The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-11
Convicts 0verpowered Watch
man and Got Away.
A Daring Plan Boldly and Success
fully Carried Out.
Review OF the Sensational Pursuit
and Capture OF the Ringleader.

NEW YORK, April 11.-A telephone
message from the Mattewan Insane
Asylum to The Associated Press states
that train robber Perry and four others
overpowered watchman at IL o'clock
last night, and succeeded in making their
escape from the premises. Additional
details OF the escape show that Perry
was the ringleader in plot which
resulted in freeing at least
four and possibly five other
persons. They overpowered, bound and
gagged watchman, and then made the
best of their way through the chapel of
the insane asylum. The patients occu-
pied different cells, and the management
cannot understand how they succeeded in
laying their plans. From the chapel they
mace their way to the attic of one of the
buildings. From this attic they were
easily able to scale one of the fences.
Just as they were getting outside
the walls they were discovered by
an outside guard, who fired several
shots at them. 1t is known that the fol-
lowing inmates escaped: Oliver Curtis
Perry of Syracuse, N. Y; Patrick Mcguire
OF New York city, Michael O'Donnell OF
Brooklyn, Frank Davis Of New York, and
John Quigley OF Brooklyn. The authori-
ties at once gave the alarm and instituted
search for the escaped inmates.
Perry tried to rob the American Express
Company's special train on Sunday, Feb.
Il, 1892 One car of the train was known
as the money car. In II is sent the specie
from the United States treasury
for Western banks. The train left
Syracuse at 5 o'clock in the morn
rear coach. When they were nearing
Weedsport, Perry, who had ridden on top
of the money car from Syracuse, let him
self over the side of the car by means OF
rope. He smashed in the glass with his
revolver and ordered the messenger to
throw up his hands. The messenger shot
at Perry; then Perry shot him twice.
desperate fight.
The conductor heard the erow and stop
ped the train. Then he looked out. Perry
looked out of the express car when the
train stopped, saw the conductor, and
shot at him.
The conductor sent q brakeman back to
Jordon TO telegraph along the line that
they had train robber on board. Then
they went on to Port Byron. They stopped
at Port Byron and took care of the mes
senger, W no was badly wounded. Perry had
disappeared. At Lyons, where the next
stop was made, there was a big crowd.
Perry was in the crowd. He had evil
IDENTIFY got off the furthe side of the train
when 1t stood in the station. The con-
ductor recognized and made a rush for
him. Perry kept the crowd back with
his revolver and ran across the tracks to
where coal train was standing. He un-
coupled the engine and Jumped into the
cab and ordered the engineer and fireman
to get of, then he pulled the throttle open
and sailed away.
The express trains engine was unem-
ployed and a party started after him.
When they were about to overtake him
he stopped his engine, reversed it. and
started back. As he passed his pursuers.
who were on another track, he fired two
shots through the cab window. The pur-
suing engine was reversed and backed
after him. Perry went ahead again.
As he passed his pursuers this
time he shot through their
cab. The men on the pursuing engine
found they could not catch him and went
to Lyons. Perry found the steam giving
out and abandoned the engine. He then
started across country. Finally, no was
captured at New York. He was after
ward convicted and sentenced to an Au-
burn prison for long term OF years. lie
had served about year and a half when
he was transferred to Mattewan as in
curably insane.