New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-07
BOY SW|MS HELL GATE
CalJuht After Chase, Lad Tells of
Escape from Randal's Island.
OUTWITS TWO DETECTIVES
After Running Over Roofs, He Is
Making for the Harlem River
When Captured.

After a chase over the roofs Of a block
NJ houses. dashes down scu.tles and a race
through the streets. Detectives Mancini
and Lennon. Of tho East iO.th street sta
ton. last night captured Alexander Segel
seventeen years old. OF No "a East Ic3d
street who recently escaped from the
House Of Refuge on Randalls Island.
Siegel looks much older than he is. and
stands : feet ( inches. The two detec-
tives who arrested him last night have
been watching his home since he escaped
and last night they saw him in 1o5th street
near Madison avenue The lad. who knows
the detectives well. having been arrested
bv them before. espied them AT the same
time and started TO run.
He ran up Madison avenue and when
near iooth street turned into a hallway,
the detectives close behind him. The boy
dashed up the stairway Of the apartment
house and reaching the roof ran toward
Park avenue The detectives reached the
roof in time 70 see him disappearing down
the scuttle OF house in Park avenue.
They followed. and on reaching the street
saw the fleeing lad dashng toward the
Harlem River. They overlook him between
First avenue and the river. and the boy
exclaimed:
If had reached the water you would
have had 10 swim some"
He Wa taken to the East 1oith street
station. where he related remarkable tale
Of how re escaped from Randalls Island.
Siege was arrested last January on a
charge e burglary. was sent TO the House
=
conduct Two weeks later he was again
arrested by the detectives. who found a
jimmy In his pocket. He was sent back to
the House Of Refuge
Il was sick Of the place" said the boy,
land mqdc up my mind / wouldn't stay
there. About midnight. May 20. 7 waited
until all the lights were out. and then tied
the bedclothes together. tying one end
around the bedrost. ! was on the fourth
floor. and the rope I made let me down 70
grain leader. which reached the second
floor reached that and then got to the
ground. and cravled over 10 the southern
end of the island. keeping in the dark 50
III guards wouldn't soc me- When
reached the water I took off my shoes
threw them overheard. and with a piece Of
string had. ! tied my coat tight around me
Then | jumped overheard into Little
He'll Gate. At first I was vhirled round
and round and nearly lost my breath. But
there isn't a better swimmer around the
docks than me. and pretty soon I got
past Randslrs Island. then Wards Island
and into tho East River. I was wondering
where | was going 10 bring up when
saw tug with two scows coming toward
mo. | went slow until # got closer. then
swan with an underhand stroke so they
wouldn't hear me Then the tug passed
me and ! grabbed hold OF the end scow
Pretty soon saw the Street Cleaning
dump az 1o3d street. and knew the scows
were going there. When We got near the
dump 7 let GO OF the scow and started
toward the dock but saw a cop standing
there. so I drifted on down the river. I
had m float now, for I was cold and near
~ all in.
Then I got 10 the College Point ferry.
at e9th street. I reached there just in time.
for I was blowing hard Just as climbed
up a police launch came along. and one Of
them new searchlights they use flashed
on me. hut the boat passed and they didn Z
see me After dried my clothes I walked
home. and got there little after o'clock
in the morning
The next dav 7 went ont ard got 4 job
as wagon hoy. and have been working
ever since"
The boy said he had seen the detectives
watching his home. but escaped them every
dav nv going into house in 10th street
and Second avenue ami walking across the
roofs TO his home.