New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-03
PRISONERS LEAP FOR LIFE.
HARDY, THE BANK THIEF, ESCAPES AGAIN.
KENNEY. INDICTED FOR MURDER FOLLOWS
HIM-THE THIRD MAN NOT so FORTUNATE
, JUDGE MARITIME TRYING To FIX
THE RESPONSIBILITY.

THE RESPONSIBILITY.
A daring escape Of prisoners from the cour'
room of Part III of the General Sessions maze
the part of the City Hall Park surrounding the
General Sessions Building scene OF great excite
ment yesterday afternoon. Thirteen prisoners
had been taken to the courtroom, where Judge
MARITIME presided, and they had been placed IN
the prison-pen in the corner OF the room MosU
of them were accused of petty offences. but
Henry F. Hardy. the daring thief who robbed
two banks in open daylight on September 90
and John Kenney, who is under indictment for
murder in the first degree, also IN the pen
When the cases of Hardy and Kcnney were
called soon after the opening of court adjourn
ments of their trials were granted until next
week with the consent of Assistant-Dlstrlc'-At-
torney Macedonia The case of William Cunning
ham, indicted for assault in the first degree was
set down for trial at p. m, and as several other
prisoners pleaded guilty recess until that time
was taken at 2:15 o'clock Judge MARITIME. Mr.
Macdona, the jurymen, witnesses, and spectators
left the courtroom. Court-Oficer Bennett was
sitting at the door of the prson-pcn and one or
two newspaper reporters were in the ROOM The
prisoners were talking TO another, but there
was no unusual noise in the room.
THE ALARM GIVEN BY CLERK DAVENPORT.
Clerk Davenport, who was writing the minutes
of the DIS proceedings. happened to glance to-
ward the prison pen about fifteen minutes after
the recess began and he saw the head of young
man suddenly appear above the top of the en-
closure. The head was rapidly followed by the
shoulders and body of the prisoner, who crawled
over wire netting at the top OF the prlson-pen
to the window which gives light to the prisoners
and threw himself over the iron bars, which did
not extend 10 the top of the window The clerk
called out to the court officer: "One
of your prisoners is escaping and re-
porter who also saw the attempted escape. joined
in giving the alarm. Officer Bennett ran into the
hall calling out Escape, escape and Police
man Brown, of the General Sessions Building
rushed toward Chambers-st and gave the alarm
in that direction. In the meanwhile the prisoner
had dropped from the window into the Park, sew
eral feet below, and was running up Chamoersst'
toward Broadway. Two or three Park policemen
started after him. and Policeman Neylan. of the
Third Precinct, joined in the pursuit The pris-
oner lodged about first on side of the street and
then on the other, but before he reached Broadway
Policeman Neylan had him by the collar, and ne
was Quickly surrounded by other al1lccrs. Ite
was identified as William Cunningham whose
trial for assault had been set for o'clock
hasty comparison of the number OF prisoners
still in the pen with the prison list showed thas
the two most important prisoners had obtained
their liberty before Cunningham was discovered
Hardy, the bank thief, and kenney, the alleged
murderer had already escaped. The plan OF es-
cape had evidently been devised and was hrSt
carried out by Hardy. whose boldness, strengtb
and quclness have enabled him to commit some
remarkable thefts. -,
The prison-pen in Part III is covered with
stout wire netting at about nine feet from the
floor The four wire frames rested on intersect-
ing horizontal beams, but the fastenings con-
sisted only of short staples, which sank less than
half an inch into the wood One OF the sections ms
one side, and an athletic man, aided by any one
below, could easily climb through the opening
81.
,0e An oti"ial in the County Court-Ilouse who
the men slide down tn window bars thonght that
they were workmen. Court Captain Mayhan I'M
mediately informed Inspector Byrncs OF the es-
cape, and general alarm was sent out.
EXPLOITS OF THE DARING THIEF.
Hardy. who planned the escape is the man
who on September 90 went into the Fifth National
Bank Jumped on the railing, and reaching over
snatched $1,000 in money almost from under the
hands of the cashier. He was delayed for
moment by his attempt TO hide the money and
was caught after long search. Earlier in the
same day he had secured $4,000 from the Com
mercial Bank in a similar way. Nhen ne was
arragned at the lombS he WAS rSfogize41 o4 fs soa
thief who under the name of Harding had peen
convicted of larceny. but soon aiierWard haNlnS
been acquitted of an assault, walked out OF the
courtroom without waiting 10 enter on MS term
of Imprisonment for the larceny;
Kenney is accused of killing Cornelius Lehman,
whom he attempted to rob on the rlVer-lronI on
June IS Hardy says that his real name Is
Charles O'Connor lie is tall thin. and of refined
appearance. He has been convicted oi more lnan
orc cri.oe and has been known an expert thief.
Cnnnin CHAM the prisoner whose escape was cut
of pleaded guilty later in the day 10 a n chnrge
of assault in the first degree committed on W imam
Donnes and he was remandcd for sentence Juu@c
MARITIME held an examination to ascertain VINO was waS
TO blame for the escape. captain MShaI ID ,,i S1iu
that he had often urged the Department Of Publc
Works TO make the prson-pen stronger Superln,,
tendent Bergen, of the Bureau OF supplies ana
Repairs entered the COURTROOM Wmle the - en-
animation was in progress. Judge Martine asked
him: ; , ,-o,, mt
" / thought it was safe enough
"You don't think so now?'
NO j don't now" H.
Judge MARITIME directed that bars extending the
full length of the windows be placed at every
thn