Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-04
HE BREAKS JAIL.
"Bi1iy'' Williams. the Alleged Muir.
derer Of Policeman Arnold at Large.

BE ESCAPES PROM THE ALEXANDRIA JAIL AT AN
EARLY HOUR THIS MoRSISG-Hrs PREVIOUS Ex-
PLoTTs N THIS LINE
Billy Williams escaped from the Alexandria Jail
ABOUT l:lo O'Clock this morning. He was confined
10 the room used In times when men could be I'M
prisoned on civil process for debt The room faces
south, looks into the jail yard and is secured by
IRON oars at the windows, and has served lately
Tor the confinement OF prisoners awaiting trial
-FOUR men were imprisoned there last night: Billy
"ihams; Jewell, charged with stealing a horse
from w. A. Smoot, and two other men
charged with HOUSEKEEPING In Alexandria
County. Whenever there is prisoner in
Jail charged with serious crime, city Sergeant
W. II. smith employs a special Waterman for the
corrldOrs inside. Mr. samuel Arnold was thus
employed as long as Curran was In Jail, and on
the arrest or billy" Williams he was re-empoyed
In the same watch, and was on duty last night
He states that shortly before O'Clock this morn
ing he looked In on Williams and his fellow prison.
erS ana saw nothing wrong. Soon afterward he
heard the barking OF a small dog, which had been
Kept in the room with Williams, and on going TO
the room he found hole under the window and
all the prisoners gone He hurried to the yard
and there found ali the escaped men except VIII
larns. HI had already been helped by them over
Arnold. with his pistol, drove them back into the
jail, and notified the turnkey and other guards
notified, and for awhile the streets were vocal with
polce whistles. BY 20 Lieut.. James Smith had
gone 10 washington 10 secure search there.
HOW WILLIAMS GOT OUT.
The old debtors room, in which Williams was
kept, has It's window cased In oak, and below 1t a
casing OF heavy oak plank covers the wall to the
floor. Williams, who since he has been In the
room, has quietly explored every crevtce or nook,
there found that these oak boards were rotten.
Ihey could be gotten on by putting three fingers
behind them and giving pull. Then the bricks OF
the wall were lOosened with piece OF barrel hoop
OF with better instrument Williams carried IL OF
detached
the work OF four men could speedily make
hole opening into the Jail yard SUFFICIENT
10 allow one person TO get through. This was
DONE IL would under the circumstances, have
been possible TO have moved the board, worked at
the bricks awhile, and then replaced the board
carefully so as TO hide the work already done. SO
the four men got into the jail yard. Williams, the
most alert, scaled the wall quickly. The Others,
slower, were caught The 500 reward OF the
mayor will have 10 be paid for the capture OF VIII
Hams in Baltimore some time ago, but the gov
ernor's reward OF 500 is not due until conviction.
DESPERATE CHARACTER.
Williams, II is charged, murdered Policeman Ar
mold on the 14th OF May last at late hour In the
night The killing OF the officer created consid-
cradle excitement in Alexandria at the time and
threats OF lynch1ng were made on every hand.
Had Williams been captured at that time he would
never have had chance 10 break jail EVERYBODY
In Alexandria was excited over the murder, and
the city council offered reward OF 500 for the
apprehension OF Williams, and Gov. Lee afterward
onered 500. Williams managed TO keep out or the
hands OF the law for several months, and was cap
tured in house in Baltimore where he had en-
tered the bed room II Is thought for the purpose OF
robbery. When caught he had desperate strug-
gle with the inmates OF the house, who handled
him pretty roughly and turned him over TO the
police. AT the same time he was wanted In this
city Tor burglary, having forfeited his ball. and he
mad also escaped from the workhouse.
AN OLD TRICK.
Several years ago Williams was locked up In a
station in this city. The officer in charge OF the
station smeed something burning in the CELL
room. Going back where Williams was he found
an old stocking burning. The long stove poker
which was kept near the stove was not TO be
found, and the officer suspected something wrong.
The burning stocking was thrown aside and the
offlcer returned to the Office few minutes later
the officer tturned 10 the cell-room TO look after
Williams and again found the stocking burning.
Williams, the officer found, had burned one OF the
cell bars out with the poker, which he had heated
In the stove, and had only thrown out the burning
stocking to fool the officer.
Williams is described as being thirty years old,
> feet D inches high, weight 49, pounds, brown
hair gray eyes, uar1 sallOw complexion, scar over
right eye and mark on LETT temple.