The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-12-03
THROUGH Two WALLS.
Convict Dugan Tells the
Storyof HIS Escape froms
the Penitent1ary.

Frank Dugan who escaped from the
erly recaptured by Deputy Warden Vol
lers last week. told the Committee on
County Institutions yesterday how he
effected his escape. Dugan is not his
correct name. he said, and he gave it
when arrested because he did not want
ms family who live in Pennsylvania to
know OF his disgrace. He is man five
feet eleven inches high and very broad
chested. He is a powerful fellow forty
one years old.
BROKEN SCISSORS.
Dagau said he was convicted of break
ing and entering q Bayonne school house
and had served three months of a years
sentence when he concluded he had been
IN the penitentiary long enough. When
ne arrived at this conclusion be watched
Tor an opportunity that day to secure
tools and in the tailor shop at the peni-
tentiary be secured a broken pair OF
scissors and a broken chisel. He secreted
these on him and at noon when he went
10 his cell left them there. That day be
tried the tools for five minutes and found
they worked like a charm and he was
convinced he could dig himself out Of the
penttentiary.
The second night after the tools were
obtained Dugan told his cell mate of his
intention aud then went TO work. Before
be had dug the plaster from around the
first brick he heard the watchman making
his rounds. He stopped and the watch
man passed on. The scissors were again
picked up and carefully and noiselessly
the cement was removed.
BRICKS EASILY REMOVED.
The first brick was loosened and he
carefully lifted 1t out. Then followed
another and another until hole eighteen
by sixteen inches was dug. He said after
the first bricks were dug out the others
were so loose that they could almost he
picked from the cement without tools. It
was as near rs he could judge fifteen min
utes past twelve when be had completed
the hole. He had twice been stopped by
the watchman making his rounds, but
that official. when he saw Dugan appar-
emily numbering on his couch, passed on
serene in the belief that all was secure.
When the hole was dug Dugan listened
attentively and hearing no sound be
squeezed his body through the aperture
head first. He was on the third tier of
cells. Carefully crawling to the end Of
the gallery he slid down the rail to the
ground floor and went to a closet which
had been left open by some workmen
Here he cut through the ceiling to an
empty room and then dug his way
through the wall. Twice while at work
the watchman passed and Dugan breathu
lessly desisted his labor until he felt safe
to begin. When the hole was
dug through and liberty his he re-
traced his steps to his cell. AS he
was crawling along the third tier the
watchman walked by, on the ground.
Dugan lay close up to the wall aud never
moved muscle till the watchman was
gone. He then reached his cell and told
his cell mate what had been done, That
individual had but few days to serve
and he declined to escape. Dugan then
worked his way to tho hole in the outer
wall and at half-Dast four o'clock, Just as
the first detail of the Denitentiary was
turned out for duty. he was free man.
II sTULEN CLOTHES.
He stole coat, vest and pair of pants
which he put over his convict suit and
fled as rapidly as possible down to the
county road, which he followed 10 the
Erie tunnel and he then turned south
and leisurely pursued his way along the
meadows 10 Bergen Point where he
crossed 10 Staten Island and from there
went to New York. In that city he found
friends, took off his convict suit aud
sought work. He obtained it in q quarry
and later was employed as a deck
hand on one of Starln's boats.
REcAPTURED.
He said he recognized Vollers as soon
as he saw him. but hoped Vollers did not
recognize him. After concluding this
story he told the Freeholders he knew he
had done wrong and begged them not to
nave him punished for escaping He
said he had been in the dark cell ever
since his capture. He promised to be-
have himself and earnestly begged the
Freeholders not to make charge of Jail
breaking against him when his time ex-
pired.
His plea for mercy was SO great shat
Freehoider Ellis commented
THAT knocks Gorman's sympathetic
act higher than kite"