The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1884-09-05
HE TOOK FRENCH LEAVE
Tom Graham, a Horse Thief, Ef-
fects His Escape from the
County Jail.

No little excitement was created in our usu-
ally quiet town on Monday morning last by tho
discovery that Thomas P. Graham, horse
thief, who was confined in the county Jail, had
effected his escape. Graham, who had stolen
horse and buggy from Mr.. L. Wyckoff, who
lives in the neighborhood of Wheatland, on
the night Of the 9th ult., was captured by
Sheriff Ward and Deputy Sheriff jacobson on
Friday morning last about forty-five miles
north Of Mardell, at the house OF Thos. Kelley,
where he had remained during the night. The
horse and buggy were found in lis possession,
and at the moment of capture he was in the
act Of greasing tho buggy, preparatory to
starting off for DEVILS Lake, to which point he
was attempting to make his way. He was
armed with revolver, and it is thought would
have resisted the officers had they not sur
prised him. He was brought back to Hope
and placed in the county Jail on Saturday. He
was given his supper Sunday night and then
locked up again. Sheriff Ward was in his
Office adjoining the jail rs late as II O'Clock
Sunday night, and at that hour the prisoner
was apparently sound asleep. About 2 O'Clock
oAohNCJ hoAuiAE VilClO WAC VultH u oIulp y
thunder storm, and it is supposed that this was
the time he chose to attempt his escape. The
jail is wooden structure, the sides being
composed of 2x4s, to Which the boards are
nailed on the outside; there are two cells or
rooms, the petition between which is composed
of ordinary inch boards nailed OH to 2x4 stud
ding. These coils open into all ante-room
which divides them from the front office. The
prisoner had evidently taken in the situation OF
affairs as he was taken in and out to his meals.
He had discovered that the adjoining cell was
not locked, and that il he could effect an ell
trance into it he could find the means in the
ante-rOom of effecting his escape. Accord
ingly he went to work on one OF the boards
that forms the petition between the cells that
showed evidences of weakness, and by dint Of
kicking succeeded in breaking it.; it was then
AL easy matter to pry off another board, and
he then succeeded in pushing out one of tht
boards from the inside Of the other cell suf1i
GENTLY to allow him to pass his body through
He now had free access to tho ante room, il
| which he found a tool chest, which he sue
/ ceeded in prying open, and obtained therefrou
an augur, which he used in boring holes in tin
window frame, thereby loosening the iron bar
| sufficiently to allow him to pry two of then
| out, after which he had but TO crawl through
| the window and drop to the ground, the win
dow being about ten feet from the ground.
Graham is an Englishman, about % years o
| age, five feet ten or eleven inches in height
was rather well dressed in dark suit, with
| woolen shirt laced up in front; had on blacl
slouched hat and wore his pants inside hi
boots. He had OH his person when taken aboll
| $13 in money, and a number OF articles ladies
jewelry which he had stolen from parties OF
the road he was travelling, his plan being II
visit the houses and il he found no men abou
to help himself and then drive off. Many art
icles were returned to their owners by Sherit
Ward while bringing the prisoner back t.
| Hope.