The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-09-30
Gave Jailer Birdsal1 and
His Big Bulldog
the Slip.
DOWN A ROPE TO LIBERTY
Three of Them We're Recaptured,
But the Others Probably
Took an Early Train
Out Of Town.

Confined in cells at the Second Precinct
Station House on Grove street. are three
OF seven notorious young toughs who made
most daring escape from the County
Jail last night between nine and ten
o'clock. The seven prisoners who broke
Jail We're all boys, ranging in age from
twelve to sixteen years. Their names
appear on the blotter at the County Jail
as Peter German, Walter Blake, John
Gibbons, (now under arresD Yellow
Ambrose and ''nigger" Jim Rafferty,
(who are both at large).
In some manner unknown to the Off
cials in the Jail, Gibbons, Rafferty, and
Ambrose secured an iron bar. With
this they succeeded in removing the iron
bars and heavy iron plate that guarded
the window in the bath room. The bars,
as removed, were placed on bl ankets
stolen from the cots, and wet, so as to
deaden the sound. Having success fully
removed the heavy plate and bars, pieces
of cord, also stolen from the cots, we're
tied together until a rope was made long
enough to reach the Jail yard.
The rope was securely fastened in the
bath room, and then one after another the
boys made their descent from the fourth
story to the ground.
Ambrose was the first one to reach the
yard. He gave signal that all was safe
and then Gibbons mounted the window
sill and silently slid to the ground.
rafferty, was the next to descend and
following him came German. Blake
wound up the procession. The boys had
taken off their shoes and stockings SO as
to make no noise.
The others were ohm Reynolds. twelve
years of age. and William Hughes, aged
fou urteen. What became Of them has not
been ascertain ed. 1t is believed they went
up Newark avenue, and are still some-
where on the Heights.
When all had gathered in the jail yard
they were surprised to see the head of a
young Italian appear at the window.
The seven little Jail breakers. fearing de-
lection, made wild motions for him to go
ba ok. The italian slid down the rope
about ten feet. but, afraid to descend
further, climbed back, hand over hand.
to the window. The boys in scurrying
about the yard aroused the bulldog,
which Is tied in shed.
CAUGHT BY THE DOG.
The dog growled and barked, and then
with a rush they mounted the fence.
Ambrose was seized by the bulldog and
lost one leg of his trousers, but without
further erinterruption they made good their
escape.
"A gentleman passing by" said Gfb-
bons, told us to skip or we would get
caught" Ambrose and Rafferty, started
on run toward the railroad cut. The
other three, who are smaller. attempted
to follow them, but were unable to Keep
their leaders in view. German, Blake
and Gibbons finally gave up and turned
back. going down town. They ran down
the Newark avenue hill under cover of
red car. In the meantime the escape of
the prisoners had been discovered and the
police notified.
Walter Blake is the only one of the
lads who met with any mishap. Almost
as soon as he left the window the rope
slipped from his grasp and he fell
were Deering from the window and were
Mortified. They believed their comrade
was killed. But he wasn't. Blake was
on his feet in an instant, and he ran
limping away.
AN OFFICER IN PURSUIT.
A gentleman standing on the front
platform of the car. seeing Policeman
Cox, of the Second Precinct, on Newark
avenue near Grove street, jumped off and
told him that the two boys who had
passed him running beside the car had
just escaped from the County Jail.
Cox saw the boys disappear down Bay
Street. He gave chase. and selling
German by the collar, drew his revolver
and threatened to shoot the other boy,
VINO was Gibbons. il he did not stop.
Gibbons lodged behind telegraph pole.
and waited for the policeman to come up
to him. Cox took them to the station
house where both denied that they had
escaped from the jail Gibbons, who has
been arrested many times, and has
served term In the Reform School, In
formed Sergeant Reardon that his nnme
WAS Mcfarland, and that he lived az No.
So Grand street. He denied knowing
German and said that he had met him an
hour before in Newman's Theatre. When
asked why they were barefooted they
said nothing. Turning to Gibbons Rear
don said:-"You broke Jail tonight"
You can't give me anything like that"
said the boy. He told a straight story
and would have escaped had not German
become frightened and acknowledged
that he had escaped from the jail. Glib
bons then followed suit and told the Ser
geant how they bad made their escape.
ONE WENT HOME.
Blake had gone to his home in Fifth
street TO see his mother. His father was
at home and knowing that something was
wrong began dressing himself intending
to take the boy to the station house.
Blake OWNED his intention and skipped.
He ran up Fifth street toward Grove He
was seen by Policeman Cox, and. after
short chase, arrested.
The boys hands were cut and bleeding,
caused by sliding down the rope. their
feet were also cut and bruised.
AT midnight general alarm was sent
out, but no trace could be found of Raf-
ferJy or Ambrose. 1t is thought that
they made their way to Newark by jump
ing on Pennsylvania Railroad train
WHY THEY WENT UP.
German is thirteen years old aud had
been in the jail awaiting trial for tapping
the till in Kennedy's candy store ON York
street. He was assisted in this job by
Ambrose. They made off with S. Cor
m ans home is in Hackensack Blake is
twelve years old and tapped the till in
Mrs. Patterson's candy store on West
Newark avenue.
Rafferty, was arrested for stealing
swimming tights from store in Wash
irgton street.
Gibbons is fifteen years old and was ar
rested for stealing buns from bakery in
Hoboken.
How the boys managed to secure the
iron bar with which they effected their
escape is mystery.
f.Af II arg