Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-11-18
A JAIL DEIIyERY,
Two murdererN Escape From New
t'Aktio PrisOu--Cut TINS OaIKh Gheb
GlaIu sastA Sr n. NNssa zNauA

doing sentences in the county Jail ut New |
Castle for murder, effected their escape |
between 6 O'CLOCK, on Saturday night, and |
daylight Sunday morning. A hole in the
wall of their cell, No. 5, and q rope
ladder dangling from the wall surround
ing the prison, clearly indicated the road
the two men had taken to obtain t1eir
liberty. Becker and Kettner are butb
Germans and were quartered together in
cell No. 5, which is on the lower corridor,
north side. Upon locking APP the prisoners
on Saturday evening, there was nothing
about their cell to awaken suspicion and
they were turned in together as usual.
Sheriff Ford who was preparing to vncate
the premises to make room for his sue
cessor, Sheriff Lambson, remained in the
Jail until after one O'Clock, and Ia posi-
tive that the prisoners had not etfectt d an
escape up to that time. He then went TO
the Gilpin House where he remained aver
night and was apprised of the delivery
by the night warden, early Sunday
morning.
An investigation of the vacant cell dis.
closed that the wall had been cut in
lower corner aud an aperture two feet
square made. The hole was directly
behind an iron bedstead used by the
prisoners and large piece of wall paper
hanging close by tie opening gives rise
to the suspicion that they had been en-
ployed in cutting at the wall probably at
intervals for some time. A small iron
shovel was left in the cell, and this is
believed to have been one of the instru-
ments If not the only one with which
they cut through the 32-inch wall. In
order to soften the mortar water was
freely used, and it readily crumbled to
pieces apparently offering but little OPP
position to the prisoners efforts.
Once in the Jail yard the task of scaling
the wall was easily accomplished by the
aid of q rope ladder. II was constructed
of quarter. inch rope, securely knotted,
with wooden spreaders and three
pronged iron hook, which grappled over
| the wall and held the ropes secure. The
ladder was nbont rs feet long, and at
| points where the iron or wood came in
contact with the stone work it was padded
| to prevent any noise. The rope work and
| graphing hook were so constructed that
| it is clearly indicated they were carefully
made outside the Jail and furnished the
prisoners by confederates. 1t was hung
over the north. west corner of the jail
| wall, which of this point rises to hight
| of % feet. II is possible that they were
| assisted to the ground on the outside by
their confederates.
| None of the prisoners claim to have
known anything of the planned escape,
but those occupying adjacent cells state
they heard peculiar noises about 2 O'Clock
Sunday morning, such as would possibly
have arisen from digging through the
walls. II is not known which direction
the fugitives took after leaving the city,
but an early milkman claims to have
oyertaken two ren on the road going II
the direction of Newport. II is stated
that they visited Wilmington before day
light on Sunday morning, but this repor
may or may not be true. Becker's famil,
lives here, and o peculiar feature in con
nection with his escape is that his wifi
disposed of all her property, real ant
personal last week, converting everything
into cash. The property Melted her
considerable sum, sufficient to get Beake
and his companion in flight out Of tn
country and to permit the formers fainil.
to follow them. There is q stroae sue
picion that If the men can reach q ship
ping port they will at once take pGaslg
and flee the country. Sheriff Ford ma
offered 5000 for the capture of this mel
, and the police of all the neighboring cite
have been notified.
II is evident the two men have loni
looked forward to breaking Jail. TIL
: sheriff reports that month ago they en-
Q deayored to scale the Jail wall by the ait
: of rope, but be discovered them AM
a arming himself with q gun took apositioi
/, | on the outside of the yard where he eoul
] have given them warm reception.
: was freely rumored on the streets earl
last week that Becker would escape an
/ take Kettner with him while the chang
y of sheriffs WINS going on but the repoi
: was SO openly made that ii was not give
much credenee. Sunday it was also r.
;, ported that the two fugitiyes had mad
Q their escape Tuesday night week, but th
Q sheriff had kept the matter quiet in hope
8 of recapturing them. This was denied 6
9 the sheriff's Office Monday morning.
Applications were circulated asking u
n governor to pardon Kettnar and Beckt
e and there was such likelihood of SUI
y cess that friends of both think the
escape is great mistake. Theodoi
!. Becker was doing three years septent
for shooting Horace l.. McGinnis
10 Schuetzen Park, August 23d, 1885. +
~ was tried and found guilty Of maj
slaughter December 18th following an
N had about two years and one mont
" of his term vet 10 serve. He is swartt
a. in build SIS feet in hight, with brow
IS hair. goatee and moustache, slight
streaked with gray.
m Adolph Kettner was doing five year
he sentence for killing Patrick O'Brien
10 his saloon in Silverbrook, June 25t
rs 1884. After one or two failures to di
~ pose of the case through jury the Sta
accented plea of manslaughter {
I'd November Gath, 1884, and two years
Of his term were nearly up. He is BIO fe
I'd in hight, with black hair and beard, da
ewes, protruding chin, and weighs abo
1870 pounds.
I'D No clue has yet been obtained that W
shed any light upon the whereabouts
the two fugitives. It is know
however, who furnished the men with u
nj rope ladder with which they scaled t
wall of the Jail yard, and this clue W
NJ be followed up to the end.
IT. DESPITE the denials to the contrary t
or report that the two men made their esca
'6: from the Jail two or three days EARL
l; than ia given out is very generally entt
Do tanned, II they had gotten out at t
" time stats many hold that with any Sc
o. of work to recapture them they cou
have been found before this time. 1
ID. sheriff Ford says he has telegraphed
I'D, ali the cities and towns in this section
ial the country description of the men q
erl- tbe offer Of 5000 reward for their retu
90 90, and he hopes soon to near of their ARE
VA Prisoners from the Jail report the esca
of Ii short term inmates of the paul
me- department of the Jail on Thursd
ON NIGHT. The sheriff, however, denies Il
ng, any such delivery occurred. He 81
that few days ngo two tramps clint
or out of the cell through the roof, but u
me they were recaptured and returned
hts their cells.
II; Some of the prisoners also state tina
der six months term man escaped from
i've mil in August last in daytime and '
to not recaptured. His term would have
~ pired about this time. The escape
ini never been reported before.
, Of The apparent ease with which the h'
|, 10 through which Kettner and Bee
sds. orawled, was cut in the jail wall emp
9 to sizos in the opinion Of many the need
oort new and stronger jail. It is said that
cept the light veneer of hard stone
walls are composed of sand stone VIII
-. offer but little resistance to well direc
thar efforts to mine through them.
ne. The pauper department ia mere g
uIar Of n place, and ii il stated would not /
! as nrisoners at all only for their usual
DR., inpness TO remain in the institution
Is a be comfortably housed.
arly -&-e-~--
II RtrncR by a TrniSs
'ath, William P. Peacock, the 12-years
GsE- son Of William HNPeacock living at