, 1878-04-19
puGET SOUND ARGUS.
LOCAL N EWS.
sur1ov AND THREE OTHERS ESCAPE,

a, Friday evening last the prisoners
mined in jefferson county Jail all man
V"J "aJ to make their escape, and up to the
1?s.o nf our going to press have eluded
',,,S ',n.u;t II seems that on the evening in
p"astion, the iailer. Mr.. Edward Shutter,
It l.me 70 the jail about p. Must atdusk'
Ia,In u, he nosscd up to his room Sutton Zone
:, a. ,he he prisoners looked through the barred
.";nJow of the lower Jail and asked him
''.hat that row was about, referring to the
ah"ntinp J" of boys snow-balIing and making
s"o 'norrv over the first and only snow OF the
s"sson. The jaier replied that it was
so,biuo Sutton then rendered him the
F,iendIy advice that he better go and see
nhont il, but Shutter kept on up the stairs
and went to his room In about one-half
"m ", hour he came out and proceeded to lock
,h,. nrisoners in their cells, rs he was ac-
',stomed @ to do at that hour. Opening
,he heavy trap door that leads into the
lower jail he sent the prisoner Delany,
who has been assisting him IN his duty for
some time, down below to lock them up.
Delany went below, but soon called up
.,'rhey are all gone!' III guess not, " said
shnter, and fastened down to find the
statement of Delany but too true. A hur-
r;ed examination soon revealed the way
and means by which they effected their
eyit. In the darkest corner OF one OF the
larger cells, they had cut a l6 by 20 inch
hole through the floor, which was COM
nosed OF 12-inch plank set on edge and
hoted together, these plank being over
laid withordinary flooring. First cutting
outthe flooring they had fitted a piece oi
wood in its place with grooves to initiate
flooring, and then had quietly dug away
into the heavy planking below, filing
through the bolts, and wherever disturbed
quickly replaced the upper board and put
all chips in the stove. After getting
through the floor, which was several feet
off the ground. they attacked the outer
foundation wall which was OF heavy tim
ber. Splitting out sections OF about six
inches In length they could not have been
many days in getting though for they
could work with less fear OF discovery.
They selected their time well, just after
dark and before they were locked into sep
crate cells and though the .jailer was in the
building they walked out without molesta-
tion. In the jail-yard were many pieces
of board lying and 1t must have been the
work OF but few seconds to bridge over
the fence and away. All four of the pris-
oners in the lower Jail escaped. Their
names were HI. Sutton, Frank Albright
Robt. Folier, and one Indian named
Taws. Sutton took one of two terrier
dogs he had with him and lett note ask
ing that the other be sent to a friend at
Chmacum.
Such in briet is the description of one Of
the most daring and skifully executed jai
breaking schemes that We have ever heard
mentioned.
A few words of comment in closing we
believe to be justly demanded. Our Jail
Is certainly well built and secure and with
\ proper system Of daily inspection, es-
cape Is impossible. 1t Is undoubtedly true
that fora month these prisoners must have
been at work opening the way out, and
during that month no proper inspection
OF the Jail has been made. The duty of
locking prisoners into cells also should be
performed by some one else than con-
demned criminal. This escape seems to
us to be due to gross and culpable negl
gelc, on the part of those In charge of the
Jail, they having trusted too much 10
massive walls and heavy floors, and too
li,tle to personal examination.
A reward OF $500 has already heen Of
fred for the recapture Of the prisoners
and Mr.. Shutter, with Others, is in pursuit.