The Portland daily press., 1883-12-17
THOMAS CoNRoY.
The Story of His Wanderings since His
Escape from Portland Jail.

Saturday night Deputy Sheriffs Sargent and
Sterling returned from Boston, bringing with
them Thomas Conroy Conroy had declined
TO come without requisiton. but when that
was procured, and he was told it was no use
resisting, he came quietly.
Conroy escaped from Jail April 10th. He
says he remained In the city several days after
his escape, but refused to tell who harbored
MIN. On the following Monday he says he
walked on board the steamer New Brunswick
at a. M, along with Sullivan, iast as the
steamer was about to sail for Yarmouth, N. s
and crossed the gang-plsnk in the face and
eyes OF two policemen, neither of whom he
knew by name. The steamer took the two
men to Yarmouth, where they stayed a few
days, and then proceeded to st. John, N. B.
Here he (Conroy) remained five months, work.
ing at his trade of stone-cutter, and also as a
barber, while Sullivan was employed at
foundry. In July his wife went to ST. John,
taking with her their baby, and the child af-
forwards died The mother, with the dead
body OF her child, returned to Portland BY the
usual routes of travel, but Conrcy went TO
Yarmouth, got on board a vessel freighted with
sailor on that craft. When the vessel reach
ed Portland, and the health officer came along
side, Conroy says he climbed into the rigging
Tor fear he might be recognized, and STAYED
there until the officer left. He remained ia
Portland three days, including Jnly 4th He
then went to port west of New York in the
same vessel, and after the voyage he went to
New York and engaged in several pursuits
He also went to Boston and Providence He
says he lost $500 in the latter city, and says he
won 700 at faro in Boston the day he was cap
tured, and had INDUCED in too much liquor at
the time, or be would not have been Captured
SO easily He is respondent about his capture
and says he would rather have died than have
been brought back to Maine. He says he was
never more closely watched than by the officers
under Sheriff True; that he got the pepper in
the jail, and that pepper could always be got
there under all the sheriffs. He said if it
had not have been for Sullivan coming to his
aid he never could have got away from Mr..
True, the turnkey. He says True grabbed him
and threw him even after his (True's) eyes
were filed with tile pepper.
Sheriff True has had an eye on Conroy's
MoftIeutS Iof some Em6. he knew he was
in New York, pursuing the business, of what
is known to the police, as fakir, that is
man who sells trinkets at the street corners.
Deputy Sterling just missed Conroy in New
York, and also in Boston, but other parties
were put on their guard, and they finally Sc
cured him.
Conroy is evidently dangerous man, and
will have to meet trial not only for the crime
for which he was awaiting trial when he es-
capped, but also receive sentence now for a
crime committed long time ago when Judge
Symonds suspended sentence during good be-
hsvicr.
In this connection it may be proper to state
that Sheriff True informs us that he is not re-
sponsible for prisoners when in the work shop
The officers of the work shop are appointed by
the County Commissioners, not by the sheriff
When the prisoners leave the Jail tS'enter the
workshop, and when they are returned, they
are searched by the sheriff's officers, aud care
fully looked after. Sheriff True says he was
never told by the Commissioners that the pri-
soners must wear the prison garb when they
LETT the jail 10 go into the shop. That was an
instruction to Sheriff Sawyer.