The sun., 1903-12-14
Is THALLMAN BANDIT LEADER T?
THRILLING ESCAPE FROM THE
LANCASTER'S BULLETS. ..
Theory That He Lay In Hiding Until Friday
and That He Then Led His Band in
the Attack on the Signal Tower At
Pavonia and In the Other Operations.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. l3.-The Camden
police and detectives are working on the
belief that the bandit raid upon Camden
and Pavonia early Saturday morning was
led by William Thallman, who escaped from
Wednesday night under fire.
Thallman Is wanted on the charge Of burg
larry, Is suspected OF being the leader, OF
gang Of desperadoes which has been
operating In western New Jersey, and was
being held on charge Of desertion at the
League Island Navy Yard. pending his
transfer to the civil authorities.
The story of his escape and the reasons
for suspectng him became known to-day.
Thallman had accomplices in the escape.
They waited in small boat near the Lam
caster. He was being walked about for
exercise, as is the custom between $50
and o'clock. He was not manacled.
He dashed his guards aside and springing
through an open gun port landed on a
wooden swing outside. Then with the aid
of forty-foot iron cable he managed to
get to the dock Bullets whistled past his
head, but he lodged the sentry and dis
appeared.
All the marines were ordered out to search
for him. Suddenly a small boat contain
ing three men shot out into the search
light in midstream In it was Thallman
and it was headed for the Jersey shore.
Launches put out in pursuit. Marines
fired carbines and pistols, but they were
too late. The boat put in near Pavonia.
No trace Of 1t or Of the fugitives could be
discovered.
The police believe Thallman lay in hid
ing until Friday, called his band together
and then descended upon Camden to re-
coup their fortunes. Two houses, filled
with loot, one at Riverside and the other
at Palmyra, had recently been seized by
the police. The loot Is believed to nave
been gathered by his gang.
BoRDENTowE, n. j., Dec. 13.-Two men
were arrested at the Pennsylvania Rail-
road station here to-day by Constables
William Lewis and Charles Trout on s,is-
picion of being connected with the dyna-
hitting of the safe at the station at Pavonla
on Friday night. They deny knowing any
thing of the affair. Each says he liz a stran-
ger to the other. They gave their names
as John Gaffney of Ireland and Hugh Phil
lips Of Philadelphia. One Of them SAID
he was tinsmith and that he came from
Hightst own to see tinsmith at Bordentown
in search of work.
ELIZABETH. N. j.. Dec. 13.-Detectives
from Camden came to Elizabeth tonight
in the search for the men who have COM
mitted the remarkable series of tower
and station robberies along the lines OF
the Pennsylvania and Jersey Central rail-
roads. They Questioned three young men
at the county jail who were arrested here
early yesterday after stealing a ride in a
Pennsylvania freight car from some place
near Trenton.
About o'clock yesterday morning word
came that gang OF men had looted Penn
sylvania freight car in the neighborhood Of
Trenton. The despatch stated that the
suspected persons were supposed to be on
freight train that would stop at Elizabeth
The train was searched and the men found
in freight car that had its doors closed.
They gave their names as William Ander-
son, John Baker and John Beverland, all
about 20 years OF age.
None Of the men had much money, but
some comment was made because one Of
them had thirty-four one-cent pieces in
his pocket. Another had a ticket for a
masquerade ball to be held in Girard
avenue hall in Philadelphia and the busi-
ness card of quick lunch house in that