The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-07-29

before mentioned, the train on this
particular occasion passed the quarry
more slowly than usual. Taking ad-
vantage Of this fact three OF the con-
victs at work on the ledge made 8
sudden break and jumped on the tor
of the forward car. Others OF the
eonvicts seeing the situation followed
suit. and-a stampede ensued. Only
i've OF the number, however boarded
the train. These at once overpowered
the engineer and fireman, detached
the lOmotive from its train of cars,
and pulling the throttle valve wide
open, flew down the road at light
ing speed, all having entirely escaped
the bullets fired at them by the prison
sentries.
The locomotive, however proved an
elephant in their hands ; none knew
how to manage it; and before they
had gone five miles it came to q stand
still, one Of the cylinders having
burst-a most fortunate occurrence for
them. it afterward transpired, as the
Railroad Superintendent in New
York, hearing of the affair, had or
dered the switch turned at Cne Of the
stations so that the locomotive with
its occupants might be thrown into
the river.
After the failure OF the iron horse,
the convicts took to the woods, and
from that time to the present have
remained at liberty.
The man captured yesterday morn
ing is William Hawley, alias Shang
Hamilton, alias Shang Morris, who
at the time of his escape was doing q
nine years sentence for blgsmy. The
capture was effected in this wise /:
Some two weeks ago Inspector
Speight obtained information that led
him to suspect that Hawley was in
the city. Further investigation salts.
fed him that such was the fact, but
the exact whereabo outs of the convict
could not be ascertaiued. Detectives
Ferris aud Kennedy, of the Central
Office, were intrusted with the case,
and at once commenced the cam
pAign.
By tracing back the history OF Haw-
ley they found that just prior to his
incarceration at Sing Sing he had
been on terms Of the closest intimacy
and friendship with young woman
residing in the lower part of the city,
and it was determined tn put watch
upon her movements. For three days
she was "shRdowed" wherever she
went, but no good appeared to result.
On the fourth day the detectives no.
tice that her movements appeared
exceedingly errstic. She went to diff
ferent parts of the city. apparently
for no purpose, and acted in a very
strange and suspicious manner. 1t
was evident that she was aware of be-
ing followed and was trying to throw
the officers off the track. New dis
guises and the utmost caution had
now to be adopted. In q few days
the detectives located her at No. u
Jane street, where it was subsequent
ly ascertained Hswley's mother re-
sided. A perpetual watch was then
placed upon the house, in the hope of
detecting com munieations passing be-
tween Hawley whom the detectives
supposed to be residing elsewhere)
and the inmates OF the house, but no
person was seen to enter the prem
ises excepting the sshman and the
milkman. The former, it was after
wards learned, was the eonveyor of
all communications to and from
Hawley.
1t YVES noticed that the blinds of one
of the front rooms were always kept
closed, and this fact led the officers TO
believe thst il was occupied by Haw-
ley himself. 1t was also noticed that
whenever the hall door was opened g
peculiar sound as if made by q gong,
could be family heard. From this It
was reasoned that an alarm was
sounded within every time the door
opened, IL this was the case, and
Hawley was inside, the detectives
knew some stratagem was necessary
in order to get in without giving the
alarm. Yesterday morning, shortly
before o'clock, the officers were ready
for action. The milkmsn came along
at his usual hour, opened the hall door
and entered. The peculiar gong-like
noise was heard. Waiting about three
minutes, and watching their opportu-
nifty when the door was sJsr, the de-
tectives sprang from their hiding
place in an adjoining doorway and
entered, and Ferris taking the front
of the house for his department and
Donnelly the back, both hurried up
stairs.
The first room visited by Ferris was
the one suspected on the second floor,
and here, sure enough, was the sought
for convict. Half reclining on the
sofa Hawley sat, with nearly all his
on. The moment the door
opened he jumped TO his feet, only to
be confronted by Ferris. In an in
slant he realized the situation. 1t
seemed to psralyze him. He stood
still for a moment, then
threw up his arms in despair, exclaim-
ing,
''MY GoDI TWENTY YEARS MORE p
and sank into q chair. His mother,
an aged lady, apparently in i'll health,
hastened TO the room, and on learning
of her sons arrest fell upon his neck,
weeping bitterly.
A clever system of alarm was found
in the house. A wire ran from the |
front hall door to Hawley's room, so
thSt when the door was
opened the wire would release q pin !
which caused q heavy hammer to fall |
on a gong placed near his bed. By |
this means Hawley was instantly |
every time a person entered |
the house.
The prisoner was then taken to the |
Central Office, where he was locked |
up. A Herald reporter called upon !
him in his cell yesterday afternoon,
and had q long conversation with !
him. At first be declined to talk, but
afterward he reconsidered and related |
his experience since his escape.
The appearance and demeanor OF
Hawley were far from those OF the or
binary convict. Tall aud well pro-
pOrtioned, with sandy hair and whis-
kers. he appeared to be man Of much
intelligence and not bad at heart.
While telling his story be frequently
broke down as the thought of the ter
rible fate in store for him obtruded
itself. ''They will give me twenty
years more for grand larceny for as
sisting in stealing the engine" he
moaned, and he wrung his hands IN
despair. Occasionally he referred to
his mother, and always with q pathos
and tenderness quite touching. III
my poor mother dies" he would ex-
claim, 81 don't care what becomes OF
me and, OH, l fear the shock will
kill her,"
Immediately on boarding the loco
motive the cohvicts forced the en-
gineer and firemen to alight. One OF
the men then then pulled some levers
and another drew ont the coupling
pin and detached the balance of the
train. al assure you" said Hawley,
tive did not use any violence toward
either the engineer or fireman. The
story that we placed pistols t0 their
heads is all nonsense. None OF US had
any weapons at all. One Of our gang
I don't know who it was now-had
q piece of wood shaped something like