The Osceola times., 1883-08-11
PAST BOLTS AND BARS.
One of the Most Remarkable Escape
From imprisonment Ever Known.
phila Pa Times

From imprisonment Ever Known.
Phils., Pa. Times.
The eccape of John Frankford, better
known as Frankford Joe, with Clarence
A. Dunn and ]. Lewis Robinson, three
desperate horse-thieves, was a most re-
markable exploit in its way. Frankford
is AZ years old, and has served several
terms in prison. During the past few
years he has gained wide reputation as
Jail breaker. Twice in succession he
he has cut his way out of iron-clad cells
in the Lancaster Jail, and in one of
these escapes one of his eyes was shot
out.
A short time ago he was arrested in
Chester County for horse stealing, and
was taken to prison. Lancaster County
wanted him, but the Chester COUNT
officials promised the state authorities
that they would hold on to Frankford
Joe, and produce him for trial. Frank
ford was accordingly placed in the iron
apartment of the West Chester Jail, the
strong cell which Udderzook occupied
before he was hanged. The cell is COM
pletely lined with boiler plate iron a
half inch thick. "If you get out of here
Frankford," said an officer, "you can get
out of any iron cell in the world"
Frankford smiled and said he wouldn't
be in a hurry.
1t didn't take long for Frankford to
discover that in the adjoining cell, which
was also completely lined with plate
ircn, was another horse thief. J. Lewis
Robson aged 32, of Honey Brook Town
ship, sentenced to three years. Frank
ford at once planned for his escape, and
Robson agreed to join him, but the job
appeared to be hopeless ore. Frank
ford produced two large knives and fitted
them rudely into large handles wrapped
in rags. He transformed these knives into
saws. On one heavy plate were nine
heavy bolts that fastened the plate in
Frankford's cell, and then extended
through twenty inch stone wall and
fastened plate in Robison's CELL These
bolts were fastened by heavy hammered
heads, and were almost flush with the
plates. The plates were whitewashed,
Frankfort, with his rude tools, saw ed
the bolt heads, Robson pulled the bolts
out from his cell. This work was slow
and Frankford made wooden imitation
bolt heads, whitened them, and deceived
the jailer
When the iron plates were removed in
both cells the twenty-five inch wall
was tunneled, and Frankford was able to
get into Robison's cell. During the dav
they could put up the plates so snugly
as to deceive the most experienced eye.
| The stones of course, were also nicely
put in, and the mortar and the sand
concealed in their mattresses. The two
prisoners then worked their way through
the iron ceiling of Robison's cell occupied
by Clarence A. Dunn another horse
thief under sentence. This very diff
cult task was safely performed, where.
upon the three cut their way into the
attic, thence through the roof, then low
cred themselves to the ground by blank
ct ropes and escaped.
| To reach the roof they had to saw
through a six-inch ioist twice. All this
/ WOTk Iltu W Dt III -lltllCt anu
in the dead of the night with two old
knives and the iron bolts they pulled
out of the wall. by which the plates were
fastened. Before going the desperate
men with false keys unlocked side door
at the Jail and liberated thirteen prison.
ers, in for petty crimes.
The night watchman at the Jail says
he visited the cells occupied by Frankford
and Robson thirteen times between 9:30
o'clock p. m. and 4 80 o'clock, the hours
between which they escaped; A reward
of 500 aroused the neighborhood, and
the fugitives were chased in the barrens
of Willston Township, where Robson
struck out for himself Frankford and
Dunn remained together. Late at night
| they were run down, chased into creek
and captured by citizens at the point of
the pistol. They are now back again in
Jail. Frankford takes his recsptnre very
coolly, and saws that he showed what he
could do. He is, however, terribly
downcast at times to think that after all
his labor he was so quickly recaptured.
He was serving nineteen year sentence
! in Lancaster when he escaped there.
When he was crawling from a chimney
top, after he had worked himself out Of
his iron cell, the guard shot him il. the
eve, but he escaped nevertheless. At
another time he led band of seven no.
torious men and escaped. He will soon
he tried for horse-stealing.