Connecticut western news., 1896-12-17
LYNCH, THE ROBBER.

William Lynch, who was arrested last week in Terre Hsute, Ind. has a history of many incsrcerations and es- capes and which is of considerable local interest, as he and pal. Wilson, were visited by nearly half of Canaau's popu- lation on the night of Nov. IS, 1887, when they were in the Warner House office in charge of officers Slocum and Langdon.
 Lynch's real name is Benjamin Scippe and he is native of St. Louis, Mo-, is we'll educated, a splendid me- chanic, and comes of good family. As this notorious jail breaker is better known as William and Thomas Lynch we shall continue to call him Lyuch throughout this article, though his genuine name (Scippie) is singularly appropriate in connection with his career of escapes. He first identii d himself with this section of country ou the night of Nov. 12. 1887 when he and John Williams or Wilson attempted to rob M. E. Tobey's iewelry store in e.. Burlington. They came to Canaan next morning, walked to West Norfolk and took the 10 o'clock train east. Sheriff W. W. Lsngdon, of Great Harrington, learned the direction the men had gone, aud telegrsphed description of them to Sheriff Moody Slocum, of Winsted, Conn.,, with orders to arrest. When the train reached West Winsted, Slocum. who stutter- ed, entered the front end of the smoker and seeing his game sitting together near him, he presented revolvor in either hand and said II ar-arrest y-y. you." "What for?" both demanded. "D-d dam ned if know. T-tell you w-when Lsngdon g-gets here" answer ed Moody.
 Langdon arrived in Winsted on the same train and the prisoners agreed to go back to Carat Burlington (Mass.) without requisition papers, and it was while they were waiting for the north train in Canaan that 80 many of our townspeople saw them at the hotel. It later developed that Williams real name was Michael O'Connor.
 At Great Harrington the burglars were held for the grand jury and com mitted to Pittsfeld jail. On Dec. 8, aoout three weeks later, they escaped through an ingenious plan of Lynch's, who made a saw out of the steel spring in his shoe and severed the bars, they getting over the walls of the jail yard by the aid of window ropes.
 They committed burglary shortly afterwards in Yonkers, N. Y, for which Lynch was arrested but O'Connor es- capped. On Jan. 12. 1888 Lynch was sentenced to IA years in Sing Sing, but before his removal from White Plains jail he nearly escaped the same way as at Pitts6eld. but was discovered in time to prevent. He made several at- tempts to escape from Sing Sing and subsequently, succeeded, he next com. ing before the public at Terre Haute last week. where he was arrested for thieving.
 O'Connor was arrested in New York shortly after his escape at Yonkers in 1888, and was brought to Pittsield where he was sentenced to Charlestown for 15 years He was one of the famous ''sewer gang" of escaping convicts aud was the only one not recaptured. Some years ago he was shot while try ing to enter drug store in Philadelphia aud died from the effects.
 It is said that Lynch visited England after his escape from Sing Sing. He was mao of great nerve and used the best kit of burglars tools of any of the profession ever captured. Previous to his appearance here in 1887 he had es- capped from iail in Kansas City where he was serving 10 years for burglary. AS we remember Lynch and O'Con. nor. when they were at the hotel here, their physiognomies were not of the kind to be found at religious gatherings, excepting perhaps Jerry McCaul's Mis- sion, and the opinion was at that time that Langdon had some tough GUS. toners.
 Of the characters of this interesting sketch Sheriff Slocum apd O'Conno1 are dead. but it is probable that after nine years Langdon may have chance to see his tough customer again.