The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-06
A PRISON NYs Terry SOLvED.
The Attempt 60 Escape from the Counecticut
Prison 4 Ilcn's Confrsrio


HARTFORD, Sept. 5.-The mystery OF the
late attempt to escape from the State prison in
Wcthcrslrld has been solved by Aliens confess
sion of the whole plan on which they worked.
1t secms that Brown. the t6i 900 check forgcr.
who is here serving out sentence for burg
larry in New London. was at the bottom of the
plot Hamlin and Allen being used by him to do
the necessary hard work. Brown. who is known
in New York as Hamilton. and who formerly
lived in grand style I'm the St James Hotel.
found in the two desperate convicts willing
tools. He also found another in John ii. Davis.
one Of the watchmcn in the prison. Davis had
what is called the " Dog watch" from to I.
NJ. and between those hours ii seems he was in
the habit Of allowing the three convicts who
were 10 escape t. gcttogethcr talk over matters
and acted IA general rum er for thcm inside
the prison for two weeks before the murder.
On Tuesday Of last week n notorious pick
pocket. who has served a term in the Connccti-
cut State prison under the name o, Pclton and
who is known in New York city ms Allen. came
to Hartford. bringing with him "A pal and n wO-
man. both ot whom were in the same line Of
business. The trio had seen Davis, and from
they needed. Finding Davis willing they
sent from the Forty-second street depot New
York. an express package addressed to John C..
Hike. which pa.kage was taken from the ofilcc
and receipted for by John II Davis as John
Hike. on Thursday evening last. This package
DAVIS took TO Wrthcr~ield. and on Friday gave
to Brown tn. tw1 revolvers. cartridges, knives.
jimmy. and 5000 in greenbacks which il con-
Xlen' who each % received .i75 M Of nn tho money "
Davis receiving 1850. ~ ten per cont advance
on the entire sum he WAS To receive for doing
the Job. So much Tor pr' 'liminarics.
On saturday night Davis. whose duty it was
t. lock the cells, take the count. and iasten tho
Slide bars. lett the cells Of the three prisoners
in the plot unlocked and also left open the slide
bars on the corridors. whore Allen and Ham
Inns cells were situated. Iianin then went 10
the top of the cells and mnde tho necessary
opening FOR escape in the Getting. They kclt
him busy until Davis WIS relieved 10y Beadlc.
another wat hman. who. ilnting the slide bars
open on two tiers. locked them. thus locking
Allen in his cell. He reported the count all
right when he retired and the murd ,red watch
man. SAipwGn came on duty. Then Hamln
camc down and liberated Allen by bursting the
slid" har with the Jimmy. the two then waited
to bind and gag watchman Shlpuan before lib
Grating Brown. and the murder was comni tied
because ot their discovery 10y Shipman while
they were lying in wait Tor him On one OF the
corridors and 80 the plol 10 escape was broken
up. II also appears that the three men had u
week before ATTEMPTED to escape by getting out
and were prevented only because they found
the window bars 80 strong that they could not
bend them.
ON Monday Davis took dose Of ipecac.
and was taken sick. vomiting violently. so that
he was relieved from duty and went home.
whore he remained until Tuc sday afternoon.
NJ that time he WAS informed hy oVNrsrcr Ar
mold that his connection with the plot had been
discovered, and later .was told further pnrticu-
lars by I. /. Jones. Esd, who Is to Ice Allen >
counsel in thp murder trial shortly to take
arc. Nr. Jon = called on Davis and said that
b. know all the IA -, and demanded the s3jl.
Davis took the money from the lining OF his
hat and gave y 10 him. Mr.. Jones then lrit the
. hous" and returned To the prison. Davis had'
his wife ami sister Eood-by, and has not boon
seen or hoard from since. Onirrr~ who went 10
his house % arrest him tracked hlm To- tho
a ary & Wgr her r6n,nt a." aS snsa H. now a aayanced S
/ though this would seem 10 be disproNet hy the