The Republican journal., 1875-05-27
Convicts Escaping BY Steam.

lPoughkeepsie Cor. n. Y. Times, 18th.
one of the boldest and most desperate at
tempts to escape from Sing Sing Prison was
made this morning, and it might have ended
to more than a score OF lives mad
it not been for the presence of mind of Dennis
Cassin, a Hudson River Railroad engineer. Just
north of Sing Sing Prison. between the extreme
north; guartl-house and the first arched railroad |
bridge as you 60 south, Is located the PRISON |
quarry on the east side of the railroad track. |
From it. over the railroad track to the prison |
yard, on the west side, extends Il bridge over |
which stone from the quarry is trundled in |
whcelbarrows by the convicts. At SID O'Clock |
this morning an extra freight train bound south |
approached the prison bridge slowly, moving |
not faster than three miles an hour. The train |
was drawn by locomotive No. 50, Dennis Cassln, |
engineer. and the conductor was Mr.. HauerWas.
They were slowly following the Sing Sing pas
senger train, which left at 30 Il. IN. AS the
engine reached the prison or treSte bridge, five
convicts dropped upon it from the bridge. four
OF them running into the engineers cab and the
other hurrying to the coupling which fastened
the engine to the train. The conNicts on the
cab, with drawn revOlvcr>. ordered the engineer
and fireman to Jump Oft, and they did, when the
cOnvcts put on steam. and the engine started
down the road with them like lightning. Their
escape was detected almost Immediately. and
several shots were fired after them by the pris-
on guard, none, however, taking effect. Then
commenced the pursuit. The Superintendent
of the railroad was notified quickly, when Il
telegram alarm was sounded al all points south
of Sing sing. A dispatch was sent from the
Grand Central Depot to Station Agent Revere,
al TarrytoWn, directing him to turn the switch
al that station on the river side, as to let the
engine. with the conyictS On board. 90 off the
bank into the river. Danger signals were also
ordered to he set on the down track. and prompt
measures of every kind were ordered to pre-
vent serious disaster by collision with the stolen
locomotive. The track-mcn in the vicinity of
So oh m Oh lplt-
ming, or rather saw Il vast cloud of steam and
smoke and water whirl by with deatening
roar. and gazed with terror ut the frghttul speed
the engine had attained. At TarrytoWn crowds
of people We're gathered expecting to see the
engine dash into that station and of the switch
into the river but il did not arrive. After
waiting Il short time station Agent Revere sent
an engine up the track TO look for the stolen
property, and found No. 81, with both cylinder
heads broken. three miles north and about OPP
posite the ASpnwall Place. The boiler was
full OF water and the steam down. The con-
NictS left the disabled engine halt n mile further
north, and fled to ASpinwall's Woods, having
first stolen all the clothing that could be found
in the engineers and lireman'S boxes on the
tender. soon after Engineer Cas>in came run
ming down the track. and once more recovered
his engine. lie makes the following statement
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
My iiremans name is Edward Garrettv: |
passed along through Sing Sing with my train
very slowly, As | had been notified that the
Sing Sing train was ahead any body could have
jumped on: when my engine reached the trestle
bridge. which runs over the track from the
prison quarry, | SAW some one Jump on the
step OF the tender on the east side: the stranger
proved to be a convict IN full uniform: he hur-
Iied mp TO my side as | sat on my box, and
pointing Il rev Oliver at my head, shouted loud.
"Get off here :" didn't like the looks OF things
and turned TO get oil, when conN let came hur
ryng over the top of the tender, and he, too, had
4 revolver in his hand. 1t was all done in
minute. He rushed up TO me with his pistol
pointed at my head and yelled quickly, sect
of - Get oif.'' Don't stop got of. Then
two other conNicts seemed to lump from the
bridge on to the engine, and one Of them had
pistol. \ fifth one was at the coupling and
pulled the pin which detached the locomotive
from the train. The four on the engine had my
fireman wedged i'll up TO the boiler. lie turned
to Jump off on the side, but the conyics planted
the muzzles of their reviewers up to his head
and one of them shouted: "Get out of the
window; get out quick The fireman Went
right through the window, and he says he could
| feel the mllZZles OF the revolvers against his
back As he passed out. just before the conyictS
jumped on the engine | had three guages Of
water in the boiler and had shut off the pumps ::
but as | turned to go when ordered, showed
the pumps full on the convicts not noticing the
movement. | knew that if they didn't discover
that the pumps We're Oh that the engine would
not run far before she would become choked
with water, and would have to stop. | was
afraid of nothing after they got away except
that they might run into the Sing Sing train and
kill some Of the passengers. Without doubt they
pulled the throtte-wlde open when they start
ed, and let her slide. Then, in all probability
She took water very fast, and from the looks Of
the engine, the water was thrown all over her,
till finally the cylinders got full that both
heads We're blown out or broken, and that nee
eSsarily ended the trip. She ran about three
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