The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-15
LYNCHED A NEGRO.
He Was a Murderer and Had
Escaped From the County
Jail.

STRoUDsBURG. Pa, March Is, 1894
Richard Puryea, who murdered Christian
Ehlers, near Tannersville about month ago,
escaped from jail here this morning between
six and seven o'clock.
large crowd gave chase and Puryea
was caught in Cherry Hollow Woods He
fought desperately but was overpowered and
was taken to Palmers Island by the mob. A
rope was obtained and the murderer was
hanged to tree until he was deadl
DETAILS OF THE ESCAPE.
Richard Puryea, the murderer of Chris
tian Ehlers near Tannersville, Monroe
county, this morning about seven o'clock, es-
capped from the county prison in this place:
He made his escape by sLeaking behind
Sheriff Kresga, while that official was
looking after some details of the
prisoners breakfast, and jumping through
the corridor door quickly bolted it
securing the Sheriff prisoner. The negro
then walked safely through the outer cor
ridor, as if he had been granted his pardon.
The Sherif's wife recognized him as he went
by, and realizing there had been some
trouble in which the negro had, perhaps,
worsted her husband, she rushed into the
hall She heard the sheriff call, and hurry
ing to the door released him, but the muir
derer had got good start and was out OF
sight. Puryea was also noticed taking his
leave by the court house ianitor, William
Van Gudar, who came along the front
of the prison at that time. Van
Guder tried to capture him, but the
negro was too feet Of foot and got
away. The janitor gave chase up Monroe
street until Duryea came to a vacant lot,
which he crossed to Main street. Down
Main street Puryea fled, pursued by upwards
of dozen men who had joined Janitor Van
Guder. AS the negro neared Palner's
slaughter house, Benjamin Burns, another
negro, saw the condition Of things and rush
ed at once through the mill race to the
island belonging to Palmer, seeing that
Puryea was heading that wap. Burns run
across the Island, reaching the Pocono Creek
Junction almost at the moment the escaping
murderer did Here Puryea wavered for
moment and then plunged into the stream
and swan across it. He was almost ex-
hausted but reached the opposite side safely
and hid in some bushes.
CAPTURED AND LYNCHED.
Here Burns captured him after some diff
Guilty, and the capturer, being large and
powerful man, compelled Puryea to wade
back through the creek to the island. The
crowd of pursuers had now reached the
island, almost exhausted from their ~ run OF
over mile. Some one cried out, Lynch
the nigger," and while a wordy war
fare was on between Constable Myers,
who demanded the prisoner, and the crowd,
rope was secured from the slaughter house,
and before the Constable could realize events
it was around Puryea's neck. He was
rushed up against white oak tree, the rope
throwd over limb about dozen feet from
the ground, and score of hands gave a
willing tug to the line, and the
wretch quickly jerked off his feet, clutching
at the Tightening rope but unavailingly. The
rope was made taut to another tree and the
murderer left hanging dead, The news of
the lynching spread rapidly, and
soon the whole town was excited,
workingmen quitting their shops and going
attempt made by any one to save the life of
negro, and his body was permitted to hang
until almost ten O'clock before the county
commissioners took action. Then DR.. Shull
pronounced Puryea dead, and the body was
removed to the jail. The rope was presented
to the negro Burns for his part in the cap
ture of the murderer, and it was cut in
pieces by him and sold.