The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-13
THREE SWAN OUT OF JAIL.
ONE PICKED Up BIZ 4 FERRY
BOAT, THE OTHERS MISSING.

workhousc Prisoners Drop Into the East Riveg
currents and Come Down with tho ride
Man who was CAUGHT says One other Had
n LOG to Float On and ought TO Ec psre.
Tho morning roster at tho workhouse on Black.
wells Island was three men short yesterday. One
OF the men Is now In tho hands Of the police and
will be returned to the Island. The others have
either made good their escape or been drowned in
the East River, from which their companion was
rescued. Tho rescued man Is John welch. 80
years old, OF lie Harrison avenue. who left IN
uncomplcted skier" only half served to make
his bid for freedom. The other mems names are
john Jones and Edward nury.
DeckhnuGs on the Long Island Railroad ferry
boat which left Long Island CITY at 1880 ycster-
day morning on its passage to East Thirty fourth
street heard cries for help in midstredm. The
cries came from u spot in thp water almost dead
ahead, and presently the face Of y swimmer was
seen or the storb6arl low. The boat in lts
Roadway came 80 near him that a rope was. easily
thrown, TO him anI he was dragged aboard.
Naturally his ]rcsClVrs wanted to know how he
oanc 10 DC in tn river at .hat time % night. 3
Two Of us went IN swimming" said the man.
out there in the river somewhere. The current
was too s%iiJ for me and ! got tired ont. II you
hadn't nicko!9 mo up couldn't have lasted
A shNrn lookout was kept for the other man no
tho fcgTy boat vent On its way. but nothing was
"Hc's probphly below" said tho rescued man.
- w lien | last saw MIN h0 was In a swift cur
rent. 1t must have carried him down below
this"
AT nrst the man declined to go into the engine
room and dry himself. He wanted to stay where
he was. no said. But no changed his mind when
q deckhand said To him:
Its no use trying to fool US. You're from the
Island. II AIN I So dark out here but what l can
see the stripes on yoar clothes"
What are you going to do with me r. asked
the man.
Turn You oyer to a policeman as soon as We
get to tho slip"
Policeman McMullin OF the East Thirty.afth
street station was NJ tho slip and put the man
under arrest. At the station house he de-
yelUpcd a chill and WIS backed off to bellevue
Huspite., where h" spent the rest of the nigh in
the prisoners ward. Rring pretty well exc
hausted 10y his struggle in the river. he slept un-
I'll about noon ana then woke up to declare that
he was all right again.
Welsh, Dufy, and Jones were detailed to
work al The City Hospital IN the ferry running
from the hospital to the foot Of East Fifty-soc-
ond street. After the last trip the launch Wick.
ham. which runs on the ferry, tied up at tho
Workhuusc pier, and the three men made some
minor repairs on il as All excuse to stay at tho
pier for a time. Welsh said last night that tho
system OF watching was lax. and that
they had no difficulty in slipping over
Duffy { uni IA log and swan toward the New
York. shore on it, leaving. Jones and him to
get along rs thew could. They swan and were
carried down stream by the Currcnt until they
were opposite Thirtieth street. when the Sag
Harhor came in sight. Then Jones started to
swim 10 slIDrC. but Welsh tried to cross the fer
ryhoat's bows and was discovered. The author
tiles AZ Bltckwc.!'s Island did not report the es-
cape TO the police. Welsh will be sent back 70
tho Island