The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-28
FIRE IN SING SING PRISON.
BURSTING OF TIE sroREHoUsE AND ESCAPE OF
THE NOTORIOUS CONVICT wILLIAMsoE-A

BURNING OF TIE sroREHoUsE AND ESCAPE OF
THE NOTORIOUS CONVICT wILLIAMsoE-A
SUSPICIOUS LOOKING AFFAIR.
ire ~hicn broke out mystcriously in Sing Sing
Peuteutary at quarter after nine O'Clock on Tuesday
night afforded the notorious convict Charles j. WILL
hanson, alias Perrin, alias Williams, alias Farnham,
alias Stevens. the means OF enecting his escape.
On Tuesday night, when the hre broke out. tho
agent and Warden Mr.. B. S. W. Clark, WIS absent At
meeting OF prison wardens then beng held al Sara
togA He returned 10 his posi- yesterday forenoon,
and gave what Information be could Of The affair
The steamer Leader, commanded by Captain Jinks
is frequently employed for the purpose OF carrying
provisions and stores from this city to tho prison. On
Wednesday night she bad finished discharging at TIP
wharf whom the smoke and flames issuing from the
roof Of she storchouse about forty yards distant from
the pier where she lay were first discovered by her
crew and the alarm given 70 the prison authorities
Tho pace where the Ere occurred is an isolated two
story stone building situated the western side OF
the quadrangle formed by the line OF cells composing
the body tho prison the east its two wings run
ing back 10 the river anu tho front IN the Hudson
ITSELF This edilce used as storehouse, bake
house. and, TO some extent, lavstory When she cry
OF IRE was heard from the deck OF the Leader, Mr..
Davis and Mr. Helms, two OF the Keepers were IN the
store.
DISAPPEARANCE WILLIAMSON.
II customary tor some OF the convics to hclD In
taking freight on the steamer On the present occa
sion . convict named David Murphy. who is serving
out lie sentence and Williamson, or Perrin, had Just
finished such work. They wore under charge o.
the keeper, Davis. and fellow guard
i naTs1 storms aud wet The Two con-
v!cts granted leave 70 enter the storehouse for
the 81 rnnasnS see s@ar
Davis inside the store with both men and locked
the door Murphy remained down stars, while,
alone Davis says they all three went up together
Be this as IL may. upon reaching the ground door
leave to 60 70 the water closet In three
minutes after this tho cry camc from the steamer and
1t that the storehouse was On IRE In the
second story Davis and hts prisoner Murphy with
Helms evacuated tho place without being abie 10 again
lay their eyes upon Williamson.
ACTION or THE VILLAGE FIRBAEN.
The fire ragged IRON quarter after nine O'Clock until
about hapast ten, when u was put out alter having
completely destroyed the building and consumed con-
siderable amount OF stores. The damage altogether
will probably not exceed $l2 000 When the confagra-
FIRE Department arrived upon tho ground, but IL is
claimed by the prison officers that this company stood
Thsls .n good dos Of III ssns tho
The Tlsp'' reason of this seems 70 30 tina. tho
latter Will purchase any of the stores Tor the
prisoners use in the town nor employ any Of It's
citizens about the Pentcnttary Hence the keepers be-
leve that their neghbors IN tho village would not care
!, the whole establishment were burned TO the
ground Luckily the rc engines and hose attached to
tho prison. with the assistance Of similar apparatus
belonging to the steamer Leader, were sufficiently
powerful 10 get the lire under control
STATEMENT WARDEN pIGLIN.
Mr. A. J. Bgiin the warden IN charge during Mr..
Clarks absence, says that when the nrc broke
out no heard loud shout apd thought It
lie rushed out and saw tho flames issuing from the
root the burning He cavo the alarm without
mess room and began 10 play on the nro With tho
Of other officers About $40 600 worth OF
shirts were in the laundry close by me stove and these
were saved without mucn trouble So, too, wcrc most
OF the Stores excepting about one hundred and sixty
barrels Of Hour pretty large lot Of soap and some
other things Mr.. Bign repeats the story Of the two
conycts and keepers being together In the storehouse
He adds that Williamson or Perrin was last seen BY
the guard to Jump The and get out Of sight in an
revolver In any attempt to detaiu him.
WHAT THE CONVICT MURPHY SAYS
The convict Murphy says that he changed bis
clothes in The store. Williamson went up stars alone,
saying that he wanted TO get pair OF socks, the
stairs Williamson said he sick and was allowed to
out OF sight, as above stated In threc or four
minutes afterward the anrm Of nre was gwen and
Williamson had not since been seen.
STATEMENT OF KEEPER HELMH
( Mr. Helms, the keeper who was with Davis, says
that noting Williamsons absence a. sns moment aM
is '1 your r.. other manY' Davis replied, Ike Is IN
the water closet" When tho alarm was
given DAVIS on. OF the store,
unlocking the door and bringing the remaining
prisoner with him Helms sven went 70 alarm inc oncsrs
Davis whore his other man was, and THIS time ne
answered, lie IS conc"
The keeper, Davis, says that he and tho two prison
ers went up stairs together; thcn, upon
coming down soon after, Williamson walked 70
the water cI0set-"or supposed to
have done So" At this time they were all locked in
tno store. Davis admits that when he allowed
williamson 60 his sight he tDavis) aware
that door, which was only fastened By bar, could
DO reached by the prisoner.
THE BSCAPKD CONVICT.
Williamson, whose right name rs Perrin, s from
Malone, in the Western part OF this State He Is
thirty-two years Of age, has brown hair, ruddy
mi laxt nn and
inches high. He has made himself notorio
as OF the most adreit forgers and
swinders that has Tor many years plagued society.
His name has becn mixed up in cases where millions
Of money ob,ained by forgery and swind-
ling operations. tho histories OF which have
from time 10 time appeared in the HERALD
He serving out term OF fifteen
years. Imprisonment for being concerned In victimIz
ing Messrs Saunders and Hardenberg, the New York
Guarantee and Indemnity Company and other concerns
to the extent OF $4,000. He was convicted on the
3lst OF October last and reached Sing Sing Prison on
has