Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-08
Tbe E.cape Of Sam perris,

The Escape of Sam Perris.
Samuel PERKS, the notorious Grafton bank
robber who has been confined in the Jail on
Summer street for some time past, awaiting his
third trial, made his escape on Friday night
and is now at liberty.
The manner in which he escaped was as fol-
lows: He was confined during the night in
the north wing OF the prison, in one of the
second tier of cells facing the west. The cell
was one of the ordinary size, guarded by a
heavy iron door, securely locked, which opened
upon the corridor outside: At the side of the
door, about three feet from the floor, was an
opening about two feet high by fifteen inches
wide, guarded 10y four perpendicular wrought
iron bars, one inch in diameter. Two of
these bars he sawed off at the top and bottom,
and pulled out. The saving undoubtedly was
done with fine watch spring saw which he had
previously secured. Through the opening thus
made he gained access to the corridor, and from
there TO the corridor above on the third tier, by
the stair case. Passing the entire length of this
passage, he came to the north end, where
wooden door cuts off communication with a stair
case leading to the fourth floor The lock on this
door is very simple one, and the experienced
burglar found no difficulty in picking it and
gaining access to the womens work room
above. In this room are four windows on the
north side, guarded by perpendicular wrought
iron bars, which are strengthened by traverse
bars two feet apart. He raised one of these win
dows and let down a long string composed of
shoemaker's threads, between the bars. His
accomplices, who were waiting for him outside,
attached to this string new three quarter inch
rope, one hundred feet long, with which he
drew up powerful jack screw, lever and bur-
glars jimmy, all neatly sewed up in black cam
brio He Than attempted to cut away the side
of the wooden window casing so as to get
solid wall for tue screw to rest against; but
abandoning this plan, as involving a waste of
time, he placed the base of the screw against
the casing and brought the head to bear
upon one of the bars, forcing it from
its position, and leaving an opening
eight inches wide and two feet high. After
securing the rope to two of the remaining bars,
lie forced his body through the narrow opening
and slid down along the dead wall, unbroken by
windows, TO the ground, distance of eighty
feet. Here, as is shown by tracks on the snow
anu SUI buuy ne met OHe Ut more lTleiluS ana
quickly hurried away with them in the direction
of Prospect street, where a carriage was proba-
bly, in waiting to convey them to place of
safety
Perris left behind him his hat and shoes and
all the tools he had used with the exception of
the saw. The jack screw is new one and differs
from from those in ordinary use in having
rotary head grooved to fit the shape of tue bars
1t was undoubtedly made expressly for this oc-
casion. The screw is of solid steel, three inches
in diameter, with square threads three eighths of
au inch apart, and is a very powerful instru-
ment. The jimmy which is also made of steel,
was not used and was not taken from its cover
ing The rope was tied in knots about six
inches apart for the first fifty feet to facilitate
the descent.
The fact ofthe escape was discovered by Officers
Sprague and Garland of the police force, at
about quarter past five Saturday morning, as
they were going through Prospect street on
their way home. They saw the rope hanging
from the window, and at once went over to the
Jail and gave the alarm.
During the time that all three of the bank rob
berS were confined in the Jail, a Waterman was
employed at night especially to guard them, but
lately there has been no Waterman at night ex-
cept the regular one, who is also baker and en-
gineer and who cannot gain access to the cells.
On discovering the escape Of PERKS prompt
and vigorous measures were taken to recapture
him. kilograms were sent to all the principal
points in New England and New York, and able
detectives were sent for to work up the case. A
reward of $4,000 has been Offered for the appre-
henson and return of the burglar, and the
authorities hope soon to welcome him back to
his old quarters. PERKS is 80 years old, 5 feet
inches tall, light complexion, and weighs
about 1870 pounds He speaks both French and
English huently.
The plan of escape was very skillfuly con-
trived and boldly executed. 1t is not known ex-
actly how communication was established be-
tween Perris and his outside friends, but prob
ably the arrangements were mostly made
through his wife, who was allowed to visit him
every week. Her last visit was on Friday morn
ing, when she probably supplied him with the
saw and string On the afternoon before his es
cape, Perris, who was allowed the liberty Of the
hall, was seen nervously opening and closing
window on the west side of the Jail, and though
no particular notice was taken of his movements
at the time, it is now thought that he was signal
ling his aceomplices.
A great many curious persons visited the VI
cinity of the Jail yesterday, viewing with iuquis-
tive eyes the bars in the window through which