Evening journal., 1890-05-29
ONE CENT.
A ATURNKEY KNOCKED OUT
Daring Escape of Negroes frona
Trenton Prison.
sANDBAGGED Win 4 STOCKING.

Capt. Parker, who Was Guarding the
street Door, Was Assaulted and Robbed
Of ssoo-Arrayed In stolen Clothing
the Convicts Escaped 10 the Woods.
TRENTON, May GA daring escape from,
the state prison took place at s.45 o'clock
last evening. Tom Thomas and Henry
Jackson, both negroes, were each serving
thirty years sentence. Monmouth county,
about seven years ago, was terrorized by
these men and three Others who were never
caught. They robbed stores and residences,
assaulted and robbed citizens and burned
barns and dwellings. Thomas and Jack
son We're finally captured Twenty odd In.
dietments were found against them. After
their sentence they said they would NOT
serve half their terms
They became Walters.
The walls around the prison building
are high and difficult TO scale. and watch.
men armed with rifles stand upon towers
rising from It's roof, ready at any hour Of
the day or night to shoot down fleeing con-
victs
Il is six and a half years since Jackson
and Thomas were brought to Trenton.
They soon earned a reputation for lndustrv
and peaceabe habits, and during the pasu
two years they have been hall runners ana
winters Walters have the freedom of tha
largest part Of the prison
A Stocking FILLED with sand.
In the gathering dusk last night theypua
into execution plan which was to give
them liberty Capt. Charles Parker, a
turnkey, aged 55, was on duty az the huea
street doors through which arriving con.
yicts have to pass. Thomas and Jackson
were lettering in the hall near the door.
jackson had concealed in his shirt u stock-
ing filled with sand
&kyery movement made by Capt. Parker
was watched by the negro prisoners. The
main hall was completely deserted Of AIN
save three men. Capt. Parker sauntered
into the office Of Chief Clerk Mullen Ia
look ont Of the windows
The Turnkey Knocked Ont.
The chief clerk had gone 60 his home in
the city. His office is in an aleove directly
of the main hall, Capt Parker had scarce.
lyreached the windows when jackson crept
up behind him as stealthily as a cat. The
sanding had been drawn from under his
shirt and was in his hand With one noise
less blow delivered on the back Of the head
he knocked the turnkey down. The Office
floor IS carpeted, and the full made little
noise. Capt. Parker was unconscious
Thomas and Jackson rifed his pockets.
getting a roll Of money amounting to ssOO.
a silver watch and chain beside his bunch of
keys and a revolver.
The Watchman Saw Them.
The two convicts ran up into the second
story Of the prison and, entering the pri,
vate rooms Of Deputy Keepers John Cas-
par and johnson Bergen, stole two snits OF
clothes, including spring overcoats. Then
they descended hastily 10 the main hall.
unlocked the street door that was still un-
guarded, and passed out into the street.
The watchman on the tower saw two fig,
ures gliding along the street in the dark.
ness. lie had not the faintest suspicion
that they were the convicts
The Alarm Given.
The two negroes made their way through
the southern part Of the city in the direc-
ton Of Bordentown, and they are supposed
to be IN the woods near that place.
Five minutes after their departure Can't
Parker was missed. Deputy Keeper Mad4
den went into Clerk Mullen's Office TO look
Tor him, and Ia the next instant the alarm
was given and the entire force OF keepers
was astir Capt Parker, still unconscious
was put TO bed, DR. Reilly, the prison
physician, attending him AT s O'clock
Capt, Parker revived sufficiently to tell
what had happened to him He said he
always carried severa! hundred dollars
about with him.
jackson and Thomas are each about a
years old, and by the Monmouth autbori-
ties they are said to have come originally
from New York city. All the deputy
Keepers that could be spared from the
prison are out securing the city and sub
urbs for traces Of the fugitives.