The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-10-17

LANCASTER, Pa, Oct. 10.-This
city was thrown into an intense state
of excitement between seven and
eight O'Clock this evening by the ru-
NOR that fifteen prisoners had over
powered the authorities at the coun-
tv Jail and made their escape. What
led to the great excitement was the
fact that John Frankford the notori-
Gus one-eyed horse thief and Jail
breaker, had again fed, and with
him, Abe and Ike Buzzard brothers.
George Brimmer, commonly called
It'd" the youthful barn burner
whose depredations SO often terrified
our citizens, John Wertz. another in
cendiary, Phillip Hildebrand await
ing trial for murder in the borough
of Strasburg, and other criminals of
less note.
The facts of the escape are as fol-
lows: Abe Buzzard was being TAX
en- from his cell to that of his broth
er in charge of one underkeeper, the
other underkeeper being in the bar
Der shop and when few yards from
his cell asked his custodian to give
him the privilege of taking his bird
cage with him which request was
complied with. Just as the under
keeper was going into the cell for
the cage Buzzard seized him, and
with his powerful arms thrust him
in and quietly turned the key upon
him. Then seizing gun he began
unlocking the doors of the Others
prisoners, who when released seized
guns and held at bay the other un-
derkeeper and other who made their
appearance. The next thing to do
was to break the telephone so that
no communication could be had
with the mayors office, and then
taking the large gate key they filed
into the yard and opened the gate
which leads into the street and fled
having fully half hours start be-
fore the police could be notified.
John Frankford is too well known
to need lengthy notice. 1t is he
who defies all prison walls and
boasts that no jail was ever built that
could hold him. He has escaped
fully five times from different jails,
once from the Eastern Penitentiary.
He was only recently captured IN
Chester county the authorities there
claiming him for horses stealing but
in a legal fight for him Lancaster
county came off victorious but Ches-
ter county is now like the fellow
who laughs last. He is undergoing
sentence of nineteen years fourteen
of which he has vet TO serve after
which Chester county can have his
corpse as he is over fifty years old.
He can easily be identified by the
loss of his eyes which he lost by
being shot by our prison keeper
while trying to make his escape
through a ilue
THE ESCAPED PRISONERS.
It'd" Brimmer was sentenced
about one year ogo to thirteen years
imprisonment for incendiarism, hav-
ing belonged to a gang which burn
ed the poorhouse barn several large
tobacco warehouses numberless sta
bles among them the mayors caus-
ing as high as tour fires inside OF as
many hours. he confessed after
having been convicted, and gave
away" the whole gang some of
whom have convicted. Among
them was Wertz who was sentenced
to ten years.
Abe and Ike Buzzard are notori-
Gus criminals and belong to the
Welsh mountain gang which has
been a terror to this county for years.
Abe was only recaptured about
two weeks ago while playing game
of cards near Ephrata. 1t was
known long that he was about his
usual haunts but no one dared to !
approach him until two brave Off
GERS teok him by surprise. Ike like
his brother Abe, also broke Jail here
tofore and was taken back to prison |
as a vagrant because he could not |
pay his fine before a magistrate.
He was only identified at the Jail by |
one of the underkeepers as one of
the notorious Buzzards who had |
made their escape.
Mr. Burkholder the prison keep
er was down town while this affair
took place. Early in his admins
tration he purchased a bloodhound
and a large bell. The bell was rung
every evening at sundown when the
bloodhound was let loose and no.
person'were allowed in the yard un-
der any circumstances after that
1t is said that the Jail breakers took
the bloodhound with them and shot
him near the creek.
RaItimore and Ohio's PrOsDcrity