The times., 1899-09-10
ESCAPES FROM A PRISON.
Many Daring and Successful Breaks
for Liberty.
lFrom Chambers Journal)

for Liberty.
lFrom Chambers Journal)
The most daring and successful leap for
liberty which Dartmoor prison has known
occurred little more than a year ago. and
one feature of it was made great capital
of by the local and London press. About
3 o'clock in the afternoon a gang of
twenty conyicts, while working out on the
moor, became suddenly enveloped in a
characteristic Dartmoor mist. Three ward
ers were in charge of the party. and the
chief Of these at once ordered a "fall-in"
and march" On coming within sight
of the prison three men suddenly bounded
out of the ranks and vanished into the fog.
Fortunately for the fugitives, the rest of
the men had to be safely marched to their
cells before the alarm could be given, and
fortunately for the warders five or six of
these were within a few weeks of being
liberated. and consequently were not likely
to forfeit their twenty five per cent re-
duction Of term by aiding their comrades.
much less by following their example. The
fate of the three was both comic and tragic.
One was soon oyertaken by the horsemen,
and while leaping a low wall was shot
dead. The rule is that a fugitive must be
called to three times before he is fired
Ipon and then only his lower limbs are
aimed at. Our readers will remember the
severe censure which the press next day
passed on the authorities for this disaster.
Undoubtedly it was due to an accident
that the shot proved fatal one No.
wandered about the moor for days, unable
to find his way or to get anything to eat,
and finally gave himself up to a farmer,
who marched him back to Princetown and
claimed the C 3 reward.
The fate of the third was more romantic
He wandered for six miles over the frozen
moor. then crossing the old Roman bridge,
he came in the early dawn of Christmas
morning 10 the little hamlet of Pool Bridge
Here he broke into the dining room of
Quaker gentleman's house; and, as the ap-
pearance of the room testified next morn
ing to the astonished maid, helped himself
generously to the good things with which
the family had been celebrating the fes-
tive eve. Going into the hall, he exchar gel
his tell-tale cap for silk hat, and his vel
low jacket for fashionable Chesterfield
overcoat of convenient length. An UNI
brella and a pair of kid gloves completed
his costume. But whether his sampling OF
the Christmas fare had been too well'' or
not, when he left the house in the early
morning he foolishly set his face back to-
wards Princetown; nor did he discover
what he had done till warder rode by and
enQuired of the fashionably dressed gen.
tleman whether he had seen anything"
and the tower of the church came into
view. Terrified, he struck away to the
right, and hid throughout Christmas Day
upon the moor. Afterwards, it is current
in Princetown, where the dongs of that
Christmas Eve are still much discussed
he confessed that many times he lay down
among the rocks and bushes as he saw the
glasses of the search party pointed in his
direction. When night fell, he came TO
Tayistock where he broke into house at
! the back of one in which this account is
/ al ba ala
away from the dangerous neighborhood to
/ DeYonport, and would undoubtedly now be
| beyond the water, but for a most trivial
and foolish failure of his discretion. Walk
| ing along a road in the outskirts of the
seaport he met a policeman who was ac-
companied by small terrier dog. The
constable nodded good morning" and
passed on; but his dog turned round and.
! as little dogs will do, began snuffing at
the convicts heels. He. not daring to
look round. imagined that he was being
| followed, and Immediately set of to run.
! The policeman turned TO look for his dog,
4 found it in hot pursuit, and, of course,
! joined in the chase. Capture followed cas-
! ily. and number whatever he was soon
found himself at Princetown.
The most celebrated escape of the past
and, it is said the only one which was fl
nally successful, dates from many years
ago, when convict lived for three weeks
! in a peat-cutter's cottage. almost under
the shadow of the prison walls. The
| grandmother who lived in the house was
dangerously i'll; but when the warders
came 20 search the house she got up from
| her bed and gave 1t, together with her
nightcap, to the convict, who most sue
cessfully sustained the role of an asth-
matical old woman of ninety. When the
excitement had subsidized, he quietly left
the house at night in the peat-cutter's
| clothes, and escaped to America.
Every Tuesday morning some of the con-
victs are usually seen on the platform of
| the Southwestern at TayIstock. but cloth
ed and bearded and. it is to be hoped in
| their right mind. They are on their way
to Pentonyille prison, where they will be
photographed, and then. with two pounds
in their pockets, they will once more taste
/ the sweets of-life and freedom.