The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-19
Daring Leap From Central
Police Station.
Henry Turner Made a Deter
mined Struggle to Escape.
He Was Pursued and Captured by
Fleet Footed Policeman.

There was as much excitement In the
there viii be on the cicrus lot Monday,
for Henry Turner, alias "Birdie SIMS
the Macon, Ga. colored man, who was
adjudged probably guilty OF the charge
of breaking and entering the jeweIry
store OF Herman Ocke! last Sunday even
ing, made his escape from the "prison
pen" but was captured later by patrolman
Patrick }. Tanning OF the Central sta
tion in shed on the old San Sonci
Garden lot.
Turner, with John Bradley, Albert
Curran and John Caesar were in the
pen" without guard, and like flash
Trrrer sprang against the iron grating
on ,ho further north west window. for
cling IL from "a fastening and then jumped
from the window sill diagonally onto
the roof OF the boiler house, a distance
OF eight feet. and some three feet lower
than the sill of the window from which
be had jumped.
He then ran diegonally across the roof
to the stable, jumped onto the roof OF
Charles ;. Welts restaurant and reached
Sabin street by iiight Of stairs, which
leads from the roof of that building.
lie ran up sabin street to Aborn and
then went into Bourn street and crawlsd
under the fence into the San Souci lot
and hid in shed. But for circum-
stances Turner would have said goodbye
to Rhode Island. Fate was against. him,
pnd in this way: Just before Turner's
case was called Ellen Cone was sentenced
10 serve term In the State work houss
for being a lewd and wanton persoo,
from which she took al appeal, and had
succeeded In getting bail. She left the
court room weeping and at the head Of
the stairs OF the west entrance, che be-
came hysterical, and Deputy sheriff
Franklin B. Ham went into the entry tn
cheer her up, and while Miss
Cone was looking out OF
a window she.saw man jump and said:
"Oh, there Is man running away" h1r.
Ham looked cut OF the window and saw
the coiored r,an running. He hurried
into the court room and met Patrolmen
Tanning aud kiannifan y no had started
in pursui: Of the n an. Mr.. Ham report
cd the case TO Chief of I olice Reuben X.
Baker. who with Captain Matthews sent
out the youngest men in the station.
Hannifan and Feeney ran out through
the station onto Sabin street, Jumped into
an express wagon which happened to be
standing there, and drove of up Broad
way. Tanning at this time was close
behind Turner, for Tanning when leav-
ling the court room ran up Fountain
street to Aborn and got glimpse OF the
runaway as ne turncQ tllto f)CuTn Street,
but when he got to the corner OF Aborn
and Rourn strests furrer was nowhere
to be seen. A woman who was sitting Mt
window in Bourn street saw the man
crawl under the fence aud when she saw
the policeman she pointed to the gar.
den, and Tanning was soon inside, and
was not there many moments before he
found Turner crouched IN a corner OF o
sheG behind pile OF lumbe
Turner showed fight bnt was told by
Tanning that he had latter behave or he
would fare badly.
Mr.. Tanning marched triumphantly TO
the city hall with his. prisoner. Detective
Parker look him m charge. The first
lhing Mr.. Parker did was to have Turn
er's picture taken, which in q day or two
II be added TO the collection In his
Office. ss
Turner when captured by the pa
trolman said that In jumping he
had injured his left ankle, but tho
officers did not place much confidence
IN his statement. Turner was taken out
to the jail toGsy locked 10 two men, and
ne will be watched very closely by the
attendants at that institution.
Al he fact that Turner broke out OF the
pen is not u startling piece OF news to
those who are familiar with the construc-
tion OF the pen for the windows are
secured with ordinary iron window
stores. These are fastened into pine wood
with screws, Ia inches in length, and
would not resist the strength OF wo-
man. much less dangerous criminal.
No blame can be attached To any of the
attendants, but much credit Is due
deputy sheriff Ham, and still more Is due
patrolman flaming for the clever capture.
When Turner was arraigned last Tues
day morning, Judge Sweetland asked De-
tcctivc Parker IL the man was a "pr ofes-
sionaI.' Mr.. Parker answered no, that
ne was novice. Today MIR. Parser says
that Turner IL "slick niger" and
will have TO be closely guarded. None OF
the prisoners with Turner In the "pen"
made any attempt TO escape
Mr.. Parker will look up Turner'S
record.
There have been two similar attempts
like this before. Both prisoners jumped
from second story window In the court
room in the old Canal street station sad
were captured after a lively Chase.