The New York herald., 1922-04-04
PEPPER AIDS ESCAPE
OF TOMDS PRISONER
Alleged Thief Oh Way to
Court Blinds Jailers in
Restaurant.
RAIL DEP0Ts LOOTED
Burglar Alarm in Brooklyn
Pro Cathedral Calls
Priest and Police.
MURDERERs SENTENCED
One in Kings County Goes to
Death Chair and Others
Get Long Terms.

prisoner being taken from Bronx
County Court to the Tombs yesterday
hurled pepper into the faces Of two
jailers seated with him in restaurant
at Lenox avenue and 116th street and
while they were temporarily blinded
ran to the street and was lost in the
crowd.
The fugitive is Sidney Brown, 81, OF
West 116tE, street, salesman, in
dicted March 8 for alleged automobile
thefts. A general alarm has been
sent out by Warden Hanley. who said
this was the first Tombs prisoner to
escape in such a manner in thirty
years.
Warden Hanley said It was a direct
violation OF orders for keepers to take
prisoner into restaurant, and ex-
pressed surprise they had stopped so
near Browns home The keeper re-
sponsible was Cornelius Mcmahon
Neither keeper has been suspended.
Mcmahon, with Brown and Martin
Kane, In charge Of another prisoner
stopped In the restaurant soon after
noon and were seated at table when
Brown drew his hand from an overcoat
pocket and dashed cloud of pepper
into their faces. Kane feared to leave
his prisoner and Mcmahon. though part
~ blinded, attempted to give chase
Policemen passed an hour searching
the neighborhood. After Mcmahon re-
turned to the Tombs and reported his
loss Warden Hanley sent him back to
continue the hunt.
Mcmahon has been on duty In the
Tombs only a short time but has
served in other city institutions. Kane
has been a jailer In the prison more
than ten years. -
Brown. who has been In the Tombs
since he was indicted, was taken to
The Bronx on writ OF habeas corpus
to be arraigred before Judge Gibbs on
an indictment charging larceny. The
case was postponed to April IS.
An attempt was made to rob st.
James's Pro-Cathedral in Jay street,
Brooklyn. early yesterday. burglar
alarm that went of In the cathedral
aroused Mgr. Francis J. O'Iara. the
pastor, and probably saved the chalices.
candelabras and expensive vestments
from falling into the hands Of thieves
Mgr. O'Hara telephoned Brooklyn Po-
lice Headquarters when he heard the
alarm Sergeant Michael Reardon and
several policemen searched the church
from top to bottom. The police discov-
cred that window had been broken
ard that lock had been turned. A
screwdrivcr was found or the floor.
The Lackawanna Railroad suffered to
the extent Of $4,000 in the two depot
robberies. The first was at Boonton,
y. J., where thieves broke into the sta
tion some time over Sunday and stole
$1,000 from a small safe. The conbina-
tion was blown off the safe IN the Broad
street. Newark. station, where the rob-
bers obtained $4,000, but overlooked
$500 in silver.
Detectives ON Patrol Duty.
Police Commissioner Enright In the
hope that the efficiency OF the patrol
system may be increased during the
early hours OF morning. when burglaries
are most numerous. last night ordered
that all precinct detectives who are on
duty between midnight and A. NJ. be
put on regular patrol
Their work, therefore, will be similar
to that of the uniformed members of the
force. except they win not be required
10 patrol prescribed routes, as are the
patrolmen. and they will wear plain
clothes. The order requires that the
detectives report to their precinct COM
mandcrs. at precinct stations by tele-
phone at intervals OF one hour during
their patrol. The police telephone sys-
tsm is to be used for such calls. except
in cases of emergency, when the use of
a public telephone is permissible.
In the more important precincts. such
as those centering in the West Forty
seventh street, the West Sixty-eighth
street and the East Fifty-first street
stations. one or two detectives will be
kept on reserve duty In the station
house.
At other stations. however where
only one or two detectives are on duty
these will be on street patrol after mid
night and there will be no reserve In
the station house, for emergency as
signment.
PoIicemnn's Bicycle stolen.
John Lucas, 10, OF s32 Second avenue.
likes bicycles. so when he saw one stand
ing In front Of an apartment house at
174th street and Grand Concourse. The
Bronx. late yesterday he jumped on IL
and started for a spin. The bicycle had
been left In front of the house by Pa
trolman John J. Lyons of the High
bridge station while he entered to
look over" a suspicious man he saw
enter the basement.
Lucas was breaking all kinds OF BIZ
cycle speed records when Lyons returned
to the street. After a chase OF several
blocks Lyons got near enough to Lucas
to shout. Halt or I'll shoot 7" Lucas
jumped from the wheel and was caught.
In Night Court later Lucas was held in
$1,000 bail for Special Sessions
Arthur Hillen. proprietor of a dciica-
lessen store at sos Stephen street.
Ridgewood. Queens. was held UP Sunday
morning. II was learned yesterday, BY
two armed men. The robbers forced him
Into rear room and stole $3.50 from
the cash register, which was all II con-
tanned. Tho small amount Of money