The Russellville Democrat., 1882-03-09
EXIT BY \ SEWER,
Felon Spends Nine Months In DigGing
 to Liberty.
Stockton lCal.) Herald.


 Stockton (Cal) Herald
 Since the capture of Johnny Sans0me the noted safe-cracker, and his return to Folsom, the manner in which he made his exit has become known. He is known among the officials as bad burglar and safe robber" and among his associate conyiCts as "splendid' fellow. During his imprisonment he was looked upon as leader tO "put up jobs" of all kinds, particularly escapes. His pals would never squeal on him when he was carrying out his well.laid plans. Nine months ago, while confined in cell at Folsom, he planned his last escape. His cell floor is made cf granite blocks, held together with cement. By removing the cement between two blocks and pros pecting wlth a wire, he discovered hollow below him, and he de- cidcd to ascertain, its extent. From the workshop he smIggled cold chisel and a piece of hard wood, which he secreted in his cell. The granite block he decided to cut in two. and he did it by striking his chisel every time door opened or slammed. It was difficult job, and required great deal of time, which was taken only at night, as he worked outside during the day. The block was nine inches in thickness, and when he succeeded in removing half of it he propped the other half up with a stick of timber, and covered the whole with piece of wood cut to fit exactly. He plastered the wood over with cement. which he whitewashed, making it look like the granite floor When he made an examination of the hollow space be low he found that, by cutting through stone and cement, three and half feet thick, he could reach an abandoned sewer, which had been constructed and abandoned before the completion of the building. In order to avoid detection by the guards, as they made their regu- lar rounds, he hung some of his clothes upon the wall, anf the rest he made into a dummy, which he tucked nicely under the blankets. Naked he worked night after night, until he had entered theopen- ing of tbe stone sewer. The holes he cut were So small that he had to grease them so as to allow his body to slip through. After passing through the sewer some fifty-two feet he met with an obstruction in the shape of stone and cement, ten feet in thickness, which had been filled in when the sewer was aban d0ned. This he removed, piece by piece, carrying 1t back like a squirrel into the hollow space underneath his cell. He met with another obstruction when this was removed. It was granite block, two and 8 half feet thick. When he made his way through this be ran tun- mel into the ground eight feet long, just wide enough 10 admit his body, and then started an incline upward which, after running four feet, brought him into an unused closet in a small room with an asphaltuIn floor and with a window bar red with chilled iron bars. Sansome had provided himself with steel saws, made out of case knives, to cut the bars. The only opportunities he had afforded him to complete the work were given when the guards were changing shifts or when they were ln some remote portion of the institution. It was during the time of the change of the shifts that he escaped and gained his liberty. When once on the outside he procured clothing from some tramps and he then made his way through to Marysville. Often while he was working on the sewer the air was so foul he had to withdraw to save himself from sufiocation. In the nine months required to complete the job Sansome lost twenty-five pounds of flesh. When Sheriff Cunningham covered him with hi7 revolver at Marysyille, he found a small unloaded pistol upon him, and when Sansome was asked what he in- tended doing with it, he said he had bought it from tramp to kill rats with The felon had three years and eight months to serve, counting his five years credits. His sentence was fifteen years iorsaIe cracking.