New-York tribune., 1895-09-30
FRANK p. ALLISON INJURED
AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM CASTLE
WILLIAMS ENDS IN FAILURE.

ur SAYS HE Is A NEPHEW OF SENATOR ALLi-
soN. A COUSIN OF THE GENERAL SESSIONS
J;pGE. AND BROTHER OF THE LAWYERS
or THE SAME NAME-IN PRISON on GOV
ERNoRs ISLAND FOR DEsERTIoN
FROM THE ARMY.
Surrounding an attempted escape OF TWO Hien
from the Governors Island Military frison d
reyy nights ago are several exceptional features
among them the identity and social standing oI
one of the prisoners and the ingenuity displayed
I'm the efforts for freedom that lfts the lncideh'
out of the usual routine of commonplace at
tempt to break prison. TWO or three nights ago,
shortly before midnight, the sentry soldier
named Forsman. who on duty at the lahd-
ing pier noticed two men making their way
along the wharf. Their demeanor raised MS
suspicious and. bringing his rifle TO MS shou.-
der he ordered them TO halt. STARTED thoush
the two men appeared to be- they look no heeu
of the command, and endeavored TO escape ohe
of the men, however. he managed 10 capture
and recognized him AS an inmate or the Mill
tarv Prison named Frank Andrews. AS the
other man had got away, an alarm was given
by the sentry and little later he was discoV-
cred hiding in the rear Of General Mess house,
and was at once identified Frank Philo All
SON a prisoner undergoing sentence for deser-
ton. Pending an investigation into the means
Of their escape they were locked IN the guard
room.
on the night Of their escape they were LETT al
the usual retiring hour by the prison orderhes
safely confined in Cell No ). on the third tier OF
Castle Williams Apparently, however they had
previously matured their plans for an escape from
the rksome restrictions of prison life Each cell
~l.lh iron h1
To obtain egress Il was necessary to remove one
or two OF the bars ard this the two prisoners did
by unfastening one Of the iron laths of bed
stead and using it a lever. An armed sentry
passes the door Of the cell about every five min
| utes but SO cunnngly and quietly was the work
| of forcing out the iron window bars performed
! that the operation was not discovered. When an
| aperture sufficiently wide TO admit OF body be-
| ing squeezed through was made, there still re-
| mained between them and freedom distance OF
some thirty-nve feet TO the ground Accordingly
they tore their bed blankets into two strips, max
| ing each rope. which, however reached not more
| than half the distance down the outer wall OF the
castle Why the men did not join the two impro-
ysed ropes into one length, and thus cover the
whole distance. is not known.
| Andrews was the first 10 swing himself clear or
| his cell window. but he had no sooner trusted his
| weight upon the rope than ii broke, precptatihg
| him 10 the earth, whore he lay as If dead ALL
son. nothing dsmayed. quickly slid down ms rope
to the window easement on the second tier, where
he rested for a few seconds. measuring with his
eve the distance It would be necessary Tor MN 10
drop to reach the ground
The sound of an approaching sentrys footsteps
oucI,lv determined him to risk the fall and, slid
ing down the remaining length Of his blanket
rome he dropped about sixteen feet Both men
felt that they had sustained some injury, but
| MANAGED TO limp about half a mile TO the landing
pier where they were challenged by Forsnan
and captured.
It was then learned that Allison had fractured
the ankle bone of his right foot. while Andrews
was sent to the hospital with two broken ribs
and an injured back. The next day Lieutenant
| Colonel Worth the post commandant, ordered
Allison TO be confined for eighteen days on
bread -and-water Diet but Surgeon Allan deemed
his injury too severe to undergo the rigor OF the
sentence and countermanded it for the time being.
RELATED TO WELI-KNOWN FAMILIES.
Allison was seen yesterday in the military
nr,son bv n Tribune reporter, TO whom he related
the story of his msfortunes. He is twenty years
Old with a frank intelligent face. and as he en-
tered the recepton-room hobbling on a pair OF
crutches. with his foo; bound in sphnts, dressed
I'm prison clothes. with the hldeous letter =
stamped on them here and there his appearance
was calculated 10 raise feeling of commsera-
tiou He SAYS he is the son OF Charles Allison. who
died in 1899 and who was the head OF the firm Of
Allison Stroup & Frost. dealers in fertilizers. hav-
ing Offices at No 2O3 Broadway, this city and at
No $50 DevOnshre-st, Boston, and Is a nephew
! Of Senator William H. Allison. OF Iowa, a cousin
| Of Judge Allison Of the General Sessions, and
! brother Of George r. Allison and Charles r. ALI
! SON. lawyers of this city. AllisOn's disposition
during his youth is best represented by the we'll
used description Of "devil-may-care. and as he
| was consumed with a craze To enter the Army. his
mother. in the hope that 1t might tame him a
little gave her consent.
A SHORT STAY IN THE ARMY
He accordingly enlisted. In March. 1893. at JEFF
ferson Barracks. Carondelet. near St Louis He
was persuaded to this step by Captain Hardie
Of the Sd Cavalry. who promised TO take Allison
into his regiment. This regiment at the time
was In Texas and after four months of barrack
life which was not to young Allison's liking, he
deserted and went to his mothers home, at NO.
% South oxford st. Brooklyn. At this time she
was. however, In Europe but on her return In
the fall Frank entered as IA student at ST Fran
els Xavier's College. After a few months stay
here his mischieyous spirit got him into trouble.