The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-06-22
ESCAPE EROM SING SING.
A Number of Prisoners Jump on q
Passing Train and Escape
Upon a Locomotive-A
Bold Affair.
NEW York Tribune

Six convicts, confined in the State
Prison at Sing Sing, made bold attempt
to escape about $50 a. M Friday, IN
which four of them were successful Inc
men, who were working in the quarry
south of the prison building, complained
of feeling ill, and received permission 10
visit the doctor at the hospital They Cd,
tanned prescriptions for their pretended
ailments, and started to return to their
work. Their path was over a stone arch'
way under which the trains OF the new
York Central 6 Hudson River Railroad
pass. About one. eighth ofa mile further
up the road is another archway, the IN
tervening distance being walled up on
either side to about the height OF the
cars. When they arrived at the railway
cut between the two archways a doWu
freight train came along, going somewhat
slowly. Whether the design OF escape
was instantly conceived or had been pre-
viously matured is not known, although
the authorities believe that the latter
was the case. As the locomotive OF the
freight train came abreast # the spot
where the convicts were they all sprang
for it, four jumping upon the locomotive
and the other upon the first car. Inc
engineer and fireman attempted 10 resist
the convicts, and were about to stop the
train. when one of the escaping men
held pistol to his head and prevented
his action, viii the others uncoupledi
the locomotive from the cars, which fell
behind while the locomotive from the
cars, which fell behind while the loco
motive with the four convicts immedl-
ately shot ahead. ,.
A clerk in the telegraph Office, j. Jack
son, saw the whole affair, He instantly
cave an alarm, and the Warden of the
prison, Mr.. Young, sent ten of the keep
ers in pursuit. kilograms were sent to
Tarrytown, Yonkers, White Plains, New
York, Nyack and Englewood, N, ), Su-
perintendent Walling of this city re,
ceived a dispatch about 10 o'clock, and
at once teegraphed to the captains OF
the upper precincts to keep u sharp
watch. The pursuing keepers followed
the locomotive to Tarrytown, where they
found that the ConviCls had forced the
engineer to let them out of the engine,
and had made their escape, as it was
then supposed, into the woods Oh the
east of the railroad track. Subsequently
it was ascertained that they had stolen
boat short distance above IarrytoWn,
and had rowed across the river, making
their escape into New Jersey. The two
who failed to jump on the locomotive
were left behind when the cars were un'
coupled and were quickly recaptured'
Their names were Francis Degan, SEN
fenced on April II, 1870, for lO3 years,
and John Murphy, sentenced on April
8, 1875, for % years. Upon calling the
roll Of the laborers at the quarry, 1t was
found that the four who escaped were
James Carpenter, sentenced September
16, 1875, for five years; James Farrell,
sentenced November l3, 1872, for ten
years; John Quin, sentenced October Z,
1870 for fifteen years, and Francis Wood,
sentenced August 4, 1874, fol five years.
AS no prisoner is allowed to have any
pistol or other weapon in his possession,
it is mystery to the prison officers
WutIe lllS ItNOlNClo WSlO ObV'IlllSN WI
which the escaped convicts threatened
the engineer of the locomotive. 1t is
supposed that they were left by visiting
friends in some place accessible to the
prisoners when they went to their daily
work. This makes more probable the
conjecture that the escape was planned
beforehand. Great excitement exists in
the prison, especially among the other
convicts, of whom there are over 800.
The pursuing keepers have telegraphed
that there are probabilities Of the recap
ture of the escaped prisoners. If, how
ever, they have succeeded in making
their way into New Jersey, they can
easily get rid of the convict dress, and
alter their appearance so that recogni-
tion would not be easy.