The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-16
LUCK IS QUEER.


philosophers may say what they
p~lease-may call il the ~fruition of studied
effort or the result OF intelligent causes
but I tell you there is such n thing as
luck, and l will prove it TO you by the
tragedy which occurred i'm your city on
Decoration day."
The speaker was one of the best-known
detectives in the state of New Jersey. and
is attached to the prosecutors or district
attorneys Office of Essex county, New
Jersey, at Newark. Detective John L.
Rever, that being the speakers name, was
in Philadelphia last week on private bust
ness. and while detailing his experience
told the following story:
II allude TO the killing of the negro
Jackson and the capture of his compan-
ion, Thomas. as being the tragedy on
Decoration day."
"What do you mean by the luck at
taching to it?" asked an Inquirer re-
porter.
''Just this: There were two men. igno-
rant negroes, who were in the New Jer-
sey state prison to serve a term of 30
years each, and yet they made their cs-
cape with the greatest ease-scarcely with
an effort, and with very little preparation
or foreplanning that required ingenuity,
excepting the grasping of the opportunity,
while there is to-day in the same prison "A
maj who for years has been trying To get
ont, and has made several unsuccessful
attempts, bringing to his aid all the tech
meal mechanical know ledge Of which he
is master. and he is one of the finest me-
chanics in the United States.
before coming to the state prison lie
made three almost unsuccessful attempts
to get OF of the Essex county prison at
Caldwell, and the history of those atte mpts
Is a wonderful one. But first i want to
point out that dumb auckland | can't
call IL by any other na~me-succeeds where
well directed effort fails, as | will show.
snow Connors, for that is the name,
the professional name, of this man, is a
burglar who takes rank with Jimmy Hope,
Irving and others of that class, with whom
he did several jobs, in fact, and he was
sent TO Caldwell pending his trial for
breaking into ~Irapeagen's jewelry store
in Newark. He was closely watched in
the prison. but he threw tine keepers of
theie guard by complaining of c~ostivc-
ness. The prison doctors offered To
prescribe for him, but he said
that he didn't want any powerful
medicine, but some figs would do, as they
were sufficiently laxative. He was and is
a delicate-looking man. m his request
was complied with. He used to throw
the boxes as he got them every day upon
the shelf in his cell, and no notice was
taken of the action.
AT the close of one day, when the turn
key started to phil the lever which locks
all the cells on the tier where Connors
was confined, he found the machinery re-
fused to work. An examination was
quickly made and the trouble was traced
TO Connor's cell. Ii was there found that
he had loosened the anchor bar in his cell
although il was strongly set into tle stone
and but for the timely ,untimely for Con-
nors) discovery, he would have been free
OF the corridor in an hour"
"What had the figs to 10 with liz"
ale took the boxes, broke them up and
placed the thin wood between his Bible
leaves. He then bound the book strongly
with stout cord, and. using il as a full
crum, gradually, with "A jimmy, forced the
bar. The Bible was like a rock, SO hard
was IL. He is a thorough master of the
power of leverage.
"Connors' next attempt was just as ac-
cidentally discovered. One of the keepers
was talking to him through his cell bars
one day, when, taking his hands away
from the bars, which he had clasped for
support, he noticed that his hands were
black. An examination Of the bars
showed that two of them had been all but
sawed through n the space filed up
with waxed filings, the Whole being hid
den by backing from his shoes. He had
intended to make his break for liberty
the night of the day he was discovered.
His third attempt in that prison was
unsuccessful on cot of the failure of
his friends to De on time. He had worked
the bars Of his cell window loose, and had
the necessary rope to lower him to the
yard; the Waterman was to he silenced by
an airgun I'm the hands of his friends, as
il was afterward found ont, but his friends
plans miscarried.
ale was shortly after this, upon convic-
ton, taken TO Trenton. Pat Laverty was
then head keeper, and when Connors
came to the prison Laverty went to the
burglar and said: 'Connors. are you going
To break away while I'm keeper" Lib
reply, and then Laverty knew he had to
look out for him. He was stripped and
searched thoroughly, every portion of his
body being examined, but no implement
or tool of any kind wa found on him.
and a new suit of clothes was
given him, too. Before his cell
was placed a cage Of fine wire net
ting to prevent communication with him.
This cage was about ten feet away from
the cell door, and when his friends called
they were not allowed to come any closer.
and were watched by n special keeper; yet
scarcely n month after his incarceration
OF those steel jaws or L-shaped levers
used for bending bars further apart was
found in his cell. The tool weighed ~ or
10 pounds. Now the mystery Is. where did
he get il?
NOW, the point ] want To make is this
Here was a man Of wonderful mechanical
genius who spent years in his work of try
ing to gafn freedom. who brought to bear
every appliance known to the machinisi
and every principle known to the laws OF
scientific mechanism, yet he fails to effect
his escape, while two ignorant negroes,
without one 1.-THE of his brains. manage e.
escape from onc of the finest prisons in