Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-21
escape Of John r. Richmoua
heaton from POrtland J.s1 eoh

ape or John F. Richm ond nd s,,
ieaton from Portland Jail. ION
| ms morning, when the turnkey q, ,ho
muroereand county Jail in this city. was NAL
lns MS nrst rounds through the cell rooms !.
u.eniptiie 10 unlock the door leading fror,
sne east wing OF the Jail to the workshop he
iouhd that the door was locked from tb, ~, ~
sue ana that the key was in the lock 40 ,ha,
ne was unable to open it. Upon inve.,;a.
'ioh II was found that there had been sn
escape OF prisoners during the night. II was
discovered that the only ones missing wera
! ~, r. Richmond and Simeon X. Yeaton
ne iormer was convicted about wear AGO
y" charge OF breaking and entering a house
'he Marr ivm IN Scarboro', in the dav
time. tie was sentenced for three xears o.,
consequently had two wears more ,n s.r rna
ieatoh was convicted on a charge of rum.
seiilng. and sentenced on several indictments
20 t"ehty-slx months in Jail. He has served
ABOUT Two years, and had remaining only
ABOUT TWO months Of his sentence
hichmond, 1t will be remembered ia
Waterman by trade, and is a natural mechan.
L.. III was found that he had fitted KEYS IN
iour inherent locks, one of which works he .
combination, and in company with Yeaton
whom he had also released from his cell nv the
use OF key which he had constructed had
made good his escape.
Richmond occupied cell No. II on the up-
per corridor in the east wing. The door of
THIS Is fastened by heavy spring lock, which
can not be reached from inside the cell when
the door Is closed. The prisoner had fash
Toned Key to this from piece of sheet iron.
and by an ingenious arrangement with two
sticks had contrived it so he could omen the
door from the inside One of the prisoners is
always left loose in each corridor to give in
formation In case Of fire or sickness The
man a. large last night was the most trusty
one OF the company, named Reynolds His
term Will expire next month. This man saws
he was asleep and heard nothing of what was
going on, but it is strongly suspect-
ed that he helped the fugitives to escape
From the difficulty Of unlocking the cell door,
1t is possible that he aided Richmond in do
ing this with Il e latter's key. Bartholomew
Moriarty, a rumseller who has three months
more to serve, occupied the cell with Rich
mond. He also declares that he knew moth
ing Of the contemplated escape, and was only
aware Of it when he awoke this morning and
found that his roommate was missing. The
probability is that he did know, but as his
sentence was so nearly served did not care to
run the risk of trying to escape.
After Richmond was out of his cell he took
the same key and released Yeaton. This
key would have liberated 20 men, for i. fitted
every cell door in the corridor.
Roger llaggerton occupied the same cell as
Yeaton. He says that he was asleep with his
face to the wall, and did not hear Yeaton
when he left. Haggcrton has only month
more to serve, and if he was in the secret,
would not care to make his escape.
The two men went to the door which opens
into the corridor leading to the workshop.
The key of this is large and not very difficult
to duplicate. They had key all ready for
this lock, which they fastened behind them,
leaving the key in the wards, so that it would
be impossible to follow them if an alarm was
given in jail The next door leading into the
workshop is of solid iron, like the preceding
one. The lock is Hill combination, and is
opened by means of a thin key which must be
in particular position to allow the bolts to
slide back. Passing down through the work
rooms they unlocked heavy grated door and
gained admission into the engine room. The
outside door is also grated, but they had no
kew to this, so they had to resort to another
means of exit. The windows of the coal shed
are not barred, and through one of these they
escaped into the open air. They were obliged
to remove several hundred pounds of coal in
order to get space enough to allow the window
to swing open.- Portland Adrertiser of 2Oh.