Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-06-09
JAILS DO NOT HOLD HIM.
a Prisoner Who Took the SherihS
Watch the Last Time He Went.
IErnm the Chicago Herald

From the Chicago Herald
A despatch from Monticello, ILL.,, to
the Herald states that George Anderson,
a Chicago burglar, escaped from the
Platt county Jail at an early hour yestei-
day morning. He claimed to be suffer
ing with pneumonia, and the doctors
gave him up to die. George Bowman,
a iail watchman, was sitting up with ,he
prisoner. and while he was absent for
moment Anderson arose, dressed HIM
self, unlocked the doors. stole the Sher
ifs watch, which had been left IN the
room in order to note the time when the
prisoner should be given his medicine,
and made good his escape.
Anderson is one of the most expert
thieves, porch climbers, and jail breakers
in the country. He has served term
in Joliet for the burglary of the resi-
dcnce of W. J. Chalmers on West Mon
roe street about eight years ago, and has
escaped from more lails than any thlef
known to the police. Mrs. Chalmers Is
the daughter Of the great detective, Allan
Pinkcrton, who was then alive, and
Anderson took great credit to himself
for daring ~ tread on Pinkerton's pre-
serves.
That man," said Lieut.. Ripley, sis
the slickest fellow III his line that | ever
knew. He belongs H. a good family.
He is wood carver by trade, and one
of the finest mechanics that ever welded
tools. Why. that fellow said TO me once
What il the Use of me working at my
trade. where / can only make 81 day,
and can make IN couple of hours
more than | can earn in whole year
/ There is no Jail that that man cant
! beat" continued the efficient thief
/ catcher "He has been in every jail OF
/ consequence in the land, and escaped
/ from them all at one time or another,
| and vet he is not much over 30 years ot
ace. For the Chalmers affair, which
was case of porch climbing, Anderson
received a sentence of only three years,
but then nearly all the property was re
covered, and it may have been on this
account that his sentence was made so
light. Prior to that burglary, Anderson
was confined i'll the Sycamore, ILL.,, jail.
That is a building of limestone, with
walls about two feet thick. That fellow
way there with thirteen other prisoners.
He used to take the ash pan ont of tho
stove. ill it full of live Goals and hold 1T
against the Jail wall. He continued this
until he had Stacked tho wall through
for distance of about three feet square,
which was kept carefully hidden from
view. His fellow prisoners watched HIM
working day by day, and one night when
the Job was finished he knocked out the
lime Stacked portion of the wall, and the
laii was left tenantless few minutes
after. He was being held there for bur-
glary.
"Now, nobody knew Anderson except
myself and Shea, and we knew him well.
shortly after his escape from Sycamore
/ was one day standing in front of the
Academy Of Music when l noticed de
crepit old man pass by. He was the
most distorted being l ever saw. He
had on spectacles, walked crooked, and
had crutches. He appeared to be in
earnest conversation with an apparently
decent, hard-working man, who was
|. with him. / looked q second time at
the contorted, decrepit form, and / said
to myself There goes Anderson. al
lowed the two men to go by me, and at
Vest Madison and Halstead streets
laid nv hand on his shoulder and said
Hello, Anderson.
.He replied: You are mistaken; my
. name il Wilson.
"'Not in a thousand years, i respond
! ed. Il know you
sI asked him about the man with him,
: and he said that he was dead square
that he had picked him up in saloon
and took him along to play the respect
: able dodge. | arrested Anderson anC
= took him to the Desplaines street sta
, ton. for he was also wanted at Geneva
: for burglaries committed there. He
was taken there and made his escape
. one night, digging clear from the Jal
y through heavy oak planking to the cour'
= room, and leaving by the roof. Three
= years ago he made visit to Omaha
. which cost resident just $4,000 II
! bonds, which he sneaked.
: "When we we're still at the old RoOk
erv' Anderson was confined there. On
Sunday afternoon heard fearful com
y motion in the cells. l waited awhil'
and then went to see what the trouble
;. was. There was Anderson with ham
. mer hard Mt work tearing out the founda
9 tiop and framework of the building. H'
> was in a fearful perspiration and TIVE
). prisoners in adjoining cells were intentl.
q watching him.
!. "'What are you doingl' asked.
- - ale coolly answered: oh, let me alone
4 was only looking around for httl
\ exercise
a "Itook him ont, and as we were goin
h up stairs he said to me:
4 "'If you had only kept away fifteel
~ minutes longer would have had every
"a "a thing pat l had every frame out AM
) would not have given you any furthe
a trouble.
q 'sIn California also he has broken jail
g He is hard man to catch and convict
because he never has partner. Ill
shamming of sickness is one OF his bel
lodges, and it nearly always works. II
can make himself look as if he was /
l. the very last stages of consumption, an
IN claims that confinement will he death
ID him. l regard him as the cleverest an
it most dangerous man in his line in tt
OF country"