The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-04-15
= 1TTEv pTED ESCAPE AND DE4TH

On Tuesday, the 9th inst, MS Charles Null
raw one of the prisoners convicted OF grand
larceny during the recent term Of the Court AT
this nlace. was on his way to the Penitentiary,
in charge of Deputy Sheriff James IL. McCon-
nell and Constable Alexander Campbell' ne
attempted to escape by jumping through the
window of the car in which he was confined,
when the train was near Littleton, and was in
stantly killed. This happened after dark, the
train being delayed on account of an accident
which occurred near Greenwood. Murray was
handcuffed to James Walker, one of the prls-
oners, and had double chain locked around
his ankles. Soon after it became dark, he
asked Mr.. Mcconnell to bring him drink OF
water, and he Immediately went to the rear OF
the car to get the water, when Murray, taking
advantage of his absence, (the window being
up,) leaped up, and throwing his feet against
Walker, forced his head and body through the
window, breaking the handouts and disloca-
ting his shoulder by the violence of the effort.
He then fell head foremost to the ground be-
meath, causing, as was afterwards supposed,
instantaneous death. Mr.. Mcconnell, hearing
the noise caused by Murray getting through
the window, called to Mr.. Campbell to look to
the prisoners, and came up Immediately him
self, only to find that Murray had escaped.
He then informed Mr.. Breazeale, the conduc-
tor, who kindly stopped the train, (Which was
running at the rate of twenty-five miles an
hour,) and ran back to where Murray was sup
posed to have jumped off. Lights were pro-
Gu red, and every effort made to recapture
Murray, (for he was supposed to be allve,) but
with no effect. The officers then went on to
Columbia and delivered the other three pris-
oners, and came up the railroad on "Wednesday
mo rning to Littleton, where they ascertalned
that Murray had been found lying dead at the
bottom of small tr estle, few miles further
up. They then procured a hand-car, and with
the assistance of the railroad hands, brought
his body to Littleton, and when the train came
along in the evening, from thence to Columbia.
On Thursday morning an inquest was held
over the remains of the unfortunate deceased
by Coroner Coleman, and the verdict or the
jury was ''that the deceased, Charles Murray,
came to his death by his own act, by jumping
from the train on Tuesday evening, the 9th OF
April" After the inquest, the body was con-
veyed to the Penitentiary and turned over to
the proper authorities. The Penitentiary Off
Gals recognized Murray as being in their GUS
tody before, under the name of Charley White,
and said that while there he worked at the har-
ness trade. 1t is said that Charles Murray was
only assumed, his right name being Daniel
Reardy. He was originally from Mobile,
Alabama, and was painter by trade We
learn that his father, a Mr.. P. T. Reardy, now
lives in the city of Mobile, and is an honest
and highly respectable man. MIR. Breazeale,
the conductor on the above occasion, deserves
much credit for the kindness and courtesy
shown to Messrs. Mcconnell and Campbell in
having the train put back, and in rendering
other assistance to secure the prisoner.