New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-02
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
|. CRIPPLED PRISONERS ESCAPE.

a
eATrERsBY TELLS HOW HE COZ OUT OF THE LONG
ISLAND CITY JAIL-CoNFEDERATEs ON THE OUT
SIDE.
Anew bar was placed in the iron grating yester-
day in front of the window through which the four
prisoners escaped from the Long Island City jan on
Saturday, migrating which weighs about 'oo
pounds was put back IN its place by SIX mechalcs'
The captured fugitive, Battersby, was in more
communicative mood yesterday, and talked freely
10 all his visitors. 1.-THE first knew of any plan
10 escape" he said, was about 10 o'clock on
Thursday night. i saw two men saving at the
iron grating. l made a noise, and Bel
mont told md TO keep quiet and would soon be
released. A short time afterward one of the keep
ers entered theJai and the two men stopped saw
ING. They only worked about three-quarters OF an
hour that night.
"About IL D. IN. the next night they again re-
+nrned and continued the work for nearly an hour.
When they were through they shouted in the cor
rider that all was finished They then put little
tobacco around the bar to keep IL steady. Belmont
told MS the next day that his friends had done this
and we consulted about the best time to escape.
We selected the afternoon, when we were allowed
out of our cells to wash. When the keeper left us
Belmont assembled the iron heatinc-pipe, removed
The bar, and pushed him through the opening
He stood in the yard and pulled me through W
then pulled the others out In the same way. Inc
fat German. walters, VINO was COnNICtcu III 'nO
Astoria masked burglary. found IT very difficult to
crawl through the small opening. lie was DIuise9
badly and his skin was torn. Shaw, who only had
ten DAYS to serve, was very angry because ne was
the last man. He was as anxious as any Vi Us 10
get ont ont m ,r,rcd over the fence we kept to-
gether until we reached Calvary Cemetery, which
Is about a milo and a half away, alters was
found to be as active as any OF us, although ne mas
ballet In his leg. He and Belmont wanted TO get
TO Ncw-YoIk, but they did not know the way TO
WILLIAMSBURG. Shaw offered to pilot them. just
then we looked behind and saw the wagon-iOaG Oh
detectives after Us. / sa things were getting hOt,
so left the others at Calvary Cemetery. watched
the wagon until saw it upset, Then knew had
o good chance to escape. l went directly 70
New Lots because ] thought the detectives WOuld
think that would not be such fool as to go to my
own house. If could have staid there until even
lag they never would have caught mo. had
wagon engaged and l would soon haye been on
board q ship. do not know where the other men
went / knew Walters said he would have all his
furniture sold and would take the first steamer 10
Germany. Belmont kept bis plans secret"
Battersby gave Sheriff RUshmOre "a description OF
the men he saw cutting the bar, and the authorities
thluk they know who they are. After a long
search in this city for the tugtiyes Keeper Eldrdge
returned to the prison yesterday and SAID ne mao
hopes of soon reCaptunng them. III was learned
tbot Walters had caused all his household furniture
10 be sold. The detectives are watching ms house
ana all tho European steamers and vessels, ana
BelmOnts wife also. , . =,
sheriff Rushmore said yesterday that he could not
hold anyone under hun responsible for the escape
of the prisoners Battersby declared, he sad, that
the keeper was only absent fifteen minutes, ana
have no watchmeu TO guard the outside he con-
tnued "all the security without the walls is
wooden fence about seven feet hlgl' AS you see,
cripplcs can easily jump over It,"