Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1894-10-13
SKIPPED JAIL!
THAT'S WHAT GEO. SAGE
THE CONFIDENCE MAN
DID.
A NATIONAL BANK vICTIMIzER.
He Tried to Carry on his Gam.
in Snow Hill.

Ilc Ml@>SI.Nt'Ek IuS tOtu It's fe1u-
er> the story OF George Sage's life and
how he was captured and put in Bel
Air jail Il month or so ago. 1t will be
remembered that he came to Snow
I'LL and introduced himself to Mr..
Lawrence Hastings as good old Pro-
hibitionist and said he was looking
around for good farm on which to
locate n colony. That is as far as he
got into the confidence of our people
and he left without swindliug anyone
here so far Is we know.
On Monday morning last the people
of Bel Air found that Sage had broken
Jail and escaped, taking with him
Thomas j. Kane, who was committed
for robbing Leon Hotiiman's store at
Havre de Grace, and Samuel Kelly,
charged with assault.
All day small groups of citizens dis
cussed the escape. 1t was one of the
boldesi pieces of work ever attempted
in Hartford.
Long before the midnight hours
these three men were working and
planning their way out. Sheriff
Hughes had locked the Jail about s
o'clock. and at $50 o'clock Samuel
Kelly, confined in a cell on the second
floor, began to pick the lock ON his
door. lie soon had it off, and he
stepped out into the corridor. He
descended the stairs. and began to saw
the lock on the door behind which
stood Thomas Kane. After releasing
the latter both went TO the second
floor and set free the willy George
Sage.
Then the trio went into the adioin-
ing cell, which was open, and, in
which Manuel Turner and James
Wilmer, colored boys who work in
the jail-yard, slept. Kelly begun to
pick hole tc the third floor through
the ceiling, while Sage and Kane COW
cred Turner and Wilmer with pistols.
The bank victimizer knew the ceiling
of this cell was thin, as he had been
confined there at one time during his
incarceration. BY the aid of an old log
behind the cell-door the men reached
the third floor. The hole through
which they gained entrance was II by
Z inches. Having gained this point
vantage, they went to a far window
looking out upon the Jail gardens, and
sawed two bars, each an inch square
The room in which they were has
been used as storage-room. and has
large windows. The sheets from the
beds Of the three prisoners were torn
into long strips. These were tied
together. making secure rope, by
means of which the men descended i'm
safety to the ground.
As soon as they were gone, about =
o'clock, Wilmer and Turner gave the
alarm. Sheriff Hughes at once ran
into the Jail, and when told that the
men were supposed to he on the third
floor he rushed up, but found them
gone and their cell-doors open and the
saws lying about the room. Sage had
lett all his trappings in his cell except
a satchel, which was missed, and which
is supposed to have been taken by him.
The other two men took nothing.
kilograms were sent TO Philadelphia,
Baltimore. Harrisburg. Havre de
Grace and other places TO look out for
them.
No one can imagine how the saws
were obtained, unless through Sage's
wife, who has been to see him several
times. 1t is supposed Sage paid Kelly
and Kane to release him, and that his
wife or some one was outside to assist
HIM to make good his escape.
James Wilmer, who was in the
open cell, said the men kept very quiet
while working, but that he heard Sage
say:
Il expect to be in Pennsylvania by
day-break."
He also stated that he heard the
saving. but was afraid to 90 out.
Four other prisoners were in the cell,
but none Of them heard anything.
The whereabouts of the men is a
mystery, and the sheriff, not knowing
which direction to 60, sits at his home
discussing the shrewdness of the trio.
Sage had tried to saw the bars out Of
the cell window. He succeeded in
severing two. but, finding the space to
small, it is supposed that he abandon