Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-01-17
ESCAPING FROM PRISON.
Successful Underground Tunnelling by Criminal
In Confinement.


The most wonderful escape which
ever occurred at the Allegheny County
Penitentiary was that of Carmichael
and Bush, on December 2, 1872. John
Carmichael was serving term of six
years and six months, for killing John
Maloney. at Beck's Run Luke Bush
was noted New YorK burglar, and
was serving six years term for a job
done in Armstrong county. The men
occupied cell in common on the ex-
treme eastern side of the building and
were engaged at carpet weaving. They
were allowed to keep their tables in
their cell, which was fifteen feet long,
eleven feet high and seven and half
feet wide. with a flagstone floor fifteen
inches thick. The men began to drill
through this stone, their only tool being
chisel made from an old case knife.
Oil from their weaving loom was used
to deaden the sound. First piece was
Clipped off, and then one by one, bits
of stone We're chiseled out SO that they
could be fitted in their place again when
necessary. As soon as the stone was
cut through, Carmichael's skill as a
miner came into excellent play, for
being accustomed to working under
ground, he was able to Judge accura-
tely of distance and direction. Start
ing from beneath the cell the tunnel ex-
tended down under the wall of the build
ing; then ran straight for ten feet, when
it again dropped, and passing under
the outer wall, came to the surface on
Sherman avenue. The total length of
ha ftrn oil ha
worked at it for six months, the dirt
being placed in space beneath the
floor of the cell. Carmichael dug while
Bush kept guard, the latter warned his
companion of the approach of a turn
key by tapping lightly three times on
the floor. On the night of December
2, a man driving along Sherman ave-
nue.. street very little travelled, sud-
denly saw the paving sink, but paid no
attention to the matter. An hour and
a half later, or about midnight. the es-
Gaping men dragged themselves from
the excavation, looked cautiously
around, and, seeing no one. ran across
the street to carpenter shop, which
stood near the present High School,
From the shop they stole some clothing,
VhASh thSJ pun ofCt tiO DitoOu oiCoSt
walked to North avenue together,
grasped hands and then separated for
ever. Carmichael crossed over to the
south side and went up to the Monon-
gahela River coal mines. where he had
numerous friends. One can imagine
the feelings of the wretched fugitive
while pursuing his lonely way in the
silence of the night over the very ground
where his crime had been committed.
Carmichael was thirteen miles from the
city at daybreak, and for two nights
afterward was concealed in barn.
He finally made his presence known to
some friends, who sent him to Scotland,
where he still is. Warden Wright some
time since received letter from a man
in Scotland, who offered to return Car
michael if a certain reward was paid
By his escape Carmichael saved serving
six years of his sentence. Luke Bush
made his way to his old haunts in New
York State, and eighteen months after
his escape, when he had just begun to
enjoy the sweets of liberty, was recap
tured, returned to his old quarters, and
served out his time. Pittsburg Tele-
graph