New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-04
ESCAPED CONVICTS CAUGHT.
DESPERATE MEN OF MANY CRIMES.
THEY BREAK JAIL AT CHARLEsTowS. MASS.

THEY BREAK JAIL Al ChAhLESIoNN' FiA'o''
AND ARE RUN DOWN IN THIS CITY
The cells at Police Headquarters on Saturday
riybt contained two of the most desperate and de-
termiped maefactors known to the police OF New
York and Boston. Their names are Rlcharu
Drohan and George +. Wells. just a month ago
they escaped, by an ingenious device, from tle
State prison of Massachusetts, at Charlestown, ana
remained at large until midnight Saturday
Then after deal of patient work. TWO OF III
spector Byrness detectives captured them, ana
they are now safely under lock and key
On March Inspector Byrnes received message
from Warden lowering of Charlestown prison, re-
porrtnc the escapc on the previous day of the two
men. both of whom have long been well known as
ACCOMPLISHED burglars Drohan, who was serving
n long sentence and Wells, who was in the early
stage OF a short term had been lodged IN one
cell. and they promptly formulated plan OF
escape Just how they got possession of the saws,
the ropes. the putty and other things which
aided them in their work is not known. The
window of their cell looked out upon the court
ward of the prison. and like all others In the build
inQ was protected by two inside perpcndic liar
bars and three outside horizontal ones. The work
of looscning the bars occupied several days. the
sockets into which they fitted being enlarged and
then carefully plugged with putty to avoid de-
lection. According 10 tIe TuIeS Oh tllt Pi>o"' o''
guards must visit each cell at intervals of twenty
minutes II was just after one of these twenty
minute intervals. and when the guard had passed
on to the next tier of cells that the two prisoners
removed the already loosencd bars from the
window frame lowered themselves into the court
yard and scaling the outer wall of the prison got
clear away
On Nav l6 Wells had been arrested in a Bowcry
pawnbroker's shop while trying TO pawn two re-
vovers These revolvers, il was found were part OF
the proceeds of a burglary at Smith d Wessons
factory in Springfield Mass. Wells was taken
10 Springfield and there convicted and sent 10
State prison for four years. Detectives Grady and
Downing who were assigned to the case, found
that the two men had been seen in Eighth-ayc.,
near Twenty-eighth-st. Acting under direction OF
the Inspector Grady took up a position at the
corner of Twenty eighth-st, while Bowling watched
the block from Twenty y-seventh-st. For nearly
two days the detectives waited and then, at
o'clock on Saturday night Grady saw Wells come
out of No 45O Eighth-ave. and walk down toward
Twenty ty-seventh-st Grady Swallowed Wells for
nearly two hours, following him from place TO
place, until he went back into the house in
Eighth-ave There was another wait Of two hours
before Wells again came out Of the house, this
time accompanied by two men, one shorter and
sghter than his companion, who the detectives
from the description immediately recognized as
Drohan.
Grady joined Downg at Twenty y-Seventh-st.,
and the two followed their quarry down the
avenue to Twenty-second-st. As the detectives
cane up with them, Wells and Drohan wheeled
around. Their hands darted TO their hip pockets,
but Bowling and Grady sprang upon them, threw
them to the ground and handcutfed them The
man who had walked with Wells and Droban
stared stupidity for moment, as If unable TO
realize the situation, then he threw himself on
the detectives as they struggled on the ground
with their prisoners and tried to drag them away
policeman ran up at this juncture and seized
him. Then the three prisoners were taken TO
Police Headquarters
Wells and Drohan refused to give their ad
dresses and would say nothing In reply 10 the
charge The name of their companion Is Thomas
Cartwright In the pockets of Drohan and Wells
were found two sscdh6rf h Seas1pg na ywd hI1S
shots In the room occupied By them at the
house in Eighth-ave:, were found choice assort-
ment Of all the tools Incidental to the burglars
art including centre bits, jimmies' files. saws,
two knives of the kind used by second-story
thieves, steel wire for making skeleton KEYS ana
wrenches, also two gold scarf pins, black silk
On the floor Of the room was receipt blank from
the Pope Cycle Company, Of Boston, Mass Inc
receipt bore the name OF joseph LandsenN' Sg Sgenc
for the company, Oxford and Tenth sts, Phila-
delpha. -.
Drohan is thirty-two years old and has spent
exactly half his life in prison. AS a shlnln3
light in the notorious Albanyst. gang he ,r nas
long been a terror TO the police OF Boston. me
last In his long series of sentences was one or
twenty years for burglary and assault. NeIs'
who is twenty seven years Old Is known as one
of the most expert safe robbers in the East Ap9uo
nrisoners were resterday talken to Jefferson Mar
kpt Police Court and remanded TO await the az
rival of Warden Lowering