The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-06-13
CAPTURED IN THE WOODS
THE ESCAPED STATE PRISON CON-
VICTS.

Both Completely Exhausted and Starving
Surprised in Clump of Cedars-They
Were Fed at the Railroad Staton-Were
Ravenously Hungry-They Had ON Their
Prison Gnrb.
Essex, June 12.-Dwight f. Steero
and George A. Miner alias William
thomson, both states prison convicts,
who escaped from Wetherstleld early
Monday morning, were captured in the
woods in this place this morning
Both men were completely exhausted,
and offered no resistance when the Of
f1cers put in an appearance. The con-
victs were first seen this morning by
Edward w. Griswold, an old man Of
sixty years, who has lived here all of
his life, and who was station agent of
the Consolidated road for many years.
The men were then steadily making
their way in a southerly direction on
the railroad. Not long, after this they
took to the highway, and in a few
minutes disappeared, That was the
last seen of the men until they were
surprised in the woods this afternoon.
Mr.. Griswold returned to his home With
a strong suspicion that he had seen
the escaped prisoners. He searched out
q copy of last Mondays paper and read
it closely. He was then convinced that
the description tailed closely with the
men that he had seen. The next thing
for him to do was to notify Officer j.
A. Jones of Essex and Deputy Sheriff
A. S. Bugbee of Saybrook. These two
began systematic search of the woods
and located the Convicts in a clump of
cedars, about a half mile northeast of
Essex depot. The refugees were hiding
behind the trees, resting themselves.
When surprised they said they were
caught and would give themselves up.
Miner was very feeble. He is a man
of neary sixty years, and the hard
ships he has experienced since he es-
capped from Wethersfied prison have
told heavily upon him. OF the two,
| Steere was the brightest, though suffer-
ing severely from exposure and hunger.
He might, if he chose to quit his COM
panion, had made one final effort to
escape when surprised. Steere and
Miner told the officers that they had
had nothing to eat since last Monday
| until this morning, when they were
given food at a dwelling house a short
distance from the railroad station here.
| They do not know the name of the fam
| lily who gave them food After their
| capture they were taken to the railroad
| station by the two officers, where a
| bounteous supper was provided by the
| people in the vicinity of the depot
| They ate ravenously and devoured ey-
erything put before them. After being
| fed they were handcuffed by officers
Jones and Bugbee, and remained i'm the
! depot until $780, when they boarded the
train in company with the officers fol
| Wethersfeld. They are due to arrive
| there at O'Clock tonight. The es-
| capped cOnvicts wore the prison gart
| which they had on at the time they
| broke for freedom. They even had the
same hats. Miner had on a blue coat
| Their shoes were so badly worn thai
| there was nothing left of the soles tt
| speak of, and the uppers hung in frag
ments. Both men had grown boards
which altered their appearance some
what from that given at the time o
| their escape. Miners feet were terribly
swollen He is troubled with rheuma
tism, which added twofold to his suf
ferings Steere had in his pocket tn,
| watch which he had carried away from
| the prison with him, which had beer
| given him by the authorities there t
assist him in his work in the hospita
in giving patients their medicine. Fl
| also had a wooden key. What use h
made of this is not known. Neither o
the men were inclined in the least Il
| talk about their experiences. They die
not appear to be very greatly affected
by their capture probably on accoun
of the intense sufferings which the,
have endured. They said, however
when questioned, that they had mad
their way from Wethersfied down tn
| banks of the Connecticut river, travel
ing by night and hiding in the wood
during the day. The authorities a
| Wathersfield were notified after TIL
capture. a reward of $500, 5000 for eac
man, was offered by Warden Wood
bridge of the state prison at the time o
Steere's and Miners escape for thei
| arreet and detention