The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-12-08
KNEW HE WAS PURSUED
Sage Describes His Constant Fears
After His Escape from Belair.
FEARED ARREST FROM ALL
1t Was No Surprise to Him When He
Was Re-arreSted in Lansing.

Robert f. Harvey, alias George P. Sage
who is charged with swindling the Hartford
National Bank of Belair, Md, and who is
now in the Baltimore Jail for safe keeping,
gave the following narrative of his escape:
1.-The Pinkertons have stated that | am
notorious criminal who has operated all
ovesthe country, but the truth is | never
knew what it was before l escaped from Jail
at Belair to feel that | was hunted, and
that every person | met might be an officer
OF the law, eager to take me back to prison.
Before | escaped from Jail wrote to my
wife, informing her of what | intended to
do, and told her would go to New York.
Unfortunately my plan miscarried, and
instead of escaping at midnight, it was half
past three O'Clock in the morning when
got away. | then walked to Churchville,
and thence to Lapidum, where | hired
horse and buggy and drove to Quarryville.
"Fearing that a description of me might
have been sent to Quaryville, | drove
through the town without stopping. After
driving about two miles | left the buggy
and took to the woods. | then made nv
way to Mt. Holly and then to Lancaster,
Pa did not stay long at Lancaster. but
left on foot for a railway junction. Becom-
ing lost in the darkness, | was compelled
to remain all night in she'd | got nv
bearings in the morning and reached the
burg.
Nearly all of this time the officers who
were searching for me We're close on nv
track, and once they were only half hour
behind me.
''On the train noticed black bearded
fellow watching me very closely and |
trembled for fear he was a police officer
When the train reached East Liberty. four
miles from Pittsburg left it and went
to a hotel and called for glass of whiskev.
While ! was drinking the whiskey the
black bearded fellow walked in, and after
telling the landlord he wanted to STAY over
night he called him aside and spoke in
whisper. | thought then my cake was
dough.
1.-The landlord came over to me and asked
if he had not seen me before | told him
he had seen me at his hotel a week before
ard that | had been there frequently
during the past few weeks. He did not
appear to be altogether satisfied with this
statement, and after little further CONVEX
Sation | walked out
Il then went down on the railroad tracks
where met patrolman, who STONED me
for minute or two. After this | started
up the stairs to the viaduct. The patrolman
called after me, but | pretended not to
hear him and kept on VI" destination
was the cable road station, and when |
reached it met the patrolman again and
he wanted to know why | didn't stop when
he spoke to me. | denied that had heard
him and he remarked that the police had
to be very careful of strangers. told him
If he had any doubts about me to telephone
to Ala Pine street and satisfy himself that
| was all right. This seemed to satisfy
him and he walked away.
Next | boarded cable car. and as luck
would have it | had to take IA seat between
lieutenant of police and patrolman.
rode with them to Pittsburgh, and as | left
them | spoke of the hardships the service
expected of them
''From Pittsburgh | went to lansing
Mich, where | was sick for week. As
soon as | recovered | set about to establish
myself in business, and before long was
actively engaged in the advertising bust
/ ness.
Il wrote to my wife from Lansing and
told her that the only way by which |
would be arrested would be through the
detectives intercepting our letters. and that
Is the way the Pinlertons got on my track
After my escape | was constantly
haunted by the thought that every person
who looked at me was detective. If |
heard knock at the door or a ring at the
bell, it would give me shock and my
heart would seem to leap into my throat
| was not surprised when the end came and
the detective told me he wanted me-
Harvey hasn't "A good opinion of the Jail
at Belair. He said the place was poorly
heated, poorly lighted and badly ventilated
and that he would not have stayed there
even if he had been compelled to blow up
the place with dynamite.