The morning call., 1890-08-20
4 VACANT CELL.
Escape Of Four ColVitts From
Folsom Prison.
Successful Completion Of a Long and
Hazardous Job.
Removal Of a Granite Slab From the Floor
and the Excavation Of Tunnel
Sixty Feet Long.


SACRAMENTO. Aug. 19-The Evening Bees
Folsom special says: When the prisoners en-
ployed on The dam and canal went to work this
morning one Of the conyicts, who had been en-
pIoyed ID running an engine, was missed from
his post search was Instituted, but the miss
ing prisoner could not be found, and his cell was
examined. 1t was very soon discovered that a
bold and successful plan OF escape had been con-
eeived and carried out A little further hyesIi-
Cation showed that thres other prisoners had
also escaped. The appearance OF the cell showed
very lillle as to how the job was done until an
Inspection was made Of the floor, then II was
discovered that a great slab OF granite, ieet
long and feet Wide, had been recently removed
from It's place IN the floor aad put back again so
carefully as almost TO defy detection. This slab
was removed and the whole plan was discovered.
The men had dug tunnel some sixty feet long,
shooting down steep incline TO get under the
prison wall, and when that was reached tun-
neled upward again some ten feet, opening the
greenswaTd 10 the north Of the prison structure.
An abundance OF cTowbars. chisels, hammers,
drills ana all other needed tools were found in
the tunnel, except a wheebarrow 10 carry away
the excAvated rock and earth. To dispose OF
this and avoid detection the escapes used 10
deposit lust enough OF the rock and earth In
their slot-buckrts 10 escape detection. and when
these were emptied each morning II was not easy
10 detect anything wrong. IL IS not believed
that the tunn IrIs could have succeeded so
easily were it not for the fact that the founda'
lions which should have been of the most sub
siantial kind, were 6lled 10 with trunks OF trees,
rubbish, etc, which mad decayed, and offered
little or no resistance 10 the dilis and crowoars
Of The prisoners.
One OF the men escaped once before. when Nc
Comb was Warden, but was reGaken. All the
men are Germans. Once out of the prison
proper. IL was not a difficult matter to elude the
few guards on duly at night and gel clear OF the
ward walls. Tie men must have been working
FOR months, as the Job that secured them their
liberty WAS an undertaking OF great risk ana
magnitude. Warden Aul AT once, Whtu the
escape was asceTtalned. ordered descriptions OF
tile men printed, ana The news was Ieiegranhed
10 all officers in The SUI rounding counties. IAelf
descril uuus as follows:
Matthias blummer, aged 40 years, helght D
feet inches, light complexion, blue eyes, llght
hair, light scar on tie center of the back, lower
arm and breast very hairy, medium build
Charles Coleman, aged 90 years, height leel
6I2 inches, light complexion, blue eyes, Ilght
haII, high forehead, prominent nose. large ears,
large wart on left shoulder blade, circular scar
Oh The base OF the lett thumb, stout built.
Tom Wilson, aged IS yedr', height !eel =
inches, dark complexion, black hair black eyes,
low forehead, ewes deeply set long aqulline nose.
sharp features high cheek bones, two OF Tile leIt
upper molsT Teeth gone, diagonal scar across The
ceHleE Of lie forehead, prominent Adams apple,
slender build.
c. II. Koner. aged 81 years. height feet
inches, FAIR culnpi Xlou, gray eyes. DARK mar,
weight 16O pounds, long sharp features, large
nose, high cheek bones, scar inside OF the right
WrISi, len vaccine marks on The left arm, scar GU
The nose near The efI eye, stout build.
a reward OF $50 Will be paid for The arrest OF
each Of the above.