Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-10
STATE PRISON ROBBED
Thief Stole a Valuable Pair O
 Horses and a Carriage.
THEN DROVE OFF AND SOLD THEM

A Discharged Convict Returns to the Con
 necticut State Prison, Eobs the stabI.
 and Is Caught Only After He Has Auo
 tiOned or His Booty.
 HARTFORD Aug. 10.-Thieves entered the Connecticut state prison at Wethers field, got the best of a mastiff and drove away with an $500 pair of black horses, { $500 surrey wagon, $20O silver mounted harness, resplendent with the crest of the state, two whips, two blankets, two sheep skin mats and a ham.
 It Is the first time since the state prisor was founded that thieves have operated within its grim walls professionally. Here tofore inmates have felt the greatest secur ity from burglars and other enemies oi society," but many have determined to keeE their cell doors bolted during the night
 The robbers sealed the prison walls passed the watch tower, which was ten antless; forced the lock on the barn door, picked out the handsomest pair of blacks from among q dozen horses, harneSsed them to the best wagon in the stables, locked the mastiff in a box stall and drove away.
 Before getting clear of the prison they were compelled to break open huge iron gateway to the east of the institution cut down a wire fence and drive through the vegetable garden in full view of the ward, en's house.
 How It Was Done.
 Warden Woodbridge's cook sleeps in the south side of the fourth story of the ward. ems house in front of the prison, and she heard noise in the night, but did not give the alarm.
 The cove oata iS ar tho Oort hnoSt cOrnop of the prison yard. This gate is about 1a feet high. It is fastened by hasp and sta pie. The west end of the gate runs into the stone wall of the prison; the east end into the toolhouse, which is of wood and about II feet high, Next to the toolhouse is the slaughter house, and next to this is a long, low icehouse. Then come the sta blcs, all within 15 feet of and parallel with the stone wall.
 It is probable that the thieves scaled the gate got upon the toolhouse and jumped to the roadway that leads to the stables The only thing that barred their entrance moved the hasp with apparently little trouble, and the rest was easy work, allow ing that tho mastiff's reputation for feroc. ity was libel on his nature. It was q common saying in Wethersfield that this dog was the fiercest that has lived since Cerberus. They don't say that in Wothers field now.
 Once inside the stable, the marauders went to work with care and precision. A big bay horse called Dexter wasn't good | enough for them. The Boy Billy tidn't ] suit. Then they went into the box stall wherein were kept Dick and Pete, the handsome pair of blacks, beloved by tho warden and regarded with a feeling o' i pride by every citizen of the state. Dick | and Pete were what the fellows wanted | and Dick and Pete were accordingly le( | from their stalls.
 The silver mounted harness with it. embossed grapevines and "Qui Transtuli Sustinet" on either binder, was takeI l from its peg, the bottle green surrey wa! rolled out, two blankets were placed il the wagon, a couple of whips were seized l and in a moment more Dick and Pett were bowling along toward the cove gate l while Buck the mastif, was peering iron behind the grating of n box stall when h. should have been looking for human blood
 Nothing Stopped Them.
 Tho big gate was locked. They knev their business, however, and the gat showed whero the hasp and staple hat | been forced from their faSteningS.
 Having got through this gate and driver along the banks of the cove of the Con necticut river for 50 yards, there was an l other obstacle to be overcome in the forn l of wire fence which incloses the east enc | of the prison cabbage patch. There is | Wooden gate there, but the robbers didn' | quite understand gate of its peculia pattern. It neither swings open nor slide sideways; it lifts up and out of its sock | cts.
 They tried to force this gate in vain and, having failed, their active hand adopted another cXpcdient. The fence i of three wires Is inches apart. Each wir was sharply cut, and then Dick and Pete with their passengers ruthlcssly trample across the cabbage into the corn, slap int the potato field, then into the turnips an finally emerged into the driveway tha leads to the private gate into Wethersfiel | avenue.
 The Cheeky RObber Caught.
 HARTFoRD, Aug. 1o.-Edward E. Pei New Haven while in the act of auctionin of Warden WOodbridge's valuable doubl team and carriage which he stolen froI the state prison barn at Wethersfield abou daybreak.
 Perkins drove here during Friday aftel noon and took the team to Cannon's con mission stable, where it was put up a auction.
 Perkins acted as bidder in runnin up the price, and the team was flnall knocked down to Fred Potter, a we