River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-04-20

the guards was looking and sauntered
out of the building with as much non-
chalsnce as though he were the wan Gen
himself. Once in tie street, his Won
derful nerve did not desert him. for.
despite the fact that his absence might
be discovered at any moment, when
pursuit would of course. result, he did
not quicken his pace unt'l he had ar
rived at the lodgings which had been
} secured for him. Connors escaped in
1877 and was not recaptured until 1881.
William J. Sharkey is supposed TO be
soldier in the Spanish army at the
present time. lie escaped from the
TombS November 10, 1875, while under
conviction for the brutal murder of
Robert ;. Dunn. While awaiting SEN
tence of death a stay of proceedings
was granted Sharl1ey now occupies a
unique and decidedly unenviable posi-
ton. for lie is the only man in the
world who could be legally hanged in
the state Of New York, as his convic-
ton occurred years before the electro
cution law had ever been sug gested.
SharlIey was assisted in his escape
by his sweetheart. Maggie Jourdan,
an extre mely pretty girl whose devo-
ton he repaid With blows and kicks
afte She had, at imminent peril to her
self, snatehed him from the very shadow
of the gallows. Maggie seemed to be
fascinated by Sharkey. She was in the
J ha bit of visiting him every day. The
/ prison officials were charmed by her
/ pretty face and quiet manner, and they
sympathized with her in her affiiction.
/ She walked INTO the Tombs on the day
/ of Sharkey's escape without exciting
suspicion. She wore two complete
suits of women's apparel. In her low
er's cell one of these was quickly
| taken off by her and put on him.
/ Sharl5ey then shaved off his mustache,
and drawing green veil tightly about
| his face walked out on TO Center street
/ free man.
a few mon uts later Maggie Jour
I dan left the building. She had tick
ct. as also did Sharkey, but Mrs. Yves
/ Allen. a sister-in-Iaw of The Allen, had
none: and this caused an investigation
/ which revealed the fact that the choic-
( est bird in the gloomy old cage had
| flown. II was also developed that on
/ her visit the previous day Maggie had
/ taken an impression in wax of the lock
on the door of her lovers cell, and
when she came To liberate him she was
provided with key which worked per-
! fectly. Maggie was arrested for com
plicity in the escape, but could not be
convicted.
Michael OConnor was worthy
r gsnAssI,.ss
Gus burglar. In fact he surpassed him
! as an escaper if not as AN operator.
Michael was an exceedingly enterpris-
ing and pushing individual. and when
he was but twenty six years of age had
broken out of half dozen prisons In
December, 1857, he and a companion
robbed a jewelry store at Pittsfield,
Mass. They were captured at Great
harrington and carried back to the
seer of the robbery. where they were
locked up in Jail to await tri al.
O'Connor ripped up one of his
shoes and took out the steel shank,
which he speedily converted into a
saw. With this primitive tool o'Con-
nor sawed Off the bars of his cell and
let himself down into the Jail yard.
Then this imTertur bable scamp, elud-
ing the guards, returned and sawed off
the bars of his pals" cell. The pre-
cious pair took the window cords out
and let themselves down into the Jail
yard, whence, they swung themselves
over the high surrounding wall and es-
capped They were aftcrward captured
in this city.
According 20 an officer of the Chico 90
police force. George Anderson has been
regarded for years as the most expert
Jail breaker in the United States. An
derson once escaped from the Sycamore
ulll Jail. That Is building of lime
I stone, with walls about two feet thick.
| This fellow was there with thirteen
other prisoners lie used to take the
ashpan of the stove. fill it full of live
Goals, and hold 1t against the jail wall.
( lie continued this until he had slaked
the wall through for distance of
about three feet square, which was
{ carefully hidden from view. His fell
low prisoners watched him working
day by day, and one night, when the
job was finished, he knocked out the
liIse-sia1ed portion Il. the wall, and
/ the Jail was left tenantless Il few min
utcs after lie was held there for
| burglary. Anderson was recaptm ed
/ and taken 10 Geneva, Ill, where he
was wanted for burglary. He made
/ his escape one night. digging clear
/ from the Jail. through heavy oak
plankings, to the courtroom and leav.
/ ing by the roof ". Y. Advertiser.