The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-05
INTO THE TUNNEL.
Thomas Lawson Risks Breaking
His Neck to Escape Arrest.
HE HAD ASSAULTED TWO WOMEN
On the Public Street and to Escape
From the Police, Jumped Into tho
Vent Hole of Tunnel to the Rail.
road Tracks Below---Found Quar-
ter of Mile Away.

NEW YORK, Aug. 4.-Thomas Lawson
is SO black that he is hardly visible in
the dark. He is twenty-one years old
and possessed Of countenance that
would make jail-keeper pull himself
together before gazing into it intently.
Lawson WIS on Madison avenue Sat.
urday night insulting and assaulting
women, having made his first appear
ance ut sixty.third street. Mary Nc
carthy, twenty-four years old, was on
her why home from her place Of ser.
vice, No. SO East seventy-fourth street,
when Lawson accosted her. She in
dfgnantly repealed him, and he grasPed
her by the throat, threatening to choke
the life out Of her il she did not &C.
company him. She screamed and the
rutliian threw her violently TO the side
walk and ran away. When help ar
rived lie had made his escape.
Lawson next appeared about half al
hour later ut Seventy-tifth street and
Madison avenue, and grossly insulted
Kate Williamson, aged twcnty.three
wears. n homestead No. AZ East Seventy
iifth street. After being repulsed by
the girl he tried to grasp her By the
throat, bat she GRADED his clutch and
ran for her life. Despite her screams
as she ran the negro pursued her. Tie
girl ran through SeventY-tifth street,
but had not gone far before Lawson was
close at her heels and she WIS almost
exhausted. Just as lie was about to
seize her she saw the basement door OF
a house open and ran into the area.
Hannah Hynes, domestic in the
house, stood in the doorway, and as
Lawson rushed up and attempted to
seize the trembling girl Human OBJ
tanned an umbrella and rushed to her
assistance. Hannah is very large and
muscular woman, and as brave rs she is
big. She poked the end Of the UNI
brrlla into the negro's face and ribs and
belabored him over the head until he
yelled with pain and ran away.
Both Hannah and Kate ran after him,
screaming for help, and before he got
out Of sight Policeman Tyler, Of the
East SixtY-seventh street station, heard
their cries aud came running up.
TYLER dashed oil in pursuit of the fugi-
tive and had almost 0vertaken him at
the corner OF Park avenve. Lawson
took one look over his shoulder as he
rounded the corner and seeing the
policeman close behind him put more
speed into his legs and ran down the
avenue. He was no match for the police
man MS Splinter and finding that he
was being outrun and escape by night
was impossible, he took one last des-
perate chance.
There are frequent apertures in the
middle OF the street which are supposed
to ventilate and provide light for the
tunnel OF the railroads running from the
Grand Central depot. These are sur
rounded by an iron railing about three
and a half feet high. Scaling the railing
with bound Lawson plunged down
through one OF these holes to the tracks
below, distance OF twenty feet.
officer Tyler climbed over the railing
and looked down through the hole ex.
pecting to see Lawson's body lying at
the bottom OF the tunnel. He could dis
timely see the tracks, but there was
no sign OF Lawson. He then raped for
lSslstlIlCe anu slA OHlteAs aAlANSN. ASAA
terms were obtained from a neiGhboring
livery stable, and the squad OF police,
headed by Tyler and followed by several
citizens, entered the tunnel at Seventy
second street. They proceeded TO the
hole where Lawson had taken his awful
leap, but nothing OF him was TO be seen.
There was not even a drop of blood to
be found on the ground, and, after a
careful seerch, which availed them moth
ing, n consultation was held.
Ii was decided to divide the search.
ing party into two squads, and proceed
in different directions. Between Sew
enty.eighth and Seventy-ninth streets,
nearly quarter OF q mile from where
Lawson lcaped into the tunnel, and in
the west half, and divided by high
brick partition, lawson was found ~
ing in the ditch by the track. He was
badly bruised, and one OF his legs was |
sprained, but he had managed to climb
the partition wall into the west tunnel
and drag himself along to the place
where he was found. Even then he
might have escaped, bad not q vigilant |
policeman caught the CLEAN from his
eyes as the rays Of lantern fell upon
him.
Lawson was so weak and exhausted
that the police had to carry him out OF
the tunnel. A stiinulant soon broug ht
him around, and he was taken to the
station house.