The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-06-02
go fTH =
JAIL BREAKERS.
tsugar Awful and John Doughcrty
Escape From New Castle jail.

'ssugar Awful and John Dougherty
Escape From New castle jail.
Sometime between and 9.s0 o'clock
last evening Harrison Rothwell, better
known as Sugar Awful" colored, and
John Doughefty, q white man who
was serving term for horse stealing.
made their escape from New Castle
jail. The men were employedas cooks,
and consequently were allowed more
privileges than the other prisoners.
They served supper as usual last eve
ming, and afterwards washed up the
dishes and cleaned the room. They
then went out in the jail yard, but as
1t was thought they had gone for coal
to bank the fires for the night, very
little notice was taken Of their ab-
scence.
They however remained so long that
Warden Dennison started out In search
OF them and not finding them any
where in the yard gave the alarm. An
Investigation showed that the men
had made their escape by scaling the
rear wall, by means of rope made Of
strips the length Of the sheets, and
about three inches wide and then
twisted so as to form a rope. At the
end their was hook made from o
large iron poker and this was thrown
over the wall so as to catch In the cop
ing. 1t is evident that the men then
climbed to the top OF the wall by means
OF the rope, and then jumped q dis
tance of 20 feet to the ground.
AS soon as their escape was known
Sheriff Simmons with Warden Tucker,
Warden Dennlson, George L. Simmons
and seven other men started in pur-
suit, Each one OF the party started In
a different direction. The two es-
capped prisoners were seen going
through the lower part of New Castle
between $50 and 0 O'Clock toward the
road to Newport and two men on
horseback started toward that town.
They had not been captured up to
this morning, and it is thought they
are hiding somewhere, not great dis
lance from New Castle, where they will
remain for few days, and then try
and make their way to some distant
city.
Harrison Rothwell, alias Sugar Aw-
ful," Is born thief, and from the time
ho was a small boy would steal al-
most anything he could lay his hands
on. The crime for which he was con-
lined this time was committed in the
summer of 1858. He broke into and
robbed the residence OF Mrs, Cecilia
McLane, and when she happened to go
| up stairs, while he was gathering tho
| plunder together, he drew q revolver
and threatened to kill her if she dared
say word. The lady, however,
screamed, when he fled from the house,
put was pursued and captured.
Ho was tried at the September term
OF court and sen5enced TO pay the
costs OF prosecution, Sl7 restitution
money, fine OF $50, be imprisoned
ten years, be whipped with twenty
lashes, and stand one hour in the pill
lory. ---
He stood his hour In the pillory, re
ceived the twenty iashes, and was plac
ed in cell No. 7, where he was kept fol
some time. He, however, seemed 81
quiet that Sheriff Allen had him trans
ferred to the cook house. On tn,
night of March 1S, 1890 he escaped
from his cell and was not re-captureC
until June 19. of that year, when III
was found asleep in bed in Philadel
phla, and returned to his old quarters
In the jail.
His companion, John pougherty wa
convicted at the November term of tn,
Court of General Sessions In 1890 TO
stealing horse and was sentenced tC
one years imprisonment. He has beer
much liberty on account of his gooC
behavior. and had many times sait
that he would never attempt to breal
jail. He was very useful about tn
jail and OF late he and Sugar Awful
havo been very intimate. Their sol
vices have been greatly appreciated
and when any ravors have been showi
these two men usually got theirsharf
II is scarcely probable that the me-
will come to this city, as they are botl
well known to the police, and coul
not lie in the city long without bein
recaptured.