New-York tribune., 1902-02-03
BREAK JAIL IN QUEENS.
TWO MEN THOUGHT To HAVE HAD
HELP FROM OUTSIDE
ONE DRAGGED ANOTHER PRISONER
AROUND THE COURTHOUSE-DoORs
FOJ Nd LOCKED AFTER THEM.

With the evident cooperation Of some persons
outside two burglars under indictment in the
Queens County Jail escaped from it last night.
Apparently they had the escape we'll planned
at least one OF them having been busy in the
afternoon perfecting the scheme. The other, 1t
is supposed. released by the first,
The men who escaped were William Travis
alias William O'Nei and William Watson. one
of his comrades Travis was under three indict-
ments for burglary each in the second degree
Watson also under three indictments.
Both men were in solitary confinement. BY
order OF District Attorney Merrill they were
isolated from the rest OF the prisoners excepting
for placed In the gallery with each. Travis
confined in the third tier IN the admnistra-
tion building. Watson in another tier I'm
the same building. With Travis there was a
short term prisoner named Robinson. Thomas
Woody colored short term man. with
Watson. These men were supposed TO watch
the other prisoners.
The Jail is fitted with chilled steel doors, and
the section where the prisoners were confined
connects directly with the courthouse. To pass
from it to the courthouse there must be passed
a door which would resist safe breakers tools
According to Woodby. who gave the alarm
within a minute or two after Watson escaped,
he was looking out Of window at the end of
the corridor furthest from the door leading to
the courthouse when Watson came down the
corridor and caught him by the throat.
Watson made Woodby put on his outer clothes
and then sprang on him and choked him until
he was unconscious He then dragged the negro
downstairs into the courthouse. woodby by
this time had reganed consciousness. He was
dragged down to the basement Watson ap-
parently having mistaken his route. Then they
went back TO the main floor and this time to the
mems toilet room.
Then WoOdbV thinks the window was 0na,
Watson, throwing the negro onto the snow
below, dropped out himself. but slipped and fell
he made grab for Woodby's collar Wood
by escaped and ran around the Jail to the war
den's office. There he found Keepers MCGOWAN
and Linberg. 10 whom he gave the alarm.
In the mean time Travis had also got away
According to Robinson he must have had out
side help. Robinson says that for the last two
three days Travis was uneasy and restless
Several times yesterday he seemed to talk with
persons outside of the Jail About midday. as
nearly as Robinson could remeber there was a
knock two the steel door leading to the
court house. He was then at the far end of the
corridor. Travis went TO the door and appar-
emily talked to some one, but Robinson says he
did not hear what was said
Travis then got piece of paper from his com
panion and wrote note which he passed under
the door. Later in the afternoon. and not very
long before the escape, he talked with two men
at window opening into a space left by an
angle of the building. Robinson declares that
This time he says he heard Travis say. 1T
must be to night"
The other replied. "An right" and Travis then
said. Don't forget
After that Robinson says he went TO sleep
and knew nothing more until the keepers woke
him and said that Travis had escaped The
keeper found the door leading to the courthouse
locked They think Travis got the key in a
plate of cornedbeef and cabbage served TO him In
the afternoon 1t is thought that after getting
from the tier to the passage between it and the
courthouse he ran to the tier where Watson was
and unlocked the door for him
Travis is thought to be responsible for the
many robberies in Queens last year. He is said
TO be dangerous man, and was arrested at the
point OF a revolver Not much is known of
Watson beyond that IL is said he was a COM
panlon OF Travis when the former was in Sing
Sing -S