Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-14
ESCAPE OF STATE PRISON cON.
FTCTS.

! Last evening for the first time within tire
years, successful attempt was made 70 e.
cape from the State prison. 800 -
The men who escaped were John Forbes
alias Dunnakin, and Andrew J. Freeman
They occupied adjoining cells on the south
side of the fourth corridor in the new part of
the old west wing. Their cells were separ-
ated by brick partition about a foot thick,
and they succeeded in making hole through
it, near the floor and close to the door, large
enough for Freeman to pass through into
Forbess apartment. This must have been
done during yesterday, the noise caused by
the wind without enabling them to work with
less chance of discovery. At half-past five
o'clock last evening an officer on making his
rounds observed them both standing at their
cell doors, and one of them casually spoke
to him as he passed, but he did not notice
that anything was wrong 1t is now evident
that they were in that position to prevent him
from seeing what they had done. An hour
later 1T was discovered that they had es-
capped.
1t appears that Freeman passed through the
aperture referred to into Forbes's cell, and
.nat from there they got out upon the cor
ridor by forcing the bolt, Forbes having pre-
viously succeeded in smuggling in good
sized and powerful jack-screw. At the ex-
IRENE end OF this corridor, five or six doors
away from their cells, is a room in which one
OF the Keepers sleeps at night. The door
OF this apartment is made of wood, and is
fastened bp spring lock, which is operated
from the outside by means of key, and ON
the inside is moved by little knob. Through
TINS door they bored hole large enough to
insert finger, aud thus reached the knob
ana opened the door. They took their Jack
screw with them, and having again secured
the door. set RI yyorr 20 A.
walls.
Whoever has seen the outside of the prison
will remember the large barred windows
which, in all the wings, extend from the ewes
nearly to the ground One of these formed a
side OF the keepers room, and it was by fore
ing their way through it that they gained the
open air. They first moved the sash, and
then, by means Of the jack-screw spread the
bars sufficiently to permit the passage of their
bodies. This done, it was an easy matter to
reach the yard by descending upon the bars,
although they were thirty feet above the
ground.
They were now on the south side Of the
west wing, and the part of the wall that they
wished to scale was upon the north side. Had
they taken the most direct course to reach
that point they would have exposed them
selves and in all probability have been dis
covered. They therefore, as is supposed
in order to get there, made complete cir.
cult OF the yard, obscuring themselves by
keeping in the shadow of the buildings, and
pelng favored by the darkness..and rain. Back
OF one OF the shops they had concealed two
snort ladders that were used about the yard,
ana two boxes. The ladders they dashed to-
gether, which stood upon the boxes, reached
within a few feet of the top of the wall. They
were evidently aware that these were not
quite sufficient to serve their purpose, for two
hooks were found, which they caught upon
the edge OF the wall and by them raised them
selves to the top. This done they dropped
over upon the mill-pond dumps and were at
liberty.
At half-past six their escape was discovered.
A rigorous serch was at once made, and an
examination of the traces which they left be-
hind revealed the facts above stated. So far
as Is known they had their prison clothes on
when they left, but probably before this time
they have procured a change. The warden
at once took what steps were possible to Sc
cure the capture of the fugitiyes, and a re-
ward for their apprehension is advertised in
this mornings papers.
FORBES is man forty-one years old, and
half OF his life has been spent in prison, from
WHICH he mas made many unsuccessful at
tempts TO escape. He was serving his third
term at this institution. He was last SEN
fenced IN May, 1865, for ten years, for burg
larry. lie is quite an intelligent man, and is
very ingenious mechanic. He was en-
ployed in the prison by the Tucker Manufae-
turing Company, and several of his inventions
have been patented On account of his abil-
ty in this direction he has been allowed
greater liberty than is accorded to most
prisoners, and thereby managed, more easily
than otherwise, to make his preparations for
escape. - s1&
Freeman is twenty-six years old. About
three years ago he completed term of FIVE
years for breaking and entering, and seventeen
days after was returned on another sentence
of five years for aiding three convicts to
escape, in which attempt he was unsuccessful.
HIS general conduct in prison has been good
Boston Adre,tiser.