The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1902-07-03

dnply TO yield 10 the ovsrpossrins d
sirs Tor liberty, snd op this bssis be I
qasntly secures The sympathy OF mar
tssdsr hearted people. While liberty
certainly the dssrsst thing 10 the uorlt
70, tt. love OF freedom 10 seldom II
motive thai prompts the prisonsf to tai
French leave. Tor evss tbs moot isrorst
nisd can readily andsrstsnd that no ps
son behind the bars 10 60 bsrsit Of lib.
~ IS the hunted issiiiss trsm justice.
The incidents here set devG uere rel,
cd by % ei.csuviot in Sing Sag prsc
aud sppesrsd originally 10 the Nsw Yor
Hsrsld From the early tsventies mt
q very short time ego be knew no oths
ssfid than that made up OF Tbs popul
tion oI sing Sing prison.
10 my early days si Sius slpg tber
vas . different class Of men from ths
sbieh populstss II ct the present time
There we're cnIin i giants 10 those day,
bank burglars, safs blowers, bishwsl
robbers men who we're infsmousiy srus
sstonisbinsly bold, who never undsrlool
. CRIME without celebrating upon th.
shsnoss OF being streBslsd to death BY
the hsn.msn's rops for possible murder
neoessilsted by the secidestsl features Of
the job.
That type OF srlmipsl has disappeared
His sXterninstion 10 due TO several csu.
ses, prIsoipally the Pinkertons. The per
isstsd precautions sgsinst burglary by
the fnsncisl Institutions are also . great
barrier to the success OF the old stamp Of
the professional criminsl.
The frt escape in my time wss very
clever snir,
Frssk Kpehler was a burglar and was
assigned TO employ ment in one OF the in
dustriss that shipped its product to mar
ksi by 9 steamer plying between the vii
isgs Of Sing Sing and New York city.
Koshlsr was = str.ppiOg big fellow. very
muscular and wonderfully skilliul with
HE fists. He was most generous and
obligins chap, bn. was too we'll aware
OF his physic.l power and too indifferent
to consequences to submit to imposition
at the hands OF tbs effi,er
The second day after his arrival Koch
Ter was walking in the loesstep to his din
nsr. An officer, whose post OF duty We,
BY tho messIoom door, was accustomed
10 poke the prisoners in the ribs with bis
clnb either for "divsrsbun" or to hurry
them into the diuBing hall. Said Cf1icer
N sds sn upfortons'e selection for . vic
tim when be vieionsls b5sd Koebllr ip
he side, for the oonvict's mighty arm
'hot eat. and the big paw caught the
guard under the chic,
That tfiicer never struck another pris
,ner. His usefulness as . prison guard
sss ended. Koshlsr was terribly punish
ID for bis cot. but tho guards thereafter
,sld bis strength 10 great respect.
Koshler had been With us but two
months when be escsped. BY some
means be got bis huge bulk, after dress
ng it in q suit Of stolen clothes. into ooe
i the barrels 10 which the fsotory's pro
act was being set to the dock for ship
aent by steamer. He had . confederate
q Q little bit Of chsp, who worshippsd |
be big fellows strength, and this lad |
djastsd the lid OF the barrel after Koch |
sr vas inside.
The boy then gave tbs barrel . kick
nth his foot that sent II rolling down the
ncline to the tesmers side. Tbs "kid"
suntersd osrslessly down TO tbs vessel
! order 10 be near Koehlsr should the
ontsns Of the barrel be discovered and
6sht or killing be necessary. bat the
afrsled mss was rolled aboard the boat,
.oshler heard the stesmfr's signal bell
ing, the splssh OF the water o. the lines
'ers hssvsd over board. The shrek OF the
oit's whistle and knew that be Vas safe
! Oh bic way to the next stopping place
/ Tsrrytowp, few miles below the
rison.
30 far, 60 we'll, but the stowswsy knew
lst be was vet far from liberty. Az Tar
ytown he pushed open the lid OF the bar
Il until be could observe what was 20
,g on, and sl the apparently opporlune
ne be lsspsd ou. FROM bis hiding
ace.
But the ilot OF The bost discovered the
hidden exit and knew st once thst "un
objected fare" wts an escaping prisoner
.em Sing Sing. He gave tie slsrm spd
score Of men rushed for the prize for be
as worth $50 cash to the man who got
imS
KoeLler Instantly plunged into the riv
:, swsm for . long distspce without com
,g to the vster's tuifsce, reached the
ssllow'. wsdtd stbors; climbed the bank
I'd dissppssrtd in = thicksi. He ws
.,n no more 10 this pstt OF the couniry
rtil he cenmitlsd crime. fifteen years
ter, 10 the state Of Pennsy ivsri', whence
. VS. brought back 10 Sipg Sing pris
4 to serve cot bi, sentence.
hsd slmost TORS often to tell OF The st-
mpt TO e,osps BY Charles Vincent and
sno Wslsb. though the Incident 10 not
kelly TO be ttisc q from my memory, The
stalls sre uopIsss,pt sto,sb snd Ishsi
'noh opoo thtm s lightly % possible.
viacent wb . siI.,sn yesr msp Tor
arsisry, Welsh had avs yesrs for grand
rceny. The former bed served three
ssrs Of bis ierD. s5d the later bsd been
prison buts listis more than q year.
The night OF Aos. % ". ~ sppsll
IL bot ore. srd there vas much rss.lsss
t,s In The cells oi The 1900 poor fellows I
TO we're toused 10 stpses ihtt 10 small