The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-11

ing to obey, his orders.
James went into the cellar at o'clock to
attend to the engines. He quickly got out
the food. water and clothing. removed the
stone. and throwing OF his uniform Of
stripes. put on suit Of overnlls.
Then he pulled gently at the Irvine, and
Kennedy, who was watching Il upstairs,
saw the move, and in few moments was
In the cellar. As soon as Kennedy left the
shop Collins moved to the cellar stairs.
followed by Elliott, and at 10 o'clock all four
men were in the cellar dressed for the
attempt, and not man Of them had been
missed by the keepers.
1t was a matter Of a very few minutes
for the quartet to 60 through the tunnel
and come up in the manhoie b the field.
Everything favored them It was pouring
with rain, and few persons wore abroad.
Once out they made for the Chateaugay
branch Of the Delaware and Hudson Rail-
road. quarter Of . mile away. They
followed the tracks three miles east, and
then started duo north. their idea baing to
get across the border into Canada, less than
thirty miles away.
They followed the north star that night,
being entirely unfamiliar with the country.
and by the morning Of the next day had
reached shack in the woods some six miles
away, where they stopped to rest and take
their first meal
Two hours elapsed before the escape was
discovered in the prison. Then 1t was
impossible to tell just what men were gone.
Half an hour was lost In lining up the
prisoners in gangs, to see who was missing:
and as soon as the identity Of tho men was
known the alarm whistle blew, and in less
than two hours moro 800 armed men, keep
ers, county officials and citizens. were on
the roads looking for the men. Tho escape
was telegraphed far and wide. and the most
remarkable man hunt that ever took place
In this State was soon under way.
Some OF the men might have escaped
had they separated, but all were true to
the oath. Sunday the rain. which still
fell soured the hash Of corned beef and
bread crumbs. and Elliott, who ate raven
ously, was taken with cramps. he was
carried for several miles by the others, but
finally collapsed entirely. 1t was necessary
to cure him or leave him.
BY Wednesday the four had dragged
themselves to point near Altoona. called
Purdy's Mills. Wednesday night they
broke into the general store for tho sole
purpose OF getting bottle Of Jamaica
ginger for Elliott.
They got the medicine and cured Elliott,
but the robbery was their undoing, for
it gave the searohers the first clue
to the whereabouts Of tho oonvicts, and
~
roads fairly bristled with the rifles OF woods
men and constables all after tho rewards;
for it is $50 head in this country for
each convict returned, dead or alive.
Thursday morning Elliott, emerging
from the woods, got rife ball In his hip.
With james, he made for the Chazy River.
the other two close behind.
Elliott was dragged along until noon.
when he and Kennedy were cornered and
taken. James and Collins followed tho
river for several miles and then tried
to cross.
The heavy rains had made tho Chazy
a raging food. James couldn't swim, but
Collins could. and both mon plunged in,
the pursuers close behind. Collins kept
himself afioat, but James was swept away
him and hauled him out on the other side.
Half starved. weakened by exposure.
their clothes hanging In rags. these two
hunted men made for the railroad and
succeeded in boarding a moving freight.
But they were hardly aboard when men
with rifles came up and hauled them or
Friday morning the mon were back
in Clinton Prison. The reward OF Jamess
four years OF work and planning was
five days of suffering for himself and
his comrades, during which time they had
got but twenty-five miles on their road to
the border. When they were captured
they we're within four miles Of the line.
Warden Deyo, to whom the entire credit
for the recapture Is due. was exceedingly
kind to the unfortunate mon after their
return. They were put back at work In
the shops as soon az they were able to do
anything, and no unusual punishment was
melted out to them.
But Of the 100 prisoners In Clinton to-
dny thece four men are the most caro-.
fully guarded.