The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-04-15

Michael o'Donnen overtaIen at Pin,
Plains by Keeper coyie. of the Asylum
MATTRwAN, N. Y, April l5-Patricb
McGuire and Michael o. 'Donneli two of the
five conviots who escaped from the Matte.
wan asylum last Wednesday night were
captured at Pine Plains yesterday by At.
tendant James Coyle, of the asylum. This
leaves only Perry, for whose arrest re-
ward OF $3.50 is offered, and Davis, who
is said to be even more desperate and dar.
ing than the former still at liberty
When Superintendent Allison learL ed
that Perry had broken into house at
Iughsonville on Thursday night and
stolen quantity of wearing apparel he
at once dispatched attendants to all points
north of here, thinking the train robber,
teSt perhaps also his pals, had gone in that
direction. Attendant James Coyle, who,
with two other attendants, had been at
Danoury, was told to proceed ae once to
flne Plains, which Is forty miles north
east of this place. Coyle arrived at Pine
fiains Saturday night and stopped at the
hotel. Yesterday morning he went to the
station and was about to buy mornfne
paper from newsboy when he CHANGED to
look down the track and saw mans
heau protruding from an empty hay car
about fffty yards from where he stood.
Inc head disappeared, but not before
Coyle recognized the man as O'Donnell
Going to the open cur door he fired q
shot from his revolver at random into the
car AS he did so another man, whom he
recognized as Mcclure, jumped out through
the opposite doorway. Coyle then leaped
into the car and arrested O'Donnell. who
was crouching in corner, too broken
down to offer resistance. Coyle pulled the
convict out of the car and took him
into the station, leaving him In the Gus
tody OF two boys, while he started down
the railroad track in pursuit of Mcclure,
VINO mad by this time got quite start Of
him.
Coyle gained on the tired convict fol
about half mile, and then fred anothc,
shot. AS he rounded curve the fugitive
TOOK to the woods, which border the track
on both sides. The pistol shot had at
tracted crowd OF boys, who Joined in the
chase, and some of them saw Mcclure ga
into the woods and told Coyle The keepe,
secured the woods for fifteen minutes be-
fore he saw Mcclure again. Then the con.
vlct was standing in an open field on ths
border of the wood in defiant attitude,
Coyle started toward him, firing q third
shot.
''If you take me you'll have to take ma
dead, Mcclure yelled deaantly.
III do that" replied Coyle, coming
closer to Mcclure, who, seeing that cap
ture was inevitable, lay down in the field
and said We'll, you'll have to carry me,
anyway"
Coyle talked to him for a time, and
finally persuaded him to go peaceably to
the station. Coyle then telegraphed to the
asylum that he had caught o. Donnell and
McGuire and Attendants Macdonald and
Lacey went to Pine Plains and aided in
bringing the prisoners back to the asylum.
DIR. Allison had Mcclure and O'Dopnel
placed in separate rooms and he examined
each one at great length, after which hs
repeated to the Associated Press reporter
what he had been able to learn from them.
1t appears that as the asylum is a new in.
stitution and not occupied throughoub. a
Number Of patients have been EMPLOYED
from time to time in finishing the various
wards. Some months ago a number OF
patients were employed in scraping this
noor of the south isolation ward which
was then entirely unoccupled
From MeGuire 1t is learned that tha
fashioning of the keys which freod the
men from their cells was begun Mt that
time by some patient employed on the i'm.
provement When McGuire was traps
ferred to the south isolation ward, tngethe.
with other patients, he discovered those
Aeys' poBceheF WIN phlf OF small Hat
files, about four inches long, The partially
hled Keys, which had originally been
spoons, were taken possession OF by Nc.
Gulre, who has worked for the past six Oh
eight months, having them tried in the
locks from time to time by one of the
patients who had the run of the ward.
Some time ago Mcclure, who is jewelei
by trade, and who is thoroughly conversant
with the manufacture of such articles,
broke open the watchman's box which
connects with tho clock in the main offica
and secured thin piece OF steel two In
ches long and quarter on an inch Wide
With his file he made teeth in this steel,
giving him fine saw, with which he was
enabled to saw out the wire screen over
the door whom the time for escape came
The keys and tools were secroted benin.
the sinks when Mcclure was not ut work
on them
The file and saw were found on Mo
Guire when arrested.
McGuire says that he and O'Donneu |
have been together ever since they left the
asylum They slid down from the south |
side of the roof, while Perry and the others
left the roof from the opposite side Nc |
Guire saw nothing more of them aftel
that They have committed no robberies.
Mc6uire says, except to steal one old black
coat for himself and IA drab ulster for
o'Donnell, which they found in barn
beside the railroad track
The prisoners were in bad condition |
from exposure and hunger, and
seemed relieved when they were allowed
to throw themselves on tho cots in their
cells and wero given nourishment.
Fatal stabbing ARRAY at MaItby, Pa.