Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-11
PRISONERS ESCAPE.
John Burns and Fred Brown Get Away
 During Transfer to Trolley Car


 John Burns and Fred Brown. two of group of } prisoners--unlucky num- ber-made a clever escape from the deputy sheriffs who had them in charge Tuesday morning. when the men were being taken from the caun- ty jail at Brooklyn to Putnam. to an swer to criminal charges before Judge H. A. Shumway in the superior court
 Brown and Burns made their escape Tn Danie ekSon as the bakers dozen of prisoners was being transferred from the team in which they were brought over from Brooklyn to the electric car for Putnam. Witnesses of the incl dent say that Brown and Burns slip ped out of the pair of handcuffs that linked them together just as they were about to step into the vestfbule of the car. A young lady who was stand ing in the window of Mdme. Jette's store gasped as she saw the pair slip off the handcuffs as they reached the side of the car, but said nothing, as she believed it certain that the officers would catch the pair before they got start
 It was not ordained that things would work out that way. however. The pair stepped up the steps and into the rear Vestibule of the car, but in stead of going into the car one of them went out the door and the op- posite side of the vestibule and made record fast run up Main street and into Center street. the first side street he came to. No one attempted to stop him, not knowing why he ran-and the officers did net see him How the other one of the pair slipped away from the car is not aS clear in the minds of the spectators who realized what had happened after it was too late, but he certainly made as clean a getaway as his partner.
 Deputy Sheriffs Grimshaw, Bessette, BllERn of11 .,E the prisoners. When the car with the officers and prisoners aboard started out for Putnam, at 9.10 and no at tempt was made to get the runaways the observers thought it peculiar, but the loss of the two men was not dis covered until the car was well up toward Davis switch and a count was being made by one of the deputies Then there was something doing.
 Deputy Sheriff Bessette took another car just coming south back to town. hurrledIy got in touch with Chief George M. Filling and the two off cers started out after the quarry. Others were added to the searching party later, but after an all day SCOUT Ing or the country in this section, au- tomob1les being used in the chase the officers had to return empty-hand- ed. Telephone messages were sent to officials in various towns 10 be on the lookout for the men
 Burns and Brown are young men, both under p. Burns was to be tried for breaking into the store of Me Laughin and French at East KillingIy on November 1, 1913. and Brown was facing charge of statutory burglary in connection with the breaking and entering of the store of William Bel laVance at Moosup and the railroad passenger station in the same place, on the night of December To-
 The pest explanation offered by an officer who was with the prisoners. as to how the pair were able to slip off the handcuffs is that the cuffs did not happen to lock and this view is borne out by witnesses who noted how easily the fellows slipped off the manacles.