New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-21
Easy to Smuggle Wea-
pons In, Says One
Who Fled Prison
rs INSIDE, HE
TELLS CAPTORS
Osborne Blames Whitman
and Carter for Their
"Trifling"

While the prison authorities were
conducting a rigid investigation to de-
termine where two Of the six prisoners
who escaped from Sing Sing on Thurs
day obtained revolvers, and from wha,
source they got change Of clothing
every available guard and employe wal
set to work yesterday to ferret out
weapons alleged still to be hidden
within the penitentiary walls.
The hunt began even before the las.
Of the men had been captured and re.
turned to the institution. Maurice
Curtis, the convict who was shot by
Joseph Birdsall, guard, near Pecan
tico Hills, said no fewer than seventy
five revolvers were concealed within the
prison. 1t was Curtis, the man who
drove the truck in which the six es-
capped, and conceded to be the brains OF
the gang, who was feared most by the
guards.
Thought He would Die
When he was shot he thought he
had been mortally wounded.
"Why didn't you shoot me in the
head and have it over?" he asked.
Thinking he was about to die, he
readily told the guards the direction
taken by his companions. When asked
where he had obtained the revolver he
asserted it was easy to smuggle weap-
ons into the prison. Since the screens,
which formerly separated visitor and
prisoner, had been removed, he ex-
planned, a person coming into the peni-
tentiary could pass anything to q pris-
-oner.
"There are seventy-fve more In
there" he said, "but you won't find 'em
in the cells"
Jay Crowley, assistant to Acting
Warden Calvin Derrick, characterized
the report as an absurdity, but admit
ted since the screens have been taken
down in the visitors room strangers
might have eluded the watchfulness OF
the guards on occasions.
A month ago, however, 1t Is known
Thomas Mott Osborne, then warden,
caused an investigation to be made
when he received a rumor from out
side sources that certain prisoners pos
sessed four revolvers. Frank Lutz, one
~ the men who escaped, was brought
before the inmates court at that tine
and ordered to tell what he knew OF
tho whereabouts of the weapons.
Convict Changes Manner
When Curtis's injury was dressed
by DR.. Thomas Barry in the prison
hospital and he had been informed 1t
was little more than a fech wound and
would not prove serious, the convict
changed his manner and became
facctious.
Crowley was inclined to believe the
escape had been planned on thu spur
of the moment, that the idea was sug-
gested by Curtis when he saw the
heavy rain and the truck standing Re-
meath a shed in the north end OF the
yard.
Curtis has been known to think
quickly before. Once, while in Clinton
prison, he saw a claw hammer on a
guards table. He complained OF hav-
ing a nail in his shoe that hurt him.
The guard handed him the hammer,
and that was the last he remembered
until he regained consciousness many
hours later in the prison hospital.
Curtis struck him over the head,
grabbed his revolver and wounded sew
eral persons before he was overpow-
cred.
Mr.. Derrick expressed the belief that
the escape had been planned long be-
fore il occurred. The fact that the
men had hidden the change OF clothing
in the tool chest on the truck, together
with the revolvers, and had stolen the
cap worn by william Anson from a
guard named Nelson some time ago
showed this TO be true. he pointed out.
Gives Credit to Guards
When complimented by James NJ.
Carter, State Superintendent Of Pris-
ons. on the capture Of the men. he said
credit was due Crowley and the corps
Of guards.
ave have a good force here and there
il nothing wrong with the system" he
said. "All that is needed is a redis-
tribution OF guards at certain points
A thorough investigation is being maze
as TO how the men obtained the
weapons. This has not been deter
mined as yet"
Ex-Wardcn Osborne, speaking on
nrison reform at Bryant Hall, sttrib'
nted the escape 70 the fact that super
,,,endont Carter and Governor Whit
man were trifing with the inmatcs at
the prison
Wbii. ne praised Mr.. Derrick and his
force for the capture, he said the peo-
pie Of the state must realize there was
a great incentive TO make man escape
when he began to fear "he won't get
square dYl"