The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-05-18
ATTEMPTED pEKITENrrARY ESCAPE.
Cell Walls Cut, and Arrangements Made
for an Early Departure.

"a concerted and well devised attempt to
escape from the Penitentiary, by at leaet six
coRv1cts, was discovered and frustrated last
Sunday night, just in time. AT about elght
o'clock Sunday evening guard Sims made a
discovery, awakening his suspicious. war
den Botkin was called from his office, all the
| guards placed on duty and an Investigation
made. The scene of the plot was in corridor
A and included cells o. 9 and Z. These cells
are separated by Pinch brick walls. They
are inspected three times daily, the last ex-
animation being made at five p. m; but the
brick are so soft that a half hours work Is
sufficient to cut hole through them to per-
| init the passage of man. Warden Botkin
on searching found in cell Z, besides its
proper inmates, IA prisoner named Connolly
from cell 8. The others had not yet left their
cells. Examination showed that holes had
been cut through under the hunks from 4 to
8 and from 8 to q. This would bring all the
occupants of the three cells to the end cell,
from whence another hole was cut into the
corridor cell known as 1.-THE Steamboat"
They had a small saw, their tobacco knives
and a hand axe, and with them could have
in two hours work cut through the barred
windows or wall. A tunnel was also discov-
cred leading from the floor of cell out un-
der the corridor, which has since been ex-
plored. The prisoners occupying the cells
were Pat Grey, fifteen year man; j. Fl.
Crane, six years; Michael Connolly, alias Ed.
Pearse, life; VIM. III. Childs, seven years;
George Jessrang, seven years; Charles Hays,
three years. They were at once ironed and
extra guards put on. In two hours more they
could have been free. The guards are SO
few-fve guarding eighty-six convicts in
three separate buildings-that none can be
put on night service outside the building,
these six men, had they escaped quietly into
the yard, to have captured the acmory and
the prison. The report of the grand jury last
week but partially revealed the danger of the
over-crowded condition of the prison and the
inadequacy of the force of guards in so inse-
cure building"
The above, which was in substance tele-
graphed to neighboring papers on Monday, |
is the history of the best laid plot yet at
tempted for the escape of a considerable
number of prisoners. The subsequent exam
VI tuC suOWCu bHdt Vuo Jug
several years ago frem cell had proved I'M
available and a branch tunnel had since been
worked on, but had not made much progress.
What dirt had been taken out had to be car
ried out in the celLbuckets daily and was
in small quantity. The project
appears to have been abandoned and escape |
by removing bars from the window substitu- |
ted. The later examinations confirm the |
previous opinion that in two hours more the |
escape Of all inmates of the three cells might |
have been effected, although it is not clear |
that all of them were in the plot. Gessrang, in |
fact, demanded and received acknowledge |
ment from the others that he was not a par |
ticipant and had remained silent only upon |
his life being threatened if he divulged. An |
addition to the force of guards is an impera- |
i've necessity until better facilities are pro
vlded for separating and watching the pris-
,ners. AS 1t is now, successful break may
be expected at any time.