New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-15
MANY PRISONERS ESCAPE.
EIGHT MEN BREAK JAIL IN NEW-BRUNS-
WICK. ~ j.


THEIR FLIGHT ADROITLY PLANNED AND EXE-
C1TED-A HOLE CUT IN THE ROOF WITH
SAWS MADE FROM KNIvEs-UsE OF
ROPE TWISTED FROM BLANKETS
LAX METHODS OF MANAGEMENT.
An escape OF eight prisoners from the Mddlesex
County Jail. in New-Brunswick. ~ j. was effected
between l and . o'clock yesterday morning The
fugitives are George Stefanko. John Murphy
Thomas Kinsley John Clark John Costello Louis
Fisher Frank Williams and Joseph Kelly. Ste
fanko was arrested in January and indicted In
April for the murder OF Edward Macy at the reser-
yor in Perth Amboy in December. Murphy kins-
ley Clark and Costello were committed on April H.
charged with highway robbery and assault and bat
terry on a pedler Perth Amboy. They were
originally captured by Chief Of Police Burke. or
Perth Amboy securing an engine and running them
down on the Iehigh Valley tracks. The other
men-Fisher, Williams and Key-were lodged In
jail on May ]. They arrested as Migrants ana
are charged with being "hrebugs' and the accom-
plices of Michael Barry. nquor-dealer whose ar
rest last month a charge of having started sew
eral large fires in New-Brunswick excited much
attention.
The first knowledge of the escape was given 70
the Jail authorities shortly after o'clock by Am
brose Prall. a drygoods merchant. ana fe'er
Wyckoff a letter-carrier living in Paterson-st, OPP
aroused the jailer David Messier. and Informed MN
that at las O'Clock they were awakened by the
barking of dogs. and, looking out OF the "iiiuo",
cav men jumping from the roof OF the WOOD ana
carriage shed in the jail yard to Patersonst.' ana
others running down Paterson-st Wyckon had
threatened TO shoot the last man. who thereupoh
Jumped from the roof into the courtyard proper
which Is a square in the heart Of the city, bounded
by Paterson Elm Bayard and Kirkpatrick SITS This
prisoner escaped from the courtyard later
The escape was made from cell No. II, at the ex-
IRENE end of the southwest side or the upper
corridor devoted to the male prisoners This cell
was occupied by Murphy. knsley ana Ciark All
the prisoners in this corridor have been busy curing
the last few days in whitewashing the walls OF the
corridor and of their cells. Cell No II was white
washed yesterday. and a high step-ladder whch
was used kept in the cell over night ana ma
terially aided in the escape
THE PLOT FOR LIBERTY.
The men secured their liberty in manner that
reveals careful plan. In this jail, as IN many
others. the runner system Is used That u.s. 'he
taller has two assistants among the prs
oners who go through the corridors every night
and lock up the cells, first seeing that all the prs
oners are in. John Costello. one of the escaped
prisoners, and William Moore were the runners.
Costello had charge of the upper and Moore or
the lower corridor. They made their rounds at the
usual hour 9 O'clock Thursday Night gave
their keys back to Mr. Messler and reported every
thing right These runners are not locked IN thelr
cells. and called on In case any prisoner hee"'
10 be subdued
Investigation yesterday morning showed that
cell No. II. from which the escape was maze; cen
No &C. occupied by Fisher. Williams and keAy' anu
cell No a. occupied by Stefanko were not locked
nv Costello All these cells are the upper CORR
dor All the other cells in both corridors We're
locked At o'clock Mr.. Messler was awakened oy
u prisoner calling. and going TO the door OF the
lower corridor asked Moore. the runner who called
~ iasta
was a Hungarian. but that he had been quie'eu.
II was said yesterday morning that this Hungarian
was trying TO give notice OF the escape 10 the
taller and that Stefanko and Costello mad by
threats compelled him 10 keep STILL This however,
could not be verified.
1t is surmsed that after all the prisoners had
gone to sleep those in the plot entered cell NO H.
Costello remaining in the corridor as guard. The
escape was made by cutting In the wooden roof an
oblong hole about eighteen by twelve inches. Inc
floor OF the cell was covered with pieces OF WOOD
that had been cut away by two saws MADE ron ON
black handed table knives which were found on we
floor The blades Of these knives We're a1 , s
shrugged in from the outside
closed in yard thirty i've feet below BY means Of
improvised rope made by tying together nearly a
ney on the northwest end Of the jail roof and threw
over the side wall From the jan yard the prisoners
rlage shed by using long bench, then dTopps sl
sweve feet to the gr9upq ana o wg be i''e was
EFFORTS To RECAPTURE THE FUGTIVES
Sheriff Richard Serviss at set out 10 recapt-
ure the prisoners. Cons;abcs Reed. Grover Houseil
and Needham were summoned. and each was pro-
vided with carriage and started off in a different
direction. None OF the prisoners had been reported
captured up to a late hour last evening. though ru-
mors were circulated that one OF them had been
tracked TO Bound Brook, three OF them seen at
Milestone and Midtown. Nearly all OF the
men left their hats and wastcoats at the JAN,
and one or OF them were barcfooted II Is prob
able that all will be recapured unless they are smell
tered by friends and new clothing Is furnished them
The escape shows care.essness ana negligence on
the part OF the jail officials in not following up the
runners and seeing that all cells were locked and
all prisoners in. The TAILOR. Mr. Messler. is re.a-
tive of Sheriff Serviss, and has he'd his place only
a few weeks He Is lame. He says tnat ne had
never been instructed to follow up the runners,
and had understood that ne following his pred
ecessor's custom in accepting their report
The entire expense OF the attempt 70 recapture
the escaped men Will fall upon Sheriff Serviss and
he Is legally bound every enort for that
purpose regardless Of what y costs him. The
Prosecutors Office and the County Board Of Free
holders take action unless the SherH neg
lec.s the duty.
found Yesterday morning by Detective Housell In
coat left behind by one OF the which indicates
that friends Of another prisoner still in jail had In
cited the attempt The officers refuse TO make
known the contents Of this letter.