The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-09-20
VERMONT CONVICT IN CUSTODY
Patrick MCGOWAN Arrested at Patts
burgh, N. Y.


Plattsburgh, n. Y, Sept. 1S.-Pat
rick MCGOWAN and Laura Murphy are
in the custody of Sheriff Tierney in
this city awaiting the arrival of Off
GERS from the Vermont state prison at
Windsor, who was doing Il sentence
Of seven years for the stealing of a
sack of flour, escaped last March. and
since which time the pair have been
wandering aimlessly about the cOun-
try, staying only few days in one
place.
MCGOWAN was picked up by Officer
Liberty about o'clock Tuesday morn
ing on a charge OF being drunk and
disorderly, the officer not knowing at
the time of the arrest that he was
landing convict for whom the au-
thorities of the state of Vermont have
been searching for the past six
months. When Deputy Sheriff Jerry
Ryan was searching the prisoner be-
fore locking him up he found ey.
dence in the mans pocket which con
Vlnced him that the prisoner was an
escaped convict and Tuesday morn
ing Chief Corners was made aware
tending TO show that he was an es-
capped convict At the time of Nc
Gowans escape the chief received a
circular giving the facts of the es-
cape and stating that a girl named
Laura Murphy. who was resident
Ct Windsor and who had worked in
the prison, and had thus became ac-
qualnted with MCGOWAN had left with
The runaway. Chief Corners. there.
lore, started in search of the Murphy
glrl ana early yesterday afternoon
'he found her near the railroad tracks
in the rear of the Post waiting pa,
tienuy for the return of her compan.
len. She was taken into custody and
at the Office of the chief she told the
story of her wanderings with Me.
Gowan.
According TO her story she had no
part in the escape of MCGOWAN who
scaled the prison wall by means of a
ladder. She states that she knew
nothing of his intention to make
break for liberty until she met him
outside OF The prison walls and that
she then made the offer TO him that
she accompany him on his flight. He
readily agreed to this and since that
time they have been companions in
misery Leaving Windsor they cross
ed the river and went to Concord N
II. In their wanderings they went in
TO Connecticut and through the upper
part or Vermont crossing the railroad
trestle from Alburgh 10 Rouses Point
where they took a train to st Johns.
AT the latter place they secured pas
sage on a canal boat part of the way
to Quebec and the balance of the
way they Travelled by rail.
When they reached Quebec
their funds were exhausted and be.
ing unable to find employment there
they started back to the United
States. They began their tramp Two
weeks ago landing i'm this CITY
Monday evening, having walked the
entire $50 miles from Quebec to
Pittsburgh.
The girl states that MCGOWAN and
man by the name of Maple from
Port Henry were arrested in Bur.
lington in 1917 charged with burglary
they having broke into grocery
store and stole sack of flour for
which Maple was sentenced to three
months in the house of correction at
Rutland and MCGOWAN was sentenced
TO seven years in The state prison at
Windsor.
chief Corners yesterday telephon-
ed to the warden OF the Windsor pris-
en- notifying him of the arrest of Nc.
Gowan and the Murphy girl and was
requested to hold both of the prison
ers until today and that an officer
would be sent here after them.