The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-01-05
SING SING PRISON.
CONSPIRACY OF KEEPERs AND CONNECTS
HOW 1T WAS FRUSTRATED.
slNa SING, N. y, Jan. 4. ISL

SING SING, N. Y, Jan 4. 1874
conspiracy which had for its object the liberation
OF portion of the convicts in Sing Sing Prison. has
come TO light A keeper named Thomas J. Hastings
and notorious bank robber called Joseph Kngsland
were the principal agents in plot which, II carried
contrived, might have proved fatal 10 many Of
the keepers and some OF the prisoners The
spraey had ostensby for its object the liberation Of
Kingsand but in order to tnis the inmates Of fifty
cells might have been given their freedom. The plot
was TO have been carried out on Christmas evening
but fortunately frustrated by the vigilance Of War
den Alfred Walker and his men. Keeper Hastings has
acted q double part all along A short time before
Christmas he went TO Mr. Benson the principal keeper
and told him Kingsand wanted to pay something 10
get away and asked, shall 60 into itY" Benson
piled, ayes 60 ahead" Hastings then thought the
coast clear for him TO work out Kingsland's
plans, bot, as he failed to give satisfactory
reports OF dealings with the convict he aroused the
suspicious Of Benson, who communicated with the
Warden. The latter had Hastings movements
watched II noticed that of late he asked leave
frequently TO 60 10 New York While in the city he
was in communication with the friends OF Kings.
land among whom Jim Brady and Ned
Lyons, both well known to the police as
expert bank breakers These and other friends OF
Kingsland furnished the money with which jack
ecute the job Il is said that in interview with
Warden Walker, Klngsland's wife stated that the
tools all made to the order OF
Hastings AS they were manufactured they were
delivered by Hastings Kingsland in his cell and then
"planted"-that is hdden-away for future use Mrs
Kingsand also stated her interview with the Warden
that Hastings first proposed the Of some chemical
compound for the purpose OF drugging all those who
might interfere with the execution Of his plans He
reported to have said
~ AM DRUGGIST,
and know all about that sort OF thing" and to add
that he could FIX up whiskey to SUIT" One OF the
bottles of drugged liquor which, It is claimed Hastings
'fxed" together with all the tools intended to be
poyed aiding in the proposed attempt to escape
now in possession Of Warden Walker. Hastings
claims that Kingsands friends drugged the liquor and
gave IL 10 him, while they aver that the recreant
keeper "hxed" Il. Hastings aud Harter, his fellow
keeper and conspirator aroused the Warden's sus-
pcons by requesting to go on duty out Of their time
and at time when nearly all Of the officers who could
be spared from the prison would be away The Warden
determined to have twenty i've extra men on duty to
watch the progress OF events Hastings gave OF the
convicts named Brce, old pal OF Kingsand's
volver Brice was TO open Kingsland's cell door and
escape with him Hastings Harter Brce had already
commenced operations between five and six O'Clock
the afternoon Of Christmas Day They gave some
liquor TO an unsuspecting keeper named Weeks, who
In charge of the central Office in the prison. and
he soon got under the influence oil IT, some OF the
convicts also partook OF the liquor. Kngsland's cell
the sixth tier OF IL gallery, so That he would
have had to 60 down as many flights Of stairs TO
reach the bottom hoor where IL was in
tended TO the jackscrcw 10 force open the
window bars and allow the convics to squeeze them
selves through All this Hastings, Harter and BrIce
thought could be done without arousing suspicion; but
when the three WORTHLESS in the midst OF their
work the guard provided by the Warden put in an ap-
pearance and the whole plot was destroyed. Hastings
Kingsland and told him that for the time
being the game up, but that he still in
tended to free him before long He at the
time returned TO the convict the sum Of $3.50 part OF
the price of the work Of yillany In which he
gagged Harter not to receive any money until the
job was done. The Warden summoned the conspira-
tors before him and at once dismissed them from their
posts as keepers. Keeper Weeks was discharged for
KISGsLAND ESCAPED PROM SING SING
In 1872. He was in for robbng the Hungerford Bank
at WATERFOWL, n Y, and sentenced 10 ten years.
Imprisonment in the Auburn Penitentiary, but,
through the influence or politicians and others in
New York, he transferred TO Sing Sing in
1872, and from here he soon afterward escaped
He transferred with another notorious
Bliss, who also escaped about the same time Kings
land No trace of them was found until 1873, when
attempt made by them and confederates to
break open the First Naonal Bank at Wilmington Del
Being alarmed they ed but were captured next morn
ing. Mr. Jackson, an officer Of Sing Sing, was sent
down and identified the escaped prison birds in Will
mington. There Kingsland aud his fellow ruf1ans
SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS. IMPRISONMENT
and each TO receive forty ashes on the bare back In
February, 1874 Kingsand and Jim Brady, with some
others escaped from Wilmington Jail and were next
heard OF in connection with the Barre Bank, in Yer
land arrested in New York by Boston detective
about the end OF August last, but he, fearing
the consequences Of trial the charges, con-
fessed himself escaped convict from Sing Sing Mr..
Jackson went from here TO New York and again iden-
tilted Kingsland, who at sent 10 his old
quarters in this prison. where he has remained from
the beginning of last September until the present
Thomas j. Hastings, the discharged keeper, was
about two years in the employ OF the prison authori
ties He is from Newburg and formerly kept small
drug there. He failed in business about year
before receiving his appointment as keeper. He is
about twenty eight years OF age Henry Harter the
pal of Hastings, is from Herkimer county. He
has been keeper for about two years and a
half and married about thirty FIVE
years old. The convict Brice, who received
the from Hastings has been in prison about
ve years, serving out sentence OF seventeen years
for the crime Of highway robbery. He Is now about
twentyfour years old Previous TO Kingslands escape
from Sing Sing IN 1872 Brioe became acquainted with
him.
Warden Walker has been In Albany since last Satur-
day about this and other business connected with
Office. He is expected here late tonight
BUFFALO JAIL BIRDS DEFEATED.