York and Columbia Prisoners “Make a Run for It”
Constables had their hands full a century ago, according to the 1907 York newspaper clipping below. It seems that a constable went to Columbia to arrest an individual wanted in York the same day a Columbia constable came looking for a Yorker. Neither man wanted to come along quietly.
The news item reads:
PRISONER GETS AWAY FROM YORK OFFICER
SEVERAL SHOTS AND MANY COMMANDS DID NOT STOP HIM
WAS ARRESTED AT COLUMBIA
Two constables had unusual experiences with prisoners who escaped from them. In one case the prisoner was retaken, by another constable and handed over to the officer who was after him.
Constable Fickes went to Columbia to arrest Nick Ryder who was wanted here for surety of the peace. He arrested Ryder at a Columbia hotel and was about to bring him to York on a passenger train, when Ryder made his escape. Fickes courteously let Ryder step on the train ahead of him. Ryder, as if waiting for orders to seat himself, kept right on and went out the other end of the car and got away, despite the constable’s commands to stop and several shots fired after the fugitive. According to the last reports Ryder was [still] going.
Yesterday Constable Blair came over from Columbia, to arrest Horatio Frysinger, wanted for jumping a board bill. He, in company with Constable Cookes, went to Heltzel’s boarding house on South Beaver street, and while Constable Blair went into the house, Constable Cookes waited outside. Soon Cookes spied Mr. Frysinger sneaking along the fence in the yard, and then noticed that he jumped the fence and was going out Cherry alley at a rapid gait.
Cookes went round and headed him on and took him into custody. He took him back to the house, and, by that time, Constable Blair was coming out, bewildered. He said his man had gotten away from him somehow. “How will this man do?” inquired Cookes. “Why, that is the fellow,” exclaimed Blair and took him with him.
Click the links below for more York County escapes.
An early jail break.
Out the front window.
Police chase thieves by trolley car.
