The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-11
A CONVICT'S DARING LEAP
j. E. Green's Escape From the
MOundsville Penitentiary.
The Prisoner Sentenced for Crimes
Committed i'm Washington-Said to
he Dying From Consumption-
Bad Record ms SwindIer md Thief.

he Dying From Consumption-
Bad Record as SwipdIer md Thief
Joseph f. Green. swindler and thief
who tried to Kill Detective Muller while
| under arrest in this city two years ago
and who was serving a term OF four years
| in the penitentfary at Moundsville. w
| Va, for two cases of larceny. made his
escape from that institution last Sunday
night and is yet at large. The police her"
learned last night of the episode, and VIII
endeavor to locate and rearrest the fugi-
tive. Green is suffering from consump-
tion. and has several times been near
death since sent to prison. He has long
criminal record.
! Information here is that the escape took
J place shortly after midnight Sunday II
was daring feat for Green had to leap
from n twenty-foot wall surrounding the
| prison. after climbing out of narrow
/ window. from which he had previously
| removed the iron bars. a long rope was
found dangling from the window TO the
! wall. by means of which it is thought
| the fugitive lowered himself to the top of
the wall. Then he jumped to the ground.
| and apparently was unhurt. All trace of
Green has since been lost. but the local
!
this city. This belief is based on the fact
that several robberies similar In charac-
ter to those formerly committed by Green
have been reported during the past two
days. These thefts are now being investi-
gated.
The police are all the more surprised at
the escape of Green because he was
thought to be dying. He Is known here
as desperate thief, with a bad record.
and has been arrested many times in this
city. On June q. 1898 Detectives Board
man and Gallagher arrested Green at his
home in Georgetown. There were two
charges against him at the time, one of
grand larceny, the other of petty larceny.
1t was alleged that Green had stolen
wheel from the bicycle shop of Harry W.
Higham. 105 B Street southeast. and after
his arrest the police connected him with
the theft of a bicycle from the establish
ment of Richard r. Burr. formerly deal
eT in wheels at 5l1 Ninth Street northwest
Rurr was then the agent for the Olive
Bicycle Company, and Green appears to
have been in search of such a wheel to
sell to one of his customers. He was tried
on both charges. and convicted. being SEN
fenced to about a year in the District
jail
numerous. but his method of advertising
in the papers for the sale of bicycles led
to his capture a second time. Thefts of
wheels were reported by G. ID. Ellsworth.
of 2l3 Sixth Street northeast; Adrian AL
liare, of 1903 N Street northwest; Miss
Emma l.. Craigin, residing at 134O Tenth
Street northwest. and others, during Au-
gust and September, 1889 The losses were
reported by the respective owners of the
bicycles, and the detectives found that the
wheels were advertised for sale in the
papers several days after the disappear
ance. In several instances. also, it was
learned that man answering the de-
scription of Green had called on persons
who replied to the advertisements. and
after ascertaining the make of wheel
wanted by the prospective purchaser. had
furnished such bicycle within couple
OF days. Suspicion again fell on Green,
and efforts to capture him were made.
Detectives Muller and Baur were stroll
ing along the Avenue near Twelfth Street
northwest on the night of October IS.
1899, when they met Green. They had
been looking for him for weeks and
Muller at once took him into custody
Raur was short distance away, and be-
fore he could come UP Green drew pair
of brass knuckles from his pocket and
attempted to strike Muller over the head
saw lHe even
Ter did, and ran to help the latter. To-
eether the detectives took Green to
Headquarters and afterward locked him
up.
Meanwhile Inspector Boardnan had re-
ceived a complaint from n man who
claimed to be an acquaintance of Green,
TO the effect that the prisoner had robbed
him of all his clothing and of papers of
value. According to this report. Green
had formerly roomed with the complain |
ant at n house near Tenth and f Streets |
before his arrest Green had arisen early, |
packed his own effects and those OF his |
roommate in a trunk, and shipped the |
trunk out Of the city, to some point in !
Tennessee. The police were on the track |
of the trunk when Green was arrested |
charged with stealing the bicycles. and |
located and secured the trunk, |
which was shipped back to this city and |
used as evidence against Green.
When brought to trial Green was ar
raigned on several counts of both grand |
and petty larceny, on all of which he was
He was sentenced to four |
years in the penitentiary. and later sent
Ia Moundsyille. The fugitive is about |
tweHty-four years of age. rather tall and |
slim. lie is widely known to the police
here.
Once before did a convict escape from
the Moundsvile penitentiary. 1t was |
pf the prison have not yet been able to
fully explain how it was done. 1t is gem
orally believed an escape is impossible
unless the fugitive has assistance from
without the prison. Guards are stationed
all about. and are doubled at night. The
wall itself is protection difficult to over
,ome.