EE —————————————— ~ TURNKEY CONDO MURDERED! A Jail Conspiracy that Resulted in the Deliberate Murder of Turnkey Condo, and the Awaiting Trial at the August Term of Court. Three of the Men Recaptured and Now in Jail. One of the most horrible and cold blood- ed crimes that ever stained the records, or shocked the people of Centre county, was committed within the walls of the county jail, at this place, on Friday evening last. It has been the custom, since sheriff Tay- lor bas Lad charge of the county prison. ers, to make an inspection of the jail each evening about eight o'clock, to see that everything was right and that all the prisoners were securely locked in their cells. As had been the usage, Mr. Jerry Condo, who had been turnkey since Capt. Taylor bas been sheriff, proceeded to per- form this duty, and on entering the main best of the situation and expected to leave the country for good in a few days.”” The party who saw and talked to him told the sheriff that he knew him well and could not be mistaken in the person. When asked which direction he was traveling the same party said, that he ‘‘remained stand- ing when talking to him, until after he passed out of his sight.’’ $800 REWARD OFFERED. On Saturday morning.the commissioners met and at once agreed to offer a reward of $150 dollars each for the capture of Green and Dillon, and $100 each for the other three culprits. On Monday morning they again met and increased the reward for Dillon and Green to $250 each. The fol- lowing is the commissioners description of the escaped prisoners and the rewards offer- ed for their apprehension : COMMISSIONERS’ REWARD. WILLIAM DILLON, 6 feet tall, smooth face, 3 weeks’ growth of beard, dark brown hair, coarse featured, pimples on face, wears soft black hat, weighs 160 lbs. REWARD $250. — IRA GREEN, 5 feet 8 inches, black hair, 3 Escape of Five Criminals Both phssicians gave it as their opinion that there was ahsolutely no hope for Mr. Condo. His battered and bleeding body was tenderly carried to his room, and every measure, or remedy, known to phy- sicians was used to return and restore him to consciousness, but without avail. The only words the old man muttered were “I want my shirt, where’s my sleeve,’ at the same time raising his arms as though he were trying to gest into a shirt. When those who were administering to him were trying to ;make him comfortable he ex- claimed ‘‘Ugh!” And then he said ‘‘Let me lay down and go to sleep, won't they corridor, was attacked by two prisoners, | allow it?’ These were the last, for a min- Dillon and Green, who, armed with iron bars wrenched from their bed, were hiding in the bathroom, the first cell to the right of the door entering into the lower corridor. THE ATTACK ON CONDO. Edward McCullough, a parole prisoner, had gone into the corridor abead of Condo on his way to his cell on the second floor. He had just reached the top of the stair- way when he heard a noise. On looking around he saw Green and Dillon step from the closet, in which they were hiding, and which Condo bad just passed, and strike him a blow with the bar, that felled him to the floor. Green, McCullough says, struck the first blow which felled him to the floor, but after he was down both of them continued to pound and kick him, until they thought him dead or uncon- scious, when they both took the keys from him and threw them up to Livingston to release the other prisoners. Those in the jail at the time were Dom- inic Constance, the Italian who was await- ing trial on the charge of setting fire to the house of David Rothrock on Buffalo Run ; Geo. Henderson who was under arrest for robbing Turner’s store at Julian ; George Livingston, claiming to be from New York, comatose state until his death on Sunday morning at 1 o'clock. Drs. Seibert and his skull. Undertaker Naginey, into whose charge the body was given for preparation for the burial, said that he had never seen a worse case of mal-treatmens. The head was bat- tered almost to a pulp and the shoulders and body, clear to the waist line, showed evidence of extreme. brutality. In fact when the man was undressed, just after the crime was committed, even his stockings were saturated with the blood that had run down his body from the wounds on his head. SEARCH PROMPTLY BEGUN. Immediately after the alarm was given, and oar people discovered what was wrong, parties were organized, and started in dif- ferent directions in search of the fleeing criminals. Descriptions of the five men were telephoned to every part of the coun- ty, and the officials of neighboring towns informed of the crime and furnished with information that wan'd aid them in appre- ute later he was seized with a violent spell of vomiting and alter that be laid ina | Feidt had remained with him all of Friday | night and on Saturday Dr. Hayes trephined ! weeks’ growth of beard, weighs 150 1bs., round face, wears soft black hat. REWARD $250. ' DOMINIC CONSTANCE, Italian, 5 feet 6 inches, weighs 140 lbs., dark hair, speaks fairly good English, REWARD $100. GEO. HENDERSON, 5 feet 4 inches, chunky, weighs 15) Ibs, face shaven, black mustache, long hair, tan belt with 124 inch silver ornaments, REWARD $100. GEO. LIVINGSTON, 5 feet 2 inches, dark brown hair, weighs 125 Ibs., smooth face, dimple at eyes when he laughs, pug nose, dark com- plexion. REWARD $100. ABRAM V. MILLER, Jonx G. BaiLey, Praiie H. MEYER. Bellefonte, July 30th, County Commissioners. All of Saturday,Satarday night and Sun- day posses of armed men trailed over all the surrounding territory. A report thas four men had been seen in the Allegheny moun- tains, making their way towards Snow Shoe, took a band of men, headed by J. W. Rightnour, in that direction, but after traveling all the way to Clarence they failed to find their men. Sunday afternoon word was sent here that four men, of strange and suspicious appearance, had charged with stealing a horse fom Miss . Switzer, up Spring Creek; Ira Green, of Gum Stump, awaiting trial for the theft of a watch at Unionville; William Dillon, of Sandy Ridge, held on the charge of com- - oy CENTRE COUNTY JAIL. » Scene of Friday night's tragedy. mitting a rape, and three others, Edward McCullough, Geo. H. Kline and Simon McKee, held for minor offences. Fearful lest Liviugsson would not pei- form his part of the job Green 1an up the stairs aud together they pio- ceeded to release Constance and Her-| derson, who were locked in the steel| | cell adjoining that in which Dillon and | Green were ruppured tole in by Condo, | when he entered the coiridor to make his | nightly inspectivu. The five prisoners, £ €s without giving any attention to the pros- = ee —— trate jailer, at once unlocked the large iron doois, leading into the residence portion of the jail aud easily effected their escape by the main duor. They were seen by a num- ber of people, afier leaving the jail, ran- ning rest along tlie cemetery 10ad, towards Wilson street, but no one knowing who they were or for what reason they were burrying, paid avy particular attention to them. At the time the crime was committed there was uo one anout the jail, but the un fortunate turnkey. and the prisoners. Capt. Taylor being with his company at Gettysburg, his deputy Mr. Jackson, at- tending to water down town, aud his family enjoying the Friday night concert given at Hecla park. cage from which themselves “Trusty’’ MecCulivugh, who witnessed the ei bending the culprits, should they appear in their neighborhoods. On Caps. Taylor's return howe from Gettysburg on Saturday morning thirty-six members of his cora- Pany were eworn in as deputies, and a search of the mountains; hereabouts, was begun, at ouce. Parties, in addition to those sent out by deputy sheriff Jackson on Friday night, were gent out in every direction, while detective Rightnour and others made pilgrimages to Unionville, Gom Stump, Snow Shoe and other points where it was thought any of them might be in hiding. It is presumed that immediately after getting out of the town, that each of the prisoners took his own way, as they were heard by Mrs. Ott, while in consultation just after breaking ous of jail, to say that ‘‘we must separate and go in different directions or we’ll be caught sure.” THE CHASE IN EARNEST. 1 from rear to front. Green and Dillon escaped. 2 is the bath-room 1 is the front door through which the unsuspecting turnkey entered. 3 is the spot where the murderons assault occurred and where the turnkey’s body was found. 4 and 4 are the blood stains on the floor, the ilarger one heing a pool as large as a hat. The spot at the head of the stairs from which this ~- INTERIOR OF THE CENTRE COUNTY JAIL. This view was taken from the head of the iron stairs, | corridors, snd shows the interior of the jai leading from the first to the second X is the location of the in which they secreted picture was taken is the position occupied by tire scene in fear aud trepidation. been seen on Marsh Creek, some seven miles north of Howard, where they had gone to a farm-house to buy bread. THE TRAIL THAT ENDS IN CAPTURE. Immediately on getting the above word sheriff Taylor, dispatched a posse of men made up of his brother, ‘‘Dick” Morrison and Clarence Daley, to go to rect, and if it was, and they thought the men were the escaped prisoners, to take up the trail and follow it until the men were captured. When the fonr men reach- td Marsh Creek and gota descrigsion of the men seen, they felt certain that they were on the right track at last. Starting Sunday night they followed the men over . many wiles of the roughest places in the ; foothills of the Alleghenies, out to Cato : and back again down into and across the | Bald Eagle valley, back and forth, until Taylor, Thomas Caldwell, John and James |. Marsh Creek and see if the report was cor- | JERRY CONDO. The 61 year old turn-key who was mur- dered hy the escaping prisoners. THE ALARM GIVEN, As soon as McCullough could gather up courage he gave the alarm, and scores of citizens rushed to the jail. They found Condo bleedingand unconscious where he had been knocked down, the prisoners missing, and every thing in confusion. Doctor Feidt was summoned immediately, and upon examination decided the injuries to the jailer would prove fatal, when Dr. Seibert was called in consultation, and upon ,a close examination a compound fracture of the skull, and over a dozen lac- erations of the scalp, were discovered. With the dawn of Saturday morning the : they were finally driven to bay in a swamp chase was continued with greater earnest- | near Flemington, Tuesday afternoon. Tues. ness. From the tine the prisoners passed be- | day morning the Bellefonte posse were go yond the limits of the town on east High | close on the trail of the prisoners that they Street, Friday evenivg,uot the slightest clew , felt certain their capture was only a ques- as to the direction they took was obtained ' tion of hours. By this time the news had until Saturday morning when a story reach- ) spread throughout the valley and dozens ed here in effect that Green bad been | of men with guns joined in the chase. seen and talked to in a field near Miles- [- When the men were finally cornered in burg on Saturday night, which was gen- | the swamp they realized their game was erally believed to be true. At that time, | up and their capture certain. The last 80 the story goes, be was standing in a hay place seen before driven into the swamp on field on the Kohlbecker farm seemingly | the Mrs. B. F. Geary farm was when they undecided which way to go. On being | appeared in the orchard of William Hagan, spoken to he admitted his identity and | below Eagleville, to get some apples to eat. that he had gotten himself into a bad | They were first discovered in the swamp sorape, but added that while ‘‘he knew this | by O. A. Harvey, Horace Stine, Elmer to be a fact,”’ he intended to ‘‘make the! Flannigan. C. A. Snyder and Elme Dershom. Three of the above named men had guns, and seeing the fugitives in the swamp, ordered them to come ont and surrender. Realizing that escape was im- possible, hungry and fagged out, the men came out and gave themselves up. They were at once taken by trolley to Lock Haven and to jail. When searched hy sheriff Terrence Shearer two razors were found on the men. Where they got these, the men refused to divaige. IDENTIFICATION AND RETURN. The men had hardly been captured and started on their way to Lock Haven when the Bellefonte posze arrived on the scene. They at once went to Lock Haven where the men were positively identified by J. ‘W. Rightuour and ‘‘Dick’’ Taylor. When the news of their arrest reached here police- man George Jodou was sens down to help bring the prisoners up, arrangements being speedily made to bring them up on the train on the Central Railroad of Pennsyl- vania, arriving here ar 9:25 A large crowd * © Above are the iron bars wrenched from the beds in the cells. One is about 20 inches long and 13 inches wide. It was entirely en- cased in an old stocking, with the extension of the stocking forming a hand-grip and was probably designed to be used as a sort of sand-bag, gathered in Lock Haven to see the prison- ers taken away, while at Mill Hall every- body that could get there was gathered at the Central station. At every station along the road from Miil Hall up, crowds were gathered, many men with guns on their shoulders, having jnst come in from scout- ingfaround for the men then in captivity, but no where at all was there any demon- stration of hostile intent made. ARRIVAL AT BELLEFONTE. When the news spread through the town that the jail-breakers had been captured and would be brought here on the night train the excitement hecame intense. Be- fore 8 o'clock crowds began to gather and a half hour hefore train time the space around the Cential station was packed with one solid mass of humanity. Sheriff Taylor anticipated this and on the order of Supt. Gephart had the train stopped at the crossing on the road to Jacksonville, where the prisoners, securely bandcuffed and shackled, were taken from the train, hur- riedly hustled into carriages in waiting and driven up the back way to the jail. At the jail the crowd numbered several hundred people and while there were a few cries of ‘lynch them,’’ ‘‘get u 10pe,”’ etc., they were mostly by boys and no effort was made by anyone to inteifere with the sher- iff and bis deputies. Once inside the men were again thoroaghly searched and under the inside band of Hendeison’s hat was found the pointed prongs of a pair of scis- sors, about five inches in length, and point- ed as sharp as a stiletto. The men were locked up in steel cells and policeman George Everhart was stationed as a guard over them for the night. When arrested the men maintained thas they had no knowledge of Coudo’s death, but when told of it, expressed no surpriee. When asked as to the whereabouts of the Italian and Livingston they said that Con- stance had left them as soon as they got out of jail while Livingstone was *‘still on the mountain picking huckleberries.”” In explavation of the latter they said thas Sunday while three of them were lying down resting Livingstone said be was going away a short distance to get some berries © Cage No. 8 oun the second corridor marked X on the large picture of the interior. It was from this cage that Green and Dillon es- caped hy sawing off the npper hinge of the inner door and by main force pnlling it down and in so that they con'd craw) cut. iff Taylor feels confident that T.ivingstone is not far away and he will keep up the hunt until he finds him and land« him back in jail. As to the Italian, Dominic Con- stance, it now seems heyond a donht that he is the wan picked up in Bedford Sunday evening, and yesterday sheriff Tavior went to bring him here. Ar the sheriff had not returned when the WATCHMAN went to to eat, and that he never came hack. Sher- press last night it is impossible to state for a fact whether it is the Italian or not. THE WAY THE PRISONERS WENT, After the arrest of the three prisoners Tuesday evening, by patching their stories together, it developed that when they es- caped Friday evening they went over through Armour’s gap and up on the Bald Eagle mountain where they slept the re- mainder of the night in the peach orchard of Charles Schad. Daring Saturday fore- noon they simply wandered aimlessly around in the same locality but in the after- noon, when Company B went ur there, they were driven away. The men were in hid- ing when they saw the soldiers in the dis- tance. Green was the first to espy them and, with the exclamation, ‘My God, boys; they havea whole regimens of soldiers after us!”’ jumped and ran. They travel- ed dewn the mountain to opposite Howard where they encamped for the night on the top of Bald Eagle mountain. There they remained until Sunday morning when they wens down into the valley and crossed over below Howard, making their way toward Marsh Creek, their ultimate point of desti- nation being the river. It was about 11 o’clock Sunday when they went to the Lu- oas home and bought three loaves of bread. This was all they had to eat during their time away, except what berries and apples they got. Sunday afternoon they wander- el on out toward Cato, but, not knowing the locality, they became lost and on Mon- day found themselves again down near the Bald Eagle valley. By that time the search- ing party under ‘‘Dick’’ Taylor was press- iug them pretty close and they crossed the valley again to the Bald Eagle mountain, hoping to get over into Nittany valley and make their escape. Tuesday morning, however, they discovered the posse that had gone down and they were driven back into the valley below Eagleville, where they went into the orchard of Wm. Hagan, and from whence they were driven into the swamp on the Geary farm, as above nar- rated, and shortly afterwards captured. Mr. Condo, the murdered jailer, was a native of Gregg township, where he resided all his life until his appointment as turn- key by sheriff Taylor in Janunary,1903. He was nearing his sixty-second year at the time of his death, and was a man of the strictest integrity, and had the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. He served as a member of Company D, 148th P. V., during four years of the war, and for many years of his life carried on the trade of blacksmithing at Spring Mills. He was a regular attendant at the Methodist church, and lived an exemplary, christian life, always ready to do a kind act for those in need and performing every duty assign- ed him with fidelity. He leaves to mourn his cruel and untimely taking off, his widow and four children: Mrs. 8. A. Sweetwood, of Centre Hall ; Mzs. R. W. Bitner, of Spring Mills; J. I. Jr, of Orangeville, Illinois, and Miss Ida, a home; two sisters and three brothers, Mrs. Mary Roush, of Aaronsburg ; Mrs. Harriet Koch, of Ferguson township ; ex-sheriff Jobn P. Condo, of Sunbury ; James, of Penn Hall and Jonas, of Hublersburg, as well as a host of friends who admir- ed him for his integrity of purpose, his honesty of motives and for his sturdy and pure manhood. His remains were removed to his home at Spring Mills on Monday and buried in the cemetery at that place on Wednesday, at 10 a. m., the funeral cortege being one of the largest ever seen in Penns valley. NOTES BY THE WAY. Sheriff Taylor did not know of the escape of the prisoners until he arrived in Tyrone Saturday morning on his way home from camp. When the three prisoners were brought back Tuesday evening they were confined in cells on the first floor. The beds had been removed from the cells and stripped to trousers and shirt they slept on the floor that night. After the arrest Tuesday evening Green dizplayed a wonderful amount of bravado which lasted only through the night, as by Wednesday he was downhearted and that evening he was so broken down “he could nos eat anything. Early Wednesday morning the Lock Haven and Flemington parties, who were in at the re-capture of the priconers, came to Bellefonte and filed tueir olaims for the rewards offered by the county com- missioners for their capture. It is alleged that after the prisoners were captured Tuesday they declared that they would be out again in a week orso. It is safe to say, however, that they will not. A constant guard will be kept over them until they get their trial at the August term of court. Those who have already done guard duty are George Everhart, Roberts Montgomery and Lieut. P. F. Garbrick. BEDFORD MAN NOT THE ITALIAN. Just as the WATCHMAN goes $0 press word was received from Sheriff Taylor at Huntingdon that the Italian captured and held in Bedford is not Dominic Constance. ADDITIONAL LOCALS, ——Work was begun this week on the stone wall along Spring creek on south Water street. When completed this will he an even greater improvement than the wall along north Water street. rn Ql nes ——Both Mr. Joseph L. Montgomery and James C. Furst are convalescing. They were so indisposed tbe fore part of the week that trained nurses were brought from Williamsport for them. William Burnside, our indzfatigable insurance man though, is not quite so fortunate, as his invalidism continues. He has been in the hospital since Saturday being treated for paral ysis of the vocal cords. —Mr. and Mrs. Jobu Anderson, of south Spring street, are the proud parents of a very dear little girl that arrived at their home on Wednesday. ——Mr. E. P. Lingle has left Lemont and gone to Pitcairn. Ifithea permanent change it is one to be regretted for Cenire county, because Mr. Lingle was one of the kind of citizens we can ill afford to lose. Lemont, Wellington Musser has not improved much during the week. Mrs. Louis Brown visited at Oak Hall Tuesday of last week. Harry H. Long is home for the summer vacation from dental college. Mrs. Wm. Williams is home for a few d stay with her sister, Mrs. James Loto Mrs. 8S. C. Bathgate is visitin fri Altoona and Warriors-mark Eee 3s a Andrew O'Neil, wife and son t days at the home of Mrs. Lloyd fra al ow Mr. and Mrs. William Mulbarge elated over the recent arrival of a i ape son. Edwin K. Smith entertained his Sunday school class Friday evening, and all had a royal good time. Nicholas Barnhart had a new roof put on his house Saturday which will be a great improvement. Miss Annie Long, of George's valley, was a pleasant caller at the hospitable ro J. W. Tressler this week. Clayton Etters has closed down his mill for a few days to make repairs so that he gan better serve his many patrons in the uture. Sunday afternoon when H. F. Houtz drove up to George William’s garden he saw a large black snake with a chicken in its mouth, which when killed, was found to measure more than five feet. While Therman Tressler was attendin the Linden Hall festival Saturday ne he had the misfortune to have a thirty-two calibre cartridge ball shot through his heel from a revolver that two boys near him were examining and accidentally discharged. —————— Pine Grove Mention. E. K. Smith, of Oak Hall, did business in our town Monday. Jacob Mayes and Wm, Frazer spent Sunday at Foster Frazer's home in Potter township, The venerable Thomas Kustaborder is suffering an attack of vertigo at his home ag State College. Joseph A. Goss, who is holding down a fat position at Homestead steel works, is here for a few days outing. Clayton Etters is having a well drilled at his home. Ina forty foot hole they have twenty feet of water. Mrs. Chestie McNamara and daughter, of Altoona, are visiting her old associates at Rock Springs this week. She will be remem- bered as Chestie Frank. Mr. and Mrs. John Musser, who were in attendance at the Clearfield centennial, re- turned home Saturday. Mr. Musser says the walking was not all taken up, either. The many friends of Miss Dora Meyers will be glad to learn of her return from the Pennsylvania University hospital where she underwent a surgical operation for ap- pendicitis. P. 8. Ishler has rented the old Stewart hotel at Boalsburg and will soon be prepared to accommodate the public. Mr. and Mrs. Ishler are both well fitted for the new posi- tion they assume. Postmaster J. G. Hess left for an extend ed visit in the Buckeye State. Will spend most of his time at Wadsworth and Medina. During his absence W. D. Port will handle the mail. He has been tried and not found wanting. We are sorry to note the illness of P. F. Bottorf, who is suffering from an attack of typhoid fever at his home on Main street. Miss Bumgardner, a trained nurse of Pleas- ant Gap, is his trusted attendant, On Sunday evening, the 14th, Rev. E. K. Harnish will preach a sermon in the Presby- terian church here to Penns valley Lodge, 276, I. 0. 0. F. Members of neighboring lodgesfare cordially invited, as well as the public. Mr. Wesley Musser, wife and daughter, of Huntingdon Furnace, on Monday in all probability paid their last visit to his brother Wellington, who is ill with a complication of diseases, at the home of his brother Wallace, on the Branch. The survivors of Co. E, 45th Regt., P. V., will celebrate their 43rd anniversary Sept. 1st, at Cap’t. A. W. Harper's home, at Phil- ipsburg, wherea full turn-out of the sur- vivors}is expected. Cap’t. Harper promises to show the old boys a royal good time. G. W. and W. E. McWilliams were among the mourners at the funeral of Mrs. Gilliford in Altoona last week. Her maiden name was Maggie Burchfield, a niece of the late Judge Burchfield, of this place. She was ? most intelligent and estimable old lady, and was one of the first students of the old Pine Grove Academy, and a class-mate of Judge Beaver. A most terrific rain and hail storm passed over the Franklinville region on Monday afternoon. Halil fell for half an hour, de- stroying growing crops, and making wash- sin roads ten out feet deep. The Thompson Bros. barn near Warriors-mark was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, to- gether with the entire crop of grain and hay- The old veteran, Wm. Tate, has purchased the Houser farm in Potter township. The dicker has been on for some time but was not consummated until last Friday. It con- sists of two sets of buildings, 120 acres of land with the landlord’s share of grain and hay and a new wagon, for $4.300, and he gets possession at once. William will turn his at tention to raising fancy stock and crops. On Thursday of last week two of our young people [surprised their friends and slipped away to Maryland where they were quietly married at Cumberland, returning the fol lowing day to Altoona, where a wedding feast was served that evening at the home of the bride’s sister, Mrs. John Himes. The bride is the accomplished daughter of Claude B. Hess, of Baileyville,and is amply qualified to make their home a place of sunshine and bliss. The groom isa sober and industrious young man, who has a good job in the Al- toona shops and is able to keep a bride in luxury. He is the youngest son of Squire J. H. Miller, of Rock Springs. The WATCH- MAN extends congratulations,
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