Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-03-01
ESCAPE o. MCDOWELL.
How 1t was Effected. and by Whom
Neglect by the Under Sheriff
stineiness OF the Supervisors

1t appears that Mcdowell escaped
through the excessive economy Of the
Supervisors Of San Bornardino county.
There is no jailor to look after the Jail
and I've in the bailding, because such
man would have to be paid salary, and
the Supervisors are very economical in
that county, and SO no one was on watch
to prevent the escape Of Mcdowell.
When it was known that there was no
further chance for delay, by legal meas
ures, Of the execution of Mcdowell, the
District Attorney very wisely recon.
mended that the prisoner should be
placed in tho iron cell, which cannot be
broken. The preparations were made
to pnt him in on Thursday morning and
chain him to the iron floor. In fact, the
whole room is ctiled with iron, aud pris-
oners cannot get access to anything that
can BE- sawed off or broken.
Wednesday night Mcdowell was left
in tire large room which includes the
iron room, and was left in the evening
apparently asleep. But it appears that
the tall iron doors Of the room are fast
ened by an iron cross-bar across the CEN
ter, witch is locked, and was not un-
locked or broken. But around the jail
there was fellow named Harry Sayre,
who had been imprisoned for four
months for shooting iato the leg Of .
man at Riverside last fall His time
was nearly out aad he was allowed the
freedom Of the Jail, and was o particular
friend Of Mcdowell. This fellow had
the iun OF the corridors around the
building, and it appears had obtained q
steel saw, with which he had sawed,
from time to time, on the large iron
bar that led into the storeroom, which
opened on tho street. There is no wall
around the jail. During the day the
place sawn was concealed with black
wax. II appears that the bar was
nearly sawed oil, and that after the
Deputy Sheriff, Legare Allen, went his
rounds to see that oil was we'll before
going home. Sayre went to the door Of
Mcdowell, and by their united strength
one door was sprung in and one sprung
out and o piece of stove-wood inserted
between the doors where they met in the
middle. They appeared to have gone on
springing the doors and raising the
stick Of wood till the doors were so far
sprung apart at the bottom that the
murd rer could forcs his body through
into the corridor. They then took out the
stovewood and left the doors closed .
usual. All that was to be done after
that was 10 pass around the corridor to
the storeroom door, whose sawed bolt
gave way at lift, and the two villains
went through the storeroom, which they
opened and passed out into the street,
where twa horses were waiting to carry
them away. A woman saw two men
mount h. fses by the Jail and ride away.
while house had been set ON fire in an
other part of the town to attract the at
tention Of people from the jail. This oc-
CURED about or o'clock in the morn
ing. They were seen near Cotton early
in the morning, before their escape was
known. Two horses of prominent cit
iz~n, formerly Sheriff Of the county. are
missing.
II is supposed that money was raised
by the friends II Mcdowell, and Sayre
hired to ID tue job, which was very
cleveriy performed. Had iailor been
there, it is likely no such escape could
have been made. The faulty fashion Of
the Iong iron doors is now demonstrated,
aud the false notions Of economy Of the
Supervisors are exploded. The Under
Sheriff Is also censured for not putting
the murderer into the iron cell on
Wednesday, after he knew the decision
Of the Supreme Court.