The sun., 1909-02-14
GOT OUT OF JAIL FOR 81
FREE BIZ PAY
ING ANOTHER MAN'S FINE.

II Was Easy Because the Jefferson Market
Night SHIFT Didn't Know iIim-Any
smart tne Could DO II. Keepers
Say-The Escaper Il Jailed Again.
Benjamin Harris fell into the hands
Of Detective McMuten while he was
picking pockets In the Fourteenth street
subway station on the afternoon OF De-
cember 2s. Harris was then out on g.. 900
bail awaiting trial for being found with
the pawntioket for q $3.50 stickpin that
had been taken from the Prince George
Hotel
McMullen took Harris to jefferson
Market court and Magistrate Barlow
on December % sentenced him to the
workhouse or six months. Harris was
tahen hack into the prison and put in
the ten day house, where the work.
house prisoners await transportation
TO blackwell Island.
The 'ten day house is a big room.
which at times contains many prisoners
serving Ave and ten day sentences. There
is nothing to distinguish the workhouse
prisoners from the short time men ey-
cept the names under which they are
entered. Harris got to talking with q
prisoner who had four days to serve.
He learned the man name and the charge
he was in for. Then Harris lay down
and waited. About midnight he told
the keeper that he wanted to pay his
fine and get out. He gave the name
OF the man he had been talking to. The
night shift Of keepers did not know that
Harris was destined for the island. 80
they accepted his - and let him out.
ha lac hAx kn Aax ahi
looking for Harris they discovered the
mistake. Under these circumstances II
would have been formal to notify Null
berry Street and have Harris picked up.
But instead OF that they sent Assistant
Keeper Sheehan out. and for three days
sheehan searched New York from Harlem
to the Battery. but no Harris could he
find. Then the keepers sat down to wait,
secure in their belief that the escaped
pickpocket would be brought back.
Two months went by and the fact that
a prisoner had been lost remained in a
kindly oblivion. Yesterday. however.
Detective Upton found Mr.. Harris too
Jefferson Market. where the prisoner
said his name was Herman. Magistrate
Moss fined him $40, which he paid, and then
be went back to ths prison, where he was
welcomed with open arms. He was
transferred 70 Blaokwell's Island. where
ne Will stay LOT s6Verai IDOntns.
One Of the keepers in explaining the
affair said:
1T was the easiest thing in the world
for Harris to do. II might happen at
any time II the prisoner Is smart enough.
1t might happen tonight. although we
don't think IL probable, because now We
lock the workhouse prisoners In cell.
where they can't communicate with
-.
dThe night shift had no way Of identify
ing Harris. as they did not see him come |
in. We are likely to make the same |
mistake with one Of the prisoners brought I
in in the nighttime
Commissioner Barry was sick in bed |
last night, but said that he hadn't heard |
Of the matter and that such a case would |
be for the District Attorney TO investigate.
Warden Mallon Of the Jefferson Market
prison said last night that the escape vas
due to unusual congestion. The ordinary
practice. he said, was 10 put the prisoners |
who were fined In one room and those who !
were committed to the workhouse in |
another. On December 20, however. the
number OF prisoners was far greater than
usual and In consequence some Of the
workhouse people were mixed with those
who were being held pending the pay
ment Of fines.
Just an accident" said the warden.
-and IL was due to congestion. No. It's
not likely to happen again