Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-06-30
The Escape Of Warner.

A dispatch to the Herald gives interesting
particulars Of the escape Of Wagner from
Alfred jail. ...
''The jail Is an eighth Of q mile from the
village, and was recently built Of brick, with
granite trimmings, at cost Of 100000. The
interior arrangements are such, that = pris-
oner can easily get into an unoccupied attic
and thence through the jailor's apartments
into the free air outside. Notwithstandine
the newness and high cost of the jail, the
locks are Of such primitive construction that
the prisoners have been in the habit of pick
ing them with small strips Of wood and wan
dering about the building at will. Yet after
this was known and Wagner had boasted that
he would soon be free, no care was taken 10
iron him or provide additional security, ex-
cept the employment of night watch. The
dummy" which Wagner left in his bed, and
which the Waterman vigilantly guarded all
night, was very ingenious, and looked as If a
man was lying on his left side, on the bed, as
if in pain, with his head buried in the clothes
as if in pain, with perhaps large book I'M.
der his hip, his knees at nearly right angles,
and he wrapped in coarse blanket. One
would pass it unnoticed. This device was
formed by placing his prison stool in bed,
with the seat toward the head, attaching blan-
kets at the foot, and covering it apparently
carelessly. The head, also covered, consist
| ed of an old "grub pan" so called, and short
broom. Calvin Bennett, the jsilor, makes
the following statement
81 have been jailor nearly seven weeks. l
employ two watchmen. Those on last night
we're John Hall and John ]. Maddox. l am
positive Wagner was in his cell at o'clock.
One of the prisoners passed him water then.
Maddox and Hall conversed with several pris-
| oners at odd intervals-not near Wagner
o,-.kk1 L
of the Jail. At 10 o'clock James Avery saw
Wagner 60 down stairs. The watch soon af-
ter went down stairs, conversed with Avery;
then returned and went round on Wagner's
side. I can't tell whether they returned to
the office or we're seated in the Jail when Wag.
ner took water. Prisoner James Carpenter
saw Wagner pass his (Csrpenters) cell in the
evening. VIM. McCarty and Chas. Harring-
ton escaped also. suppose thes went thro'
the ventilator, on to the roof, with the inten-
ton Of lowering themselves down on rope
of blanket strips, but seeing the skylight re-
moved pane of glass, put an arm In. un-
loosed the window, descended the ladder and
made their way out through the family part.
There was nothing to prevent anyone from
SO doing if be once got on the roof. This
morning was called at 8. 80 by Maddox. He
said Wagner is killed or is missing. Asked
if he had entered the cell. He said he hadn't;
he was afraid of Wagners playing some game
on him, or that he might strike him with .
stool. opened the cell and entered. had
no fear. Isaw what supposed to be man
on the bed; then supposed it to be Wagner.
Put my hand on his supposed knees and it
was a stool covered with a blanket. said,
"He isn't here. l understood Maddox to re-
por: that Wagner had escaped before he came
and notified Sheriff Warren at Saco by tel.
egraph. Hall and Maddox had watched two
nights in succession, having been engaged BY
Warren. The telegraph was not in order
when first sent the message to the Office at
6 o'clock and it was not sent till s.