The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-28

fessionai thieves from the North, who were
recently convicted Of burelariousIy entering
the room OF Judge FL. 81. Marshall at the
Exchange Hotel and sentenced to the pen-
tentiary, and who were in Jail awaiting the
decision Of the Supreme Court on an appeal,
effected their escape.
The three men had been confined in Cell
No. 2S, on the lower tier, north side. There is
no watchman in this inner yard. From what
could be learned yesterday it seems proba-
BILE that these men-old Jail birds and shrewd
rascals-devoted al least a days work to
preliminary arrangements for their flight.
Their plan, which was successfully car
ried out. was to get into an unoccupied
corner cell (No. 10 on the upper tier and
next the eastern wall, then to make the
officer who came around at night to lock up
suppose that they were safe in No. %. and
then at their leisure from their secure re-
treat in No. 10 cut through the eastern
prison-wall, which alone lay between them
and liberty.
THE PLAN A SUCCESS.
When Deputy-Sergeant Tyler went
around Tuesday evening to lock up he
closed the bolt on No. 2S, and thought that
the three men were in, for he saw in the
cell dim light, such as the prisoners are
permitted to have Ior q short time while
preparing their bedding.
Tuesday night Mr.. Wren, the watchman,
was on duty at the Jail. and though on tue
alert he heard no noise nor saw anything to
arouse his suspicion.
When No. 2S was unlocked yesterday
morning it was found that Bradley, Thomp-
son, and Murray were not in. Search was
made for them, and a hole about eighteen
inches square, cut from Cell No. 10, upper
tier, north side, through the eastern wall,
told the whole story OF the escape.
THE TOOLS EMPLOYED.
The Instruments used by the men to eI-
feet their liberty were dentists file, ts:-
ble-knife, a-wrench. and hasp. The last
was taken from its place on the ccl'-walI.
where it supported the steam-neatin@ pipes.
The first thing the prisoners had 20 do
was to get access to Cell No. 10. In the
daytime they were at perfect liberty 10
reach the cel-door. All they had to do was
to 90 up short flight OF steps leading from
| the lower to the upper tier OF cells. There
was no officer in the inner yard to watch
them. But this cet-door was bolted, and
| the bolt locked in place. 1t was therefore
necessary for them to cut this bolt and
raise the cut piece out OF the socket. That
they did with the dentists file. They made
q nice, clean Job OF it. 1t is probable that
| this work was done on Tuesday; for on
that day two Of these fellows were playing
chess all day with Il prisoner who acts as
Il sort OF yard manager. While these two
were playing chess with the yard manager
! it is presumed that the other one was iiiny
the bolt of No. 10 in two.
The prison officers, being in the outer
! yard, could not sec what was going on.
THE HOLE IN THE WALL.
| Having sccreted themselves in No. 10 and
| found that the Deputy Sergeant had failed
| to note their absence from No. 2S, all the
three had to do was 10 proceed to cut hole
! through the east wall. which was the bound
ary on that side OF the prison as we'll rs the
cell. With the tools they had, the proba-
bility is that they did this part OF their work
in one or two hours.
Having crawled out OF the hole, all they
| had to do was to drop on the rouf OF a shed
in the city stables lo:. The distance was
only five or six feet. From the shcd-roof to
the ground and out OF the stablc's-'ot gate
was matter of no trouble.
There is watchman employed at the sta
bleS, but the night was dark and rainy and
lie was probably not at Il point where he
could see the operations OF the prisoners,
even ii the night had been clear
JUDGE CHRISTIANS VIEWS.
Sergeant Lee suspended the officers who
were on duty Tuesday evening and Tues
day night, and notified Judge Christian ol
what had occurred.
The Judge visited the Jail, and after
making personal inspection, returned tC
his Office and wrote communication to the
Sergeant instructin@ him to see the Cover.
nor and ask him TO offer Il reward for The
capture OF the parties, and to institute 4
rigid investigation as 10 the manner anC
means Of the prisoners escape, and to re-
port the result OF said investigation to bin
in writing. Furthermore, to continue the
order OF suspension against the officers al!
luded to.
REWARDS.
| The Governor offers reward Of $50 fol
the caDture OF each Of the fl@itiveS. Ser.
ecant Lee adds $50 more-makius 500 Iol
each. Farther, Sergeant Lee has tclg@rapl.-
ed descriptions Of the men in all directions
and Dcputy-Scrgcant Tyler is making espe'
cially vigorous efforts to be instrumental in
their recapture.
There is no reason to suppose that Bradley,
Thompson. and Murray had outside help
They had had no visitors, ard were remark
ably quiet, and apparently thoroughly sat
istied prisoners.
Il is not difficult to understand how the
prisoners might have come into possession
Of the tools which they used so c1ectually
IN getting into Cell No. 10 and in cutting
through the brick wall. The ncmbers OF
the chain-gang, in working in ash-heaps,
culvcrts, and cutters, have the opportunity
OF picking up many such things. Though
they are searched upon returning to the
Jail from work. it is not impossible for them
to secrcte smal articles about their person
so as to defy search. In this way it may
have been that the three men procured the
tools spoken of, and which were left behind
in their flight.
THE MOZART THIS EVENING First, over
IN ;.,,.N fpa.