Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-09-21
COhVICTS MAKE
DARING ESCAPE
Guards of Trenton Work
house Gang Fire Many
Shots lone Captured.
LEFT TRAIL OF BLOOD

Trenton, N. j. Sept. 21.-voIley after
volley of bullets did not prevent JACK
Brenzer and Wilson Jackson, long
term convicts at the Mercer county
workhouse. from climbing down q
sixty foot preciplce in an endeavor to
escape. Brenzer surrendered when
practically on the verge of liberty, but
Jackson succeeded In reaching q dense
wood, and it is doubted If he will be
recaptured. The Mercer county author
tiles say that the mems attempt was
the most daring on record. Both men
were blood stained when they finished
the descent from the p~recipice.
The escape was attempted just after
the noon meal at the institution. Pris,
oners at the workhouse are forced to
work in quarries. After the convicts
had finished their meal twelve guards,
as is the custom, marched toward the
quarries and stationed themselves at
their posts, aiming rifles at the prison
ers, who were ordered to march in
single file. Other guards with loaded
rifles brought up the real of the col
umn.
The file of prisoners had marched
only short distance when both Bren-
ger and Jackson left the ranks and fed
toward the precipice, The guards did
not shout warnings, but fired.
The escaping prisoners reached the
edge of the cliff and started their de-
scent, paying no heed to the bullets.
The guards ran after them, but at the
edge of the cliff they paused, knowing
well that any one who attempted to
descend would risk his life.
The guards took positions along the
ledge and opened fire. The two con-
victs continued their cautious descent
0per the rocks, bending downward to
escape the bullets. Two hundred other
prisoners, who rushed to the ledge
after being left without guard, shouted
went as far as to hurl two huge pieces
of stone at the guards, %injuring one.
That it was miraculous the escaping
convicts were not killed or wounded Is
unquestionable. They were exposed
to the incessant fire of the guards ever
after they had reached the level. both
being cut and bruised by projecting
rocks.
Brenzer reached level ground. Then
a bullet took away his hat and almost
Immediately afterward he stumbled
over a rock. Three bullets whizzed so
close past his head that he became
frightened and threw up his hands.
"Beat it!' shouted the other prison
ers on the ledge, but he remained with
arms in the air. He had to stand in
that position for almost half an hour,
while the guards took a long route to
avoid climbing down the cliff.
Jackson, despite the flying bullets,
made for a dense wood a quarter of a
mile distant and succeeded in reaching
it. He left a trail of blood behind
him, but even this has not made
known his whereabouts to a posse Of
armed men who are hunting the
woods tonight. BrenZer when recap
tured declared that he and Jackson
had been planning to escape for some
time and had come to the conclusion
last night that it was either a cas- Of
liberty OF death.
Brenzer said he would not have sur
rendered despite the bullets IL a small
locket containing a picture of his sweet
heart had not fallen out of his pocket
while he was climbing down the preci-
pice. He said he believed this loss an
omen of bad luck.