Alexandria Gazette

A FEARFUL LEAP FOR LIBERTY.—Joseph K. Turner, the Titusville lawyer who was convicted a few days ago in the U. S. Court, at Erie, Pennsylvania of attempting to defraud the Government out of a large amount of pension money, on Wednesday performed an act which entitles him to take immediate rank among the most daring criminals that the age has produced.

On Tuesday evening, Judge McCandless sentenced the prisoner to five years imprisonment in the penitentiary and a fine of $1,000, &c. The prisoner heard the sentence with some emotion. He was taken back to prison where he remained until morning, when at 10 o'clock on Wednesday the officials of the court started for Pittsburg, Turner accompanying them in the custody of Deputy Marshals Campbell and Hall. The prisoner was handcuffed in the most secure manner, and seemed to be perfectly easy in his bearing.

The deputy marshals stayed with him until about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when Hall walked into the sleeping car and left Turner in charge of Campbell. The prisoner soon after asked permission to walk up and down the aisle of the car. As he had been sitting down four consecutive hours the request seemed natural, and, Turner wearing gyves of the strongest make, it was not for a moment supposed that he would try to escape. After a little walking the prisoner walked into the closet; Campbell followed him to the door. Some ten or twelve minutes elapsing and Turner not reappearing, Campbell opened the door of the closet, but no Turner was there. He had jumped through the window handcuffed, and all as he was.

The train was stopped as soon as possible, and both the deputy marshals alighted to look for their man. The police at Greenville, Mercer county, the nearest station, were telegraphed to look out for him, but District Attorney Swope, who arrived home at 6 o'clock last evening, has not yet been advised of his recapture. One of the passengers on the train stated that they saw a man with his hands tied, gathering himself up from the track. This is the only instance of a sight of Turner, having been obtained after he entered the closet.