Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-03-17
A DARING ESCAPE FROM JAIL
Freedom Secured by Murderer
John Dougherty.
WAS SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE
James Mitohell's Attempt to
Flee Fooled.
Warden Gouid's Face Burned by n Shot
Fired by Mitcheii-Ths Official Assisted
by Jeremiah HarriRan, Who Knocked
Revolver From the Prisoners Grasp.

John DouRherty of Wilmington,
prisoner in the New CASTLE county jail
serving life sentence for the murder
Of Gustav Ericsson, n Swade, and from
whom he secured TIC sum Of 60 cents,
is again fugitive from Justice.
Saturday evening. as the hour OF six
rang out from the old town clock,
DOugherty was in tho open air and
leaving the place whore ne had been
confined for two years and four months.
The escape was we'll and deliberately
planned james Mitchell. ths burglar,
who robbed the home OF John Banning,
was in the scheme aud came near mur-
deriug Chief Warden Pierce Gould.
The wife OF William Dutton was in
the jail visiting her husband, and
about 6 O'Clock asked Chief Warden
Gould to let her out Of the gates. He
placed the key in tho lock and opened
tie gate and was chatting with the
woman when Dougherty suddenly
Bprang by them and in fDw seconds
had ran out of the hallway and de-
Bcended the steps nf the Jail lie th en-
went around the northeast corner of the
Jail and across the school green to q
carriage which had been waiting in
the vicinity of the library building for
nearly half an hour
When Dnugharty was crossing the
green he met Orvid Porter, butcher
Of this city, and his brother, Wilmer,
of Smyrna, who is visiting here. Orvid
made the remark that the man had ran
away. Doughorty heard the remark
and pointed revolver Mt the two men,
who then hastened TO the jail TO give
the alarm,
Sheriff Elinp wHs seated in the parlor
of the Jail residence when Dougherty
ran past the door. lie hastened to the
interior of tho building and while
going toward tho big gate heard a
pistol shot and in momont saw Warden
Gould WITH his hand On the throat of
James Mitchell. Jerethiah Harrigan
was also rendering assistance Gould
had his revolver leyeled at Mitchell and
il was at frat feared that he was going
10 kill him. The pistol shot was fired
from the revolver in the hands OF
Mitchell, who intended to murder, IL
necessary. in order to gain his liberty.
When Gould saw Dougherty escape,
he leveled his revolver but did not fire
for fear of shooting Dutton's wife. lie
heard step back OF him and quickly
slammed the big gate to. lie looked
around and revolver in the hands Of
Mitchell was thrust in his face
The trigger was pulled hut the arm
OF the wardon had struck the arm OF
the would bs murderer and the bullet
struck this stone wall in the corridor.
The shooting was go close, however,
that the charge burned Warden Gou!d'f
face. Before Mitchell bad a chance tC
shoot again, Jeremiah Harrican, with
a quick movement. Knocked the revol
fRa,,, nh fbn m.
Htant tne desperate prisoner was look
ing into the muzzls Of Gould's revolver
aud was crowded to the wall by Harri
gan. Without further persuasion
Mitchell threw up his hands and said
Il give up"
Mitchell was taken to his cell, No
q Is, and there locked up. lie is bis
man, standing nearly six feet in heigh
and weighing about 200 pounds, bu
Notwithstanding his size be was wei
played out in his struggle with Goul,
n and Harrigan, and upon his arrival il
his cell he threw himself down on hi
IN bed. Later in the evening he sent 10
Sheriff Finn. who went to bis cell aui
received a letter which tie latter place,
In his inner pocket.
The revolver which Mitchell used wa
- calibre, OF cheap pattern, an
had six chamlers loaded Who brough
the weapon into the jail is as yet
mystery, hut there arc suspicious an
il is vXpsGtsd that several arrests o
this score will be made in n fow days
There ars three persons on whom th
euapiciuns are resting, and thsy will b
denied admission to the Jail in TIA
future.
During December last Jnseph L
bridge, another one of the BHnnin
burglars, hroke out Of Jail by cutting
hols in the roo. of his csll and frol
the roof lowered himself to the grount
His cellmates, John O'Moara au
"Reddy" Powell were too stout to q
through the hole and in consequent
were apprshended before they could q
4 Cape.
4 Arthur Webster, the other membl
OF she gang, escaped on March 12tl
1887, and it is thought that Mitche
was attempting to got out to celehra
Il the anniversary OF the affair. Webat
M is now doing a term of five years
ii Cherry Till prison and EIdridge
serving sentence of five years in sol
NJ tary confinement in prison in do
treal, Canada,
N Mitchell is an EnGlishman and eve
II month receives draft from Telativ
Rcrosa the sea. Tho money ia suppos
to have been used in the purchase
the revolver used in the escapade,
New Castle, March Ii. .-Exciteme
prevailed in jail yesterday when it W
discovered that Jamss Mitchell, the Ia
of the Banning burglars, who was foil
in his effort to eacaps with Jol
Dougherty, the murderer, and who {
tempted to murder Chief Warden Gou
in his attempt had saved off the
irons from his ankles and destroyed t
irons, which ware valued at SlS.
Sheriff Finn remained at the j.
during thu morning, ir order to supt
wise the search OF the cell occupied
Mitchell and other coils in which erin
mails we're suspected Of having saws a
other implements to use in attempts
escape.
In the cell a good portion Of t
plaster was found to be in poor cont
IA tion and after thorough search 81
was'found secreted in the plaster a
another in the hack OF picture fran
The Haws were of the very best quail
1t was at first planned that Dougher
Mitchell ana three others were to les
the Jail together, but the three 9th
Y weakened and abandoned the i'd
\ They mad arranged that two Of the 4
were to 20 into. the yard and after 81