Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-02
0UTFR0N PRISON WALLS.
CONVICrS DIG THEIR WAY
THROUGH SOLID BRICK.

Fired Upon by n Citizen-One Recap
turcd and the Others SON at Large
The Murderer of Warren Williams the
Eingleader in n Prisoner9 Plot.
James Bacon, Andrew Jackson, vii
fam Weston aud Peter Robinson, four
negroes, broke jail at 2'3o p. m. yester-
day, and al but Robinson made good
their escape.
"The prisoners are all escaping from
the JAIL cried a colOred servant IN The
employ OF Mr. seymour G.. Stewart. just
after the family sat down 70 dinner.
Jumping up from the table BIZ. stewart
ran out on the piazza on the east oidt OF
hfs residence. which is in the rear OF tAe
iul. From there he saw three negroes
who had Just scaled the wall around the
jail ward. They dropped from the top Of
The wall TO the roof Of "a stable, whica is
between the residences OF Mr.. stewart
and Mr.. w. F. Chaplin. Stepping
back hastily into the dining room, MI.
Steward picked no his revolver and ran
back TO the piazza. The three negroes
who he had first seen were running
rapidly up Howard street. A fourth was
Vsulting the wall. "St0p, or / viii sn0Ot
you," was the command the negro heard.
SCALING THE VAIL.
But he Jumped down from the wall on
20 the roof as the others had done. n
from there to the ground on the east side
of the stable. Mr.. Stewart caught only a
glimpse of the escaping prisoner as he
dropped from the wall. As the man ran
out from behind the buildingand towards
Gwinnett street, Mr.. Stewart fred through
the shrubbery. The negro was thirty
yards distant, and the ball whiZzed by
HIM and crushed through a basement Win
dow IN Mr.. Chaplin's house, badly fright
ening a young white woman who was
standing near.
The negro darted around Mr.. Chaplin's
piazza the next moment, and was pro-
tected by the building from any more bull
let's. Mr.. Stewart dispatched W ser
wants to the jail, one running around on
the Whitaker street side and the other
around the west side Of the Jail.
The last negro was making fast time
across the park extension, while the
other three were disappearing away
out on Howard street. The
report OF the pistol attracted
the attention Of a number OF pedestrians,
and a crowd started IN pursuit OF the
negro, who was making a record across
the open park, He was not very speedy,
and a gentleman who saw him running
cut across the south end OF the park and
BEADED I'm OFF.
In the meantime Sheriff Roman, who
mad heard the noise and the yelling Of the
crowd, jumped up from his dinner table
and ran through the east corridor of the
jail. It was bathing day, and the corridor
was full Of prisoners.
The sheriff Immediately sent one man
around in the jail yard with orders TO
knock anyone in the head that might be
attempting to escape. one Of the Guards
ran out Of the front door and down TO Whit
aker street, from where he saw the crowd
in the Park. He followed them, and in a
few minutes had the fugitive in custody.
The negro refused to give his name, but
he proved 10 be Peter Robinson, who was
in for robbery. When the sheriff entered
the bath room he saw at a glance that the
wall was broken. The prisoners
who were lOunging around peered
innOceutly at the bath room door
aud refused to tell who had escaped.
There was considerable excitement inside
n out OF the jall for a while. 1t was
some moments before thes Sheriff could
tell how many were gone.
''Trusties,' prisoners who can be
trusted, were stationed about the yard to
check any movement in case there should
be an uprising Of the loose prisoners. A
posse OF guards was started out in search
of the fugitives.
OUT or II BATH ROOM.
The escape was through a hole in the
bath room, which Is in the extreme south
east corner Of the iail. 1t was we'll eff
J. E-tas ana ENAtt1tAA q UitaIAduktl blpls
Tuesdays and Fridays visitors are admit
ted 10 the Jail. On those days the pris-
oners are required TO battle and wash
their clothes.
Yesterday the bath room door was
opened according to custom. A number
Of prisoners bathed in the fore
noon. Just before they were
given their dinner the four who escaped
came cut Of the room and got their food.
Tney ate hastily and slipped back un-
observed. Two must have worked at a
time, as two pieces OF thin iron from the
iron bedsteads In the cells were found
after the escape. The room is perhaps II
feet square, and lighted by wo small
barred windows.
The brick wall is two feet thick. The
window iamb was lined with an inch pine
board. which was not nailed but fitted in.
The pieces OF iron, 20 inches long, were
used as jimmies, and the board was easily
pred out. The same pieces of iron were
used 10 loosen the bricks, which were
quickly removed. The rains had softened
the mortar on the outside until 1t crum-
bled like sand. 1t was easy work remov-
ing the bricks and soon done. Starting in
the Jamb a hole was cut around the win
dow frame. The hole is only 10 inches
long by S inches wide. and the wonder is
how a mans body could be forced through.
The sides are rough and jagged, but the
aperture was large enough for the
PRISONERS TO SLIP OUT.
The hole is at least eight feet above the
ground. Which one went ont first is not
known. but it Is probable that Bacon, who
is the man that killed Warren Williams
in York street lane, July o, was first or
second. He is believed 70 have been the
leader in the plot, and the
others doubtless tried 20 assist him
TO escape. After dropping 20 the
ground the four ran across the yard TO
the south side. There they climbed up on
a picket fence which divides the yard,
and from the fence the top Of the wall can
be easily reached.
They chose the dinner hour. knowing
that the officers would be- eating and that
at that time they would attract the least
attention. Considering the success Of the
negroes, 10 Is surprising that some enter
pusing prisoner did not dig out long ago.
Had 90 not been for the alarm given by
Mr.. Steward several more could have es-
capped and doubtless would.
Bacon is the murderer OF Warren viii
liams. On tn night Of july 9 he stabbed
Susie Drake, a colored girl, In the shout
der and body 40 the corner Of Haborsham
street and York street lane. He hpd, but
Was 0vertaken by Warren Williams.