The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-17
Arrested by wcekawken Omcers on
the Banks of the Hudson While
Associating with Tramps.
THEODORE DURANTS NERVE
THE ALLEGED MURDERER's CALM
NESS DESCRIBED AS REMARKABLE.
Persists In Denying that He Kills1
Marian Williams and Blanche La
mont-The Coroner's snquest.

WEEHAWKEN, n. j., April 16.-AfteP
five days and few hours Of dearly-bought
liberty Oliver Curtis Perry, the daring
train robber who escaped with four others
from the Matteawan Insane Asylum last
Wednesday night, was captured at an early
hour this morning, and is now a prisoner
in the Hudson county jail. awaiting q
requisition for his removal to the New York
institution.
Although he kept sullenly CLIENT for over
two hours, few minutes after he acknowl-
edged his identity to Chief Of Police Kelly
he gave a vivid description OF his escape
and subsequent wanderings to score OF
reporters at the police station here. He
was very reticent as to his exact move
ments after he left the asylum and fenced
carefully with every question asked him
as to who befriended him during his fve
days flight.
The place where he was caught Is on
the banks of the Hudson river about a
quarter of a mile below the elevated
structure leading to Eldorado and on the
line of the West Shore railroad. About
O'Clock this morning detective Edward Cliff
ford, who is employed on the West Shore
road and police officer Bernard McAleer,
of Weehawken, were at the West Shore
depot, and their attention was attracted
to two small bonfires down the track at
the place indicated above. They walked
briskly towards the spot and when they
were within hundred yards of the fires
they saw four tramps sitting at one fife
and three others standing around the other
blaze, which was about twenty yards
further up the bluff The man who was
standing highest up, and who afterwards
proved to be the much sought for fugitive.
attracted the attention of the officers. He
was dressed in a very weather-beaten
dark suit and wore a dirty fawn-colored
soft hat. His coat was tucked in under his
trousers and his suspenders were on the
outside. The officers hailed the men, but
received no reply. Then Clifford got nearer
and beckoned to Perry with his finger, in
dicating that he should come to them.
IF you want me you'll have to catch
Perry started to run up and across the
plum, which is covered with powders and
rnnns about hre ra ad'ee feet m .sr s
and rolled down about twenty feet Nc
Aleer caught him and brought him down
hltaf sasai Now. Ferry, you're the man
the right man. As they walked towards the
police station Perry said his name was
John Martin and that he was waiting to
jump on a train for Newburg. Clifford was
deaf to all the prisoners entreaties to let
him go. II did nothing wrong" said he.
II a tramp. but I'll cut wood for you
or do any honest. work you ask of me II
you don't put me behind the bars again.
Perry was given plenty to eat and drink.
but he sulked in silence in his cell until
clock in the afternoon. He sent for Chief
Kelly then and admitted his identity. He
was then brought before Justice Ryer, who
committed him to prison to await requisi-
ton. In the meantime, the police statiop
and the streets adjoining were crowded
with thousands of curious people who came
a long distance to see the prisoner, but the
only glimpse of him the most OF them got
when he was hustled into carriage
In custody of the chief and driven to the
jail,
Perry's story of the escape is repeti-
tion of that given by the other fugitives.
He says ne reached New York on Satur-
day about midnight and spoke to nlu-
ber of policemen. "Oh. what roast" said
he, smiling, sfor the New York police"
Perry would not tell anything of his move
ments in New York. except that he tramped
questions put to him in this respect he be-
gan to tell why he had made the escape.
complaining that ne had been ab6sed at
the asylum. Men. he said were sometimes
held down and jumped on and their ribs
broken there.