The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-11-30
AGAIN BEHIND THE BARS.
Sage Reoaptured in Lansing, Mich
His Arrest and Arraignment,
Now in Baltimore City Jail.
The Prisoners own Graphic Story OF
His Escape and Recapture.

The Prisoners own Graphic Story OF
His Escape and Recapture.
Robert E. Harvey, known in Hartford as
George P. Sage, the clever forger, whose
aliases are almost as numerous as the sands OF
the sea, who has operated successfully at
Worcester, Mass; Vineland, N. j.; Mt. Yer
non and Elmira, N. Y. Richmond, Va; Bel
Air, and numerous other places, who served
time for embezzlement in 1881 at Santa Clara,
Cal, and for forgery in 1889 at Washington,
d. c., and who escaped from Hartford county
Jail on the morning of October Z, was arrested
in Lansing, Michigan, last Saturday night by
Detective Saville, Of the Pinkerton Agency at
Philadelphia. assisted by Chief Of Police San
ford of Lansing.
Harvey had been incorporating at Lansing
since October II, four days after his escape
from Bel Air JAIL under the name of Rev.
Charles O. Gibson. He was engaged in the
publication of religious song book, the pages
of which he interpreted with advertisements,
and bis business was, apparently, Legitimate.
1t is not known that he has attempted to do
any crooked work at Lansing, although he
had sought an introduction to the cashier of
one of the leading banks.
Upon being arrested he expressed willing
ness to return to Bel Air without requisi-
ton. The arrest was quietly made. Harvey
offered no resistance, but simply said he sup
posed he would have to go, neither admitting
nor denying his guilt
The prisoner was brought to Bel Air last
| Tuesday night by the Pinkerton detectives, j..
r. Savile and John Foley. The party
were met at Union Station, Baltimore,
by States Attorney w. W. Preston and rep
resentative of The KgiS The noted forger's
presence in the station soon became known,
and quite large crowd of curiosity seekers
gathered around. The party left Baltimore,
via the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more Railroad, at 7.43 P. NJ, and drove from
Edgewood to Bel Air, where they arrived at
| ten O'Clock. A large crowd was awaiting their
| arrival.
While the arrest was made by Pinkerton de-
tectives, much credit is due to MIR. w. w.
Finney, acting cashier Of the Hartford National
Bank, who has persistently followed the case
|
wife's relatives were located in Nebraska
and after that she was located and then
| the work of the detectives was easy, Sage's
whereabouts being ascertained by means Of
letters from him to his wife, which letters
were intercepted by the Pinkertons. In one
OF these letters Sage told his wife that Lansing
| offered an unlimited field for his line of work,
but whether he referred to the legitimate bust
ness he was then pursuing, or to swindling
operations, is not clear.
| States Attorney Preston and the bank
officers were aware that their man was cover
ed for some days before his arrest, aud Detec
tive Saville was in Bel Air on Thursday night
of last week and procured bench warrant for
Sage's arrest, but for obvious reasons the
matter was kept quiet.
| 1t was generally noised about in Bel Air
that Sage would be arraigned in the Circuit
Court on Wednesday morning. In anticipa-
| ton of this fact the court room was packed
with spectators, number of ladies being pres
ent, attracted by the general desire to see so
noted prisoner. Shortly after ten O'Clock
| the buzz Of conversation in the court room
was suddenly broken by three sharp raps of
the Judges gavel and Bailff Dunnigan's
steutorian cry Of ''Silence." The court said,
''Mr. Clerk, arraign the prisoners in number
So" There was an expectant hush, which was
| followed by a look of disappointment on the
faces of the laymen and laywomen, when Clerk
Forwood said, Thomas Reynolds and John
johnson, stand up.n
1t was only petty case growing out OF an al
legged infringement OF the ducking law, and
the audience looked bored Their attention
was quickly aroused, however, for just as the
hum began again the man who had recently
engrossed so large portion of the interest of
| the people OF Hartford entered the room, sur
rounded by detectives, sheriffs and deputy
sherffs. He was placed in the dock with
Detective Saville sitting by his side and Depu-
ty Sheriff Frank Bateman and Detective Foley
imme diately behind him.
Sage, who looks more like a shrewd bank
cashier than hardened criminal, wore a neat
dark suit across the vest of which a gold chain
hung gracefully, and a dark blue overcoat.
He wore temple bowed spectacles and brown
derby hat. He was entirely self-possessed and
| recognized old acquaintance with pleasant
| smile. 1t was noticeable that the bank Off
GERS, who were out in force, all smiled too.
The prisoner took in the crowd with a com
placent glance, evidently enjoying the sensa-
ton which he was creating. His glances rest
ed oftenest and longest, however, upon the
double tier of the representative of IIarford's
youth and beauty which graced the benches
usually occupied by the grand jury.
After short preliminary consultation be-
tween counsel the Court said 'sMr. Clerk, ar
raigu the prisoner" Mr.. Forwood said
George P. Sage, stand up" The prisoner
moved not nor did he give any sign that be
heard the command. After some legal for
malities were gone through with the iudict-
ments were amended and the prisoner was adj
dressed as ''Horaee d. Baker, alias, &c orge P.
Sage" He at once responded and listened
| with close attention to the reading of the two
indictments, answering with firm, clear
voice at the close of each ''Not guilty" In
answer to the usual question "iow will you
be tried ~ the prisoners counsel, Mr.. John
s. Young said "By his country" The pro-
ceedings being over the Judge directed the
sheriff to remove the prisoner, and Sheriff
Hughes took Sages arm with grip which
seemed to say, sYou can't do it again"
Owing to the wretched condition Of the Jail
and the prisoners. well-known ability to turn
up missing, he was removed to the Baltimore
city Jail by Sheriff Hughes, accompanied by
Detectives Saville and Foley. The party left
Bel Air on the 1890 train shortly after the
arragument.
| The date for Sage's trial will be fixed as
soon as the necessary arrangements can be
made to procure the witnesses. 1t will take
place during the present term Of court Mr..
VIM. II. Harlan, who is director of the Har-
ford National Bank, will assist States Attor-
ney Preston in the prosecution.
| Neither the detectives nor the prisoner ap
peared willing to talk to reporters, but Sage
unbosomed himself to The Egis representa-
tive to whom alone he gave the following
story of his escape from jail and his subse
quent doings up to the time Of his recspture
| The plot to break Jail was made on the
| Monday previous to the escape. Kane who
was in the cell below, sent note up by Will
mer, a negro who was at large in the JAIL
saying that the Jail was rotten and that
it would be very easy to get out, and that he,
(Kane,) would receive from his wife or friend
some steel saws and also some money which
was being raised among the colored people in
Havre de Grace for his defence. The saws
were brought on Wednesday night and Kane
passed a string out of his cell window and