REAL DETECTIVE STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10413, 10 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

REAL DETECTIVE STORY.

ATTEMPTED ESCAPE FROM NEWGATE. Ex-Deteotive-sebobant Osboiine, of tho London police, has told the particulars of a famous conspiracy to release prisoners from the Old Bailey—a conspiracy which was hinted at during a bygone trial—all tho details of which, Mr, Osborno believes, have never yot been made public. It was the recent arrest in San Francisco of George MapDonnell and Edwin Noyes on a charge of forgery which brought up the matter to Mr. Osburne's recollection, for those were tho two men who, with A. Bid well find G. Bidwoll, wore concerned in the famous series of forgeries on the Bank of England somo twenty-three years ago. They were sentenced to penal servitude for life, and served some twenty yoars' imprisonment in this country ; and it was while they were awaiting their trial at the Old Bailey that thoir attempted release was frustrated. Hero is Mr. Osborne'a statement:—" When Bidwoll, who was arrested in Havana, and MacDonnell, who was captured in New York, wece brought to Liverpool thoy were followed to this country by two of their relatives. In conaequence I was instructed to watch tihe movements of those two, and I located one in Peckham and the other in Hoxton. They made daily visits to their relatives while they were under remand in Newgate, and in a very short time I discovered that they were

JIBBTINO CERTAIN' WARDERS outside the prison. Aβ a rule these interviews took place at luncheon time and in the evening, At first the rendezvous wan the new Meat Market, where the warders were less likely to excite suspicion, as their uniform corresponded with that worn by the oflicmls on duty there. Then they saw each other lit Greenwich, and from my post of observation I saw a bundle of notes offered aud refused. The ensuing evening I followed tho relatives of the prisoners to another part of London, where they were joined by the warders I had previously semi them with. They entered a house, which I subsequently ascertained was the residence of another official of the gaol, and who, it was proved, had joined in the conspiracy, but declined to meet them anywhere except in his own hoaee. The interview was a prolonged one, and when they left I secured a Bead on the 'bus that, they travelled by, In this way I overheard some of the con. versation, i (fathered that) money had passed—'that the warders in question had received £100 each, with the promise of a substantial sum to follow, and that the release was to take place on Friday evening. It was at the Royal Exchange that the men parted company. I followed the warders to a public-house, and, with the assistance of a friend, discovered that they were sharing the mbnoy. 'They have a pile of sovereigns,' my friend informed me ; and later in the evening one of the warders, who had been drinking not wisely bub too woll, insisted on my partaking of some refreshment, ant] showed mo a handful of sovereigns. After my report of these ciraitinatances there was a consultation between the Lord Mayor, the sheriffs, and tlie governor of (he gaol; and it wan decided to ALLOW THE CONSPIRACY TO FROOKBD up to the point of actual release from tho cells. In the meantime every preparation was made, both inside and outside the prison, for securing the prisoners, the incriminated warder*, and the two men who had conspired for their release. Oα the following day I (raced the brother and cousin to a public-house in the south of London. While there a woman caino and spoke to them in an excited manner. They left, and within a few hours I saw them leave Charing Cross by the Continental train. It was only when I got back to headquarters that I learnt what had happened. < The governor of the gaol decided not to wait until the Friday, and the tuspectql warders were searched. Upon one fifty sovereigns were found, and when challenged he was unable to give a satisfactory »ccount of-the- way in which they came into his possession. The accuracy of my report was not,denied, and the man concerned were dismissed. What reward did I'receive! The highest money award ever given up to that time by the Commissioner to a member of the city force, promotion as well, and a substantial present from tbk authorities of (he Bank of Big. 1*6(1- •■ 1..-rUi/'^l;■.*■;■<&; .-i..;-.; ■:...;. si i.... ..• >„,-;;.;' ■I'. I' i'.n :. , . .-;,■.