Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-07-09

THROUGH A SEWER.
Nine COnvicts Escape
From a State Prison.
A SUSPICION OF MURDER.
The Body Of Josiah Wasson Found in
the River at Hampton, N. H.
A SUSPICION OF MURDER

BosTON, July 9-Nine desperate, dare
devil convicts Of the state prison at Charles
town gained their liberty yesterday after
noon by one OF the cleverest methods
known In the history OF escapes from
penal institutions. 1t all looks simple ana
plain enough now that these men have
shown the way, and another weak spot
will have to be strengthened. or the nine
who escaped but one has been captured
Felix Golding-who was returned shortly
after o'clock.
The prisoners dropped into the sewer
from the "bucket dump" In the southeast
corner Of the yard, and orawled fully 800
feet TO the mouth Of the aperture which
empties into the dock within forty feet or
Drawtender Storey's house alongside the
tracks OF the Eastern division of the Bos-
ton and Maine railroad.
The convcts who made this Shiny jour
ney are ALL except the one captured, noted
for attempting to escape. They Include
Daniel Mullen of Boston, who escaped
June 20, 1891. from state prison, and was
captured the following day. John G.
Lynch, who escaped with Mullen, and was
returned Nov 20, 1891: Dennis O'Hearn
OF Boston, a twenty-nve-year man, who
stowel away ut Concord when the state
prison was located there, but was caught
before he gained full liberty; James M.
Bradley, Felix Golding, Michael Connors.
John Booth and Daniel Coffee, who have
made attempt after attempt to get out
and been frustrated, and Stephen Mccall,
twentyyear man.
The first intimation Warden Lowering
had Of the escape of his wards was
brought him from the outside at i:20 p m.
a Mr. Robinson, in charge OF the
hay sheds of the Eastern railroad which
adjon the rear Of the prison yard, gave
the information by telephone
Warden Lowering Immediately notified
police headquarters in Boston OF the
escape, his informant stating that six men
were seen to crawl from the hole. In "A
jiffy sergeant and five officers came down
from station H. The yard hell which
calls the men at work in the shops to quit
work was rung, and in minute long
lines of gray-dressed prisoners were keep
ing step toward the cells. They were all
locked up in a hurry, and Immediately
the count was made of the number OF
men, "A thing that is done when shift Is
made from the workshops to the cells 1t
was then the warden learned that he was
nine, instead of six, prisoners short.
The day and night force OF officers were
SuinUlONSl, anu u ucJuii SUM III ouCc W
search the freight cars, sheds and build
ings in tho vicinity, In which the officers
from station Is Joined. The mouth OF the
sewer was also guarded, rs we'll as the
hole through which the men passed.
Men at work In the vicinity saw the
convicts flee in the main up the tracks
toward Somerville, and the officers put
off in that direction. Aryiying opposite
the Mclean insane asylum, three Of the
escaping men were seen on the run, going
toward Cambridge. A horse and vehicle
were procured and the officers followed.
but the convicts eluded them and passed
out OF sight.
Shortly after the escape had been made,
NAT" Storey, the draw tender at Prison
point, procured his boat and proceeded to
make an examination of the underpinning
OF the wharf near the mouth of the sewer.
One of the first things he noticed was the
tracks OF mans feet in the Shiny mud.
The tide was low and the mouth OF the
sewer, 4x5 feet. was all out of water. He
observed that the tracks led in the direc-
tion of Boston, and that there were no re-
turn tracks.
He followed the tracks in the mud be-
meath the bridge for a distance Of 80 or 100
feet, until they came to a full stop. He
knew then that the man must be in the
vicinity, and, looking up, saw the convict,
who proved to be Golding, squatting on n
pile over his head. He lost no time in no
tifying the police and prison officers, and
with his boat accompanied them to the
spot.
Beneath the bridge where Golding was
hiding there was just enough water to
float a small boat Two of the prison off,
GERS got into the boat and Mr.. Stovey
pointed out the man. Patrolman Moore
of division IS lowered himself from the
pier to the boat, and worked his way tow
ard the man. With the assistance of three
prison officers. beside the two in the boat.
Golding was finally reached. After twenty
minutes work Golding was dragged into
tine boat, looking more like drowned rat
than a human being. He was covered with
dock mud from head TO feet, and woro
overalls Handouts were snapped over
his wrists and the man was quickly lifted
TO the wharf and taken back to prison.
That there was more or less negligence
on the part Of the officers at the prison
there can be no doubt. They must have
been lax in their duties, or nine men could
never have left the yard in broad day
light unseen by anybody. Some OF these
men were supposed to be at work In GER
tain shops, while others were engaged
about the yard. An investigation will
grow out of the escape, and no doubt the
responsibility will be placed where 1t be-
lnnOg