William Johnson Crawford and Daniel Humphry

Simsbury, April 11, 1774. LAST Saturday night the prisoners in New Gate Prison in Simsbury opened a way that had been in part stop'd up, that led from the place of their confinement into an old deep shaft that was partly filled with rocks and stones. William Johnson Crawford, and Daniel Humphry (sometimes called the Daniel Collyer Humphry) being more bold than the rest, ventured to pull away the stones from over their heads, and to work upwards in the old shaft, and as these two in the shaft pulled down the stones the other three prisoners below removed them out of the way to keep a communication between them, and all promised themselves a speedy escape- when (at about three o'clock in the morning) the rocks, stones, &c. in the shaft all gave way, and sunk into the shaft, where Crawford and Humphry were at work, to the great consternation of the three other prisoners, who say they really believe that Crawford and Humphry are both buried under the stones, &c.- but whether they are buried there by some means escaped appears uncertain to those who have viewed the place, but rather conjecture the latter. Therefore, this is to give notice, that if any person or persons will take up said Crawford and Humphry, or either of them, and convey them to said New Gate, shall have Ten Dollars reward for each paid by JOHN VIETS,Keeper of said Prison. N. B. Said Crawford is about twenty four years of age, five feet and eight inches high, black curled hair, black eyes had on a light brown broad cloth coat, red duffel trowsers. Humphry is about twenty years of age, five feet and eight inches high, had on a light brown jacket and brown plush breeches, both well set, spry young men.