The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-06-14
WALKED OUT OF JAIL
Midd1esex County Prisoners
Cut Through the Roof
and Escapes.
ONE WAS A MURDERER
No Trace of the Men Discovered
A Carving Knife as a Tool
Who Is to Blame /?
ONE WAS A MURDERER
Specinz 10 the Jerse,, Cttu Ne,rs.

NEW BRUNSWlCk, June Ii, lo9o-A
number of prisoners, among them
man waiting trial for murder, four for
highway robbery, and other desperate
characters. made their escape from the
County Jail about two O'clock this morn
ing by cutting a hole in the roof of the
building and then using ladder made
of blankets in descending to the street
After they had reached the street they
all separated and escaped
Up to ten o'clock this morning nothing
had been heard of any of the men. 1t
is believed that a Jail runner named
Clark helped the men to get out of the
Jail
The names of the escaped prisoners
are:-Thomas Kinsley John Murphy, Jno.
Costello, and j. NJ. Clark charged with
highway robbery; George Steffank, charg-
ed with murder, and Louis Fisher, Frank
Williams and Joseph Kelly, charged with
setting buildings on fire.
The Sheriff and police are now max
ing a thorough investigation of the Jail
delivery, and have asked the authorities
of the neighboring towns to keep
sharp lookout for the men.
The eeape was due. it is claimed. to
the carelessness of the jailer, David
Messler, who secured the position about
a month ago. displacing James Grady.
Messler IS lame and feeble, and car
ries a cane. He relied largely for the
cara of the prisoners upon the system
adopted by Sheriff serviss, of delegating
the routine work of watching the men
cleaning the cells, and locking them up
at night to prisoners who he thought
could be trusted.
John Clark of Perth Amboy, was en-
trusted with guarding the men ON the
second floor of the JAIL in the main de-
Last night when Sheriff Serviss gave
the order to under-keepers or runners
in the Jail to- lock up, Clark made his
rounds Of the eight cells under his
charge, and apparently locked each of
them.
The eight prisoners who escaped were
pied by the three alleged incendiaries,
Kelly, Fisher and Williams. is directly
under the wooden roof which is covered
with tin.
Two large table knives had been sharp
ened and cut into saws. After mole
had been knocked in the plaster. it was
comparatively easy work. although ted
ious, to saw hole through the wooden
roof, which is covered with tin.
The tin was then cut and after four
or five hours of labor the prisoners had
a hole in the roof large enough to
squeeze their bodies through.
They tied several pieces of bedding to-
gether and knotting the strands made
rope, by which each man lowered him
self to the yard below. Then it was easy
work to scale the high fence.
AS the men were making over the
fence, Peter Wickoff. a letter carrier,
walked along Fitzpatrick street. He has
but one arm. but he took out his re-
volver and shot after the men.
Then he gave the alarm to the Sher-
iff who Immediately summoned all the
deputies and constables he could gather
and made after the men.
Jailer Messler said that about II
O'Clock he heard a noise on the second
floor and went UP to ask Clark, the
trusted runner, what was up.
Clarke said that an Italian prisoner
had been yelling, but he had quieted
him. Messler is inexperienced and ac-
cepted the explanation. He went down
stairs and went to sleep again He
heard no further noise until the Sheriff
awakened him.
All the men who escaped are hardened
criminals who have served terms. All
the constables who are in pursuit are
,.,aI To irbt