The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-03-30

ESCAPED FROM THE SHERrFr-In q
portion OF our edition last week we noticed
the iact that David n. Cannon one of the
parues sentenced to the penitentiary at the
recens Term OF our county court for burglary
ana larceny, had sncceeded in escaping from
the custody Of Sheriff Ryan by jumping from
the car In which he aud the other prisoners
w, w%e oeiog conveyed to that Institution, on
Anursday morning of last week, while rhe
.rain was under fill headway n short dis
.ahce west OF Creseon. The Sheriff after
reachlng Pittsburgh and consizuir;R the
other prisoners to the penitentiary, was In.
eervleWed oy reporter of the Dispatch, who
succeeued In eliciting from him the follow
ing account Of Cannon's escape and his su b.
sequent adventures with the other disper-
ADDE'S under his charge:
, John 6. Hass'nger, larceny one year; !; James
Williams, larceny, two years and six months !:
Patrick Boucher. burglary and larceny. three
years David McDevitt. larceny, two years, and
years.
Cannon, the party who escaped. is but eIsh-
teen years of age, He was sitting in the seat
TN bouc1er, to whom he was handcu6ed.
VIII lie Goggin and xcDevitt were fitted toe ether
at the wrists, and Hassinger and Williams CON
s1tut"d the remaining couple. The Sheriff and
prisoners occupied a special car, and at Cresson
ii was attached to the Pacific Express west
About a mile this side of s,resson, lust when
the train was approaching the block signal sta
Tear ,oor or the Sherir's car. He did not re-
iocs the door, butt passed through. Scarce had
ne disappeared when Cannon arose I'm his see {
ana made a break for the rear door. The
Sherin had been watching him, and was after
him IN an instant, but Boucher jumped into the
aisle, in the way of the Sheriff, ard as he ap-
proached caught him by the throat. bre. king
the nesh with his finger nails, and attem pt cd 70
throw him. The Deputy Sheriff ran to the door
at the other end OF the car to guard il, and
ceedcd in thtow'ns boucher down. He held
him with one hand and reaching for the bell
rope, signaied the engineer to stop. The rope
did not work, however, and the hraaemun had
10 20 TO the next car forward to signal.
Cannon. on reaching the platform, 1eaped
therefroIn while the train was funning at the
rate OF fifteen miles an hour, and athough he
, aeli ON ms mead. ne regalned his feet inmedi1
ately and started to run through the woods,
Sume trackmen saw him leap. snd they are OF
the opiuion that he was pretty severely burt.
The train ren n considerable distance beyond
the signal station before it was stopped. and the
Deputy Sheriff was directed by Sheriff Ryan to
go Dack aud institute search for the prisoner.
at Johnstown. Deputy Sheriff McDermott
was taken into the car, and wire which was
used by Cannon in opening his "braceets was
turned over to him. 1t is = piece of thin wire,
bent ut the end. while the other end is rolled
into a coil; and serves the purpose of Il handle.
1t is supposed that Cannon got IL up; inGee d.,
his companion, Boucher. admitted tina Cannon
mud prepared 1t; and that it was arranged that
McDevitt and Goggin and Cannon and himself
should escape. Cannon frs. unlocked his brace
lets by Inserting the wire into the cuffs and
sliding the ratchet, ard Boucher was Then 70
unlock bis The key to be transferred to
McDeyitt aud when he and GOuein hao releasd
themselves break 10 be made. and the
escape com pleted 10y an assault upon the Sher-
once ON thu. way down from Ei,ersburp Nc
Dewitt tried to escape through one OF the win
dOws. .ut the design was frustrated. and when
Boucher assaulted the Sheriff. nd u. ed
choke him, one OF the other desperadoes sud
denly appeared with II large piece OF pipe com
posed OF brass ana lead. with which he at
tempted to strike the sheriff. For time the
situation was thrilling one, and looked as
though the four raScaIs would effect their
lease, but Boucher, NcDe, lit. and Gog-in np-
pear to have weakened, when the Sheriff dis
playcd s" much coolncss, and desisted in their
attempt upon his life.
The ruscns stated to the Sheriff that they
found the piece OF pipe referred to- in the cur,
but !hiS is not believed, and the Sheriff thinks
that II was furnished the prisoners by some OF
their friends before leaving Ebensburg.
The prisoner, Boucher. states that the at
tempt planned by which four were To escape.
would have becf, carried out had 1t not been
for the haste OF Cannon, who, while Boucher
was unlocking the cuN on his wrist, observed
the brakeman enter and leave the door OPEN
Here was his chance, and he ayaed himself
of it, leaving post haste and shooting through
the car and Otr The platform like deer.
The other five prisoners were brought To the
city and conveyed to the penitentiary In car
rage