The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-19
GORDON WAITS
FOR 2 CONVICTS
AT CITY GATES
All Vehicles Held Up and
Searched for Desper-
ate Fugitiyes.
STEAL A THIRD MOTOR
Sing Sing Warden Sends
Out Three More Armed
Automobile Parties.
TO DISCIPLINE GUARDS
Some Failed to Answer Calls,
Others Were Afraid to
Give Chase.
A THIRD MOTOR
TO DISCIPLINE GUARDS

Warden Lewis e. Lawes returned
to Sing Sing prison from his vacation
yesterday and at once sent out three
additional automobiles filed with
guards armed with rifles and revolvers
in search OF George Stivers and Martin
Bassett, convicts who escaped from
Sing Sing Saturday night after over
powering three keepers and stealing
an automatic pistol which one Of them
wore.
The warden also announced that he
had doubled the reward OF $50 usually
offered for the arrest Of escaped con-
victs, and he has sent out urgent mes
sages to all the police departments in
southern New York. asking them to
make extraordinary efforts to recap
ture the two men.
A report was received at Police
Headquarters last night that the up
State authorities believed Stivers and
Bassett We're trying to make their way
into New York, and large detail OF
detectives and patrolmen was sent to
guard the northern entrances to the
Riverdale avenue, Broadway, Jerome
avenue, Webster avenue and White
Plains avenue, as well as at the other
streets and roads leading into the city
from Westchester county and Con-
necticut.
Vehicles Searched mt Outskirts.
The police had orders TO search every
vehicle entering the city from the rorth
through Yonkers and Mount Vernon.
Stores on the outskirts OF the city as
we'll as garages were visited by 6etec-
tives, who warned their proprietois to
notify Headquarters if any suspicious
persons tried to purchase food or saso-
lene. When trucks and automobiles
were stopped and searched the work
was done by detectives with a patrol
man In uniform standing near BY that
the automobiles would not think they
we're being held up by bandits.
Both Stlvers and Bassett are consid-
cred desperate criminals, the former par
ticularly. as he was serving a life sem
tence for murder. Las, reports received
at the prison said the two convicts had
changed automobiles a third time and
were somewhere In the neighborhood OF
Bridgeport. This car Is also a s.olen
machine, the convicts having abandoned
the Cadillac which they were using late
Sunday night The smaller villages or
New York and Connecticut State lines
were reported last night to be greatly
frightened at the prospect of the con-
victs appearing in tnem and In many
districts posses OF armed farmers and
citizens of the villages are aiding the
authorities In patrolling the roads. on
the lookout for the fugit.yes.
Fear More Violent Crimes.
So far as could be learned last night.
the two men have not committed any
crimes since their escape except the
theft of the three automobiles, holding
up garage keepers at the point Of a
pistol and compelling them to fill the
gasolene tanks, and holding up auto
mobilists and compelling them to part
with articles of clothing. But IL is be-
lieved that by this time Stivers and
Bassett have obtained other weapons
than the pistol which they stole from
the unconscious keeper in the key room
at Sing Sing. and Warden Lawes and
other officials fear that they will COM
NIT more serious crimes than robbery
before they are caught. For this reason
the warden is bending every energy
to recapture the men, and IL the bands
of keepers already on the trail do not
make progress by this morning he In
tends to send others out In auto
mobiles with instructions to keep after
Stivers and Bassett until the fugitives
are caught.
Warden Lawes also announced tina:
he had begun an investigation into the
escape OF the men and that he would
IL vestigate reports that prison keepers
were grossly negligent. Indifferent and.
In two or three Instances, frankly afraid
to take the trail after such desperate
men as Stlvers and Bassett. James L.
Long, acting State Superintendent Of
Prisons. visited the prison yesterday and
also began In investigation.
Commenting on the attack which ST..
vers and Bassett made with a sandbag
on Keepers Cogler, Webster and Sim
mons. Warden r.awes said
'The inmates had no business in the
key room. They were forbidden 10 60
there and an order was issued some
time ago about It."
The Warden said that ne was far
from satisfied with the attitude OF some
oe the prison guards and keepers when
the alarm sounded