New-York tribune., 1906-12-02
THIEF REFUSED ESCAPE
Held Crozcd In Queens jail at Bay
-ReuCard, Light Sentence.

Thomas Roulette, who was arraigned for SEN
tence IN the County Court of Queens, Long ISL
and yesterday, turned the escape of the ten
prisoners from the Queens County jail to his
advantage and saved himself nearly five years
imprisonment By artful plea
Roulette was confined in the part Of the jail
from which the escaped Friday morning.
He hap pleaded guilty to charges of burglary
and GRAND larceny and was awaiting sentence
Five years in state prison stared him in the
face.
When called to the bar for sentence his at
torney ex-District Attorney George A. Gregg,
told the court that his client had rendered the
county service which should entitle him to
the mercy of the court Mr.. Gregg said that had
it not been for Roulette all of the prisoners In
the part Of the Jail where he was confined would
have escaped. Roulette, he said, saw that there
an opening through which the had
ped. but instead Of taking advantage of the
opportunity to liberate himself he prevented the
other prisoners from escaping by standing in
the doorway of the open cell, despite an effort
to mob him, and at the time giving
alarm, which brought the keepers to the scene.
There was corroboraSfve statement, but
District Attorney Darrin accepted the plea and
Joined in the request for clemency. Judge
Humphrey. In passing sentence told Roulette
that had it not been for his heroic action he
would have sent him to prison for five years, but
under the circumstances he would sentence him
to the county Jail for thirty days.
The recapture of Alexander Templeton, one of
the escaped prisoners. raises nice question of
jurisdiction. Templeton being held at the
Queens County jail for crime committed in
New Jersey He awaiting extradition, the
officers arriving In Long Island City to take him
only few hours after his escape from the Jail.
Yesterday morning the man recapturea in
Paterson N. j.. and is now being held there.
When Sheriff Meyerrose, of Queens County.
learned yesterday Of the recapture of Temple
ton, he thought TO go at once TO New Jersey for
his prisoner. He was advised, however, that
there was a serious question as to which state
htd jurisdiction. The question arose as to
whether Tempeton should be returned to the
Queens County Jail and held on charge of Jail
breaking or whether he should be held In New
Jersey and tried the charge Of stealing wire
from the Erie Railroad, for which offence he
arrested. Sheriff Meyerrose decided to take
action until tomorrow. He will, In the
mean while, get the best legal opinion.
When the jail closed for the night yester-
day 1t was said that none of the other prisoners
who escaped with Templeton had been recapt-
ured.
Sheriff Meyerrose does not expect any action
against him by the District Attorney as he WI
be of Office before the meeting of the next
grand jury Besides, he considers himself we'll
shielded behind the report of the Prison Commits
sion Of the state which, after Its last investi-
CATION, recommended that more keepers be en-
ployed at the Queens County Jail and that the
board fence surrounding the Jail be replaced by
a high stone wall.
Paterson, Dec. 1-Templetons brother-in-law,
John Langenberg, is IN the county jail here on
a charge of grand larceny. and 1t is thought
here that Langenberg may possible have mad
something to do with the escape of Templeton
It is thought that Langenberg may have In
stigated Templeton's wife to take to her husband
which