The daily gazette., 1879-03-18
FIFTH EDITION.
FLED TO FREEDOM.

How Three Prisoners In Dover Jail
Locked up the Warden, knocked the
Sheriff. Wife DOwn and made good
their ESQ ape.
Special correspo ndence Of the Gazette.
DOVER, March 1S.
Three Of fSheriffDunn's prisoners threw
of the restraints of jail life last evening
and by mastery strategy gained their
freedom.
The facts Of the escape are about as
follows: While the turnkey, a young
man naiued Walter Pratt, was locking
the prisoners up for the night, at about
8 o'clock, ~ liz his usual custom, and Was
preparing to fasten the door of the cell
in which were confined two white men
named Charles rodgers, alias Tom Cox
anu Hiram Griffith, he was seized upon
and overpowered by them. 1t seems that
he was engaged in locking the cell door.
Rodgers led the assault and was imme-
diately followed by Gri filth. Before
Pratt could raise any Outcry he was
knocked unconscious and in C omp9ny
with the Shetitf's son lad of about IL
years was locked up in the cell. Mean
while, Julian Kent young mulatto who
was Standing in the hall took to his heels
and made his escape through the front
nf the Jail. His example was foliawed
by Rodgers aud Griffith, rs soon as they
succeed "a securing young Pratt and
the Sherlh's soh.
Just as Rodgers was about to spring
fhrniiDh fha Innr NJ Ilnnn ls. 40 ~
wife caught him by the arm exclaiming,
"What on earth does this mean ?" The
only reply he gave was to hurl her from
him with sufficient force o fell her to the
floor. He then continued his flight.
Mrs. Dunn, though considerably agi-
tatei and alarmed was not jured in aly
way, aud with rema' kabIe aud commen-
dable presence Of I'M nd she rung the bell
that communicates with the sherif1's
oflce in the county building where her
husband WAS sitting at that moment.
1t was some time before the Sheriff
responded. ~ he had no idea of The start
ling scenes being enact. d in the jail near
by; and when he did 70 the fugitiyes had
made their escape under cover of the
darh ness anu the snow y orm then ragi ny
Pursuit was uselc cs.
This morning the Sheriff had notices
posted up around town Offering $40 re-
ward for the arrest and return ofthe pris.
oners and giving AN accurate description
OF each of them.
Gl fiji h Is about 81 ,rs Of age, ,ofsligh
bm.d and auout feet six inches iu
hight. He has dark hair and dark COM
plexion. He WAS dressed IN dark suit
and stiff, round crowned black hat He
was confinvi for shooting negro sever
al years ago in West Dover, aud his term
would have expired on the 2ith Of A pril
next. 1n ADDITION TO his peualty he wa
fined $500 and costs which were unpaid
Ii Is probable thai his efforts To escape
were a. CELEBRATED by the thought that hs
would he confined until these amounts
were paid.
Rodgers, alias Cox is % years Of age
and has a dark comp'c, IN, dark eye,
was attired like Griffith. IS term also
would have expired on the "a h OF
April. He was confined for iobblng "A
store al Hazle Vile. Kent county.
Kent is light mullattu and was inn
prisoned for shooting negro in Smyrna
last year. He wonld have had two ears
more to serve The Sheriff has an iIea
that Kent had no mention of breaking
Jail with the aim of making good his es-
cape. He left letter under his pillow
addressed to the Sheriff, IN which he
says that he went to work up the case fol
hun and that when he found out al
about 1t he would return and give HIN
the whereabouts of the other tao. KEN
had great dislike OF Griffith. The letter
has the appearance of ruse TO prevent
pursuit.
About two months ago Griffith had
$500 left him from his mothers estate In
Philadelphia. The Sferiff drew $50 fol
| lim on check a few days ago.