
tug, and landed shortly after midnight Two
such boats are known to have arrived, and
one left about three O'Clock. The party found
near the Jail two ladders belonging to work
men who had them in use yesterday. These
they fastened together making one of suffi-
cient length 20 scale the walls of the
prison yard, and descending into the
sack YARD they then mounted the cell
wlnCow OF Lawler and Hurlburt, on the west side
OF the prison, prying the window from ITS posi-
ton and enabling those two to Join the crowd
outside. II is probable that Lawler or Hurl-
burt then directed subsequent movements and
they then turned their attention to the rescue
in a Gel on the other side of the prison on the
lower floor.