The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-12-26
DARING JAIL BREAKING
DAVE PADDock'S REMARKABLE ES-
CAPE FROM JOLIET.

An Almost superhuman Display OF In
genuity Exercised By . Convict to Get
Oot Of Pris0n-working . Few inmates
Mt q Time for Over Two Years.
A section of iron bar was cut from the
cell door Of Dave Paddock by that re-
doubtsble knight of the dark lantern
and Jimmy" on the occasion Of his SEN
sational escape from Joliet. For over
two years Paddock has schemed and
worked to effect his purpose. Hewas
sent up from Rock Island ON an eight
year term. and was placed at work in
one Of the shoeshops, where during
every minute Of the working hours IN
the shop he was constantly under the
watchful eye Of his keeper. There wae
not the least chance to plan an escape
from the shop But, not daunted at
this, he determined to find some means
Of getting ont Of his cell at night.
To fly appreciate the difficulty Of
cutting out OF cell it must be remem-
bered that three times every hour during
the night. at irregular intervals, q guard
wearing padded slippers called ''sneak
shoes" by the convicts- makes his rounds,
peering into each cell to pake sure that
all are secure and in bed. Paddock first
appropriated q couple Of thin bladed shoe
knives from his shop, and. concealing
them from the guard, took them to his
cell, where, by using one as file, he
converted the other into fine steel saw.
Then by slow degrees he collected large
amount Of shoe thread from the same
shop, with which be braided the rope.
All this required months Of stealthful
work, but in the course Of time he had a
slender. strong rope, fully fifty feet in
length. This he kept carefully hidden in
the mattress Of his bed.
Next he began saving the bars on his
door little at time. Night after night
he watched for the passing Of the guard.
and a, soon as that official was beyond
hearing distance he would cut little
and then ELL up the space with black
wax, which he had also obtained from
the shoeshop, 50 that the prying eyes al
the guard could not discores by daylight
that the door hAd been taznpeeed with,
When the bar had been cut thEudgh he
carefully wedged it back intouplace with
small iron staples and bits q lead
REMAREABLE CIEyERNESR
He could now get outside Of his cell.
but the hardest work was yet to bedone.
His cell was located high up on the
third tiex, some sixty fest away from
the tower door through which he hoped
to make his way. Wstching his chance.
when the night guard was on the op-
posite side OF the block Of cells. he re
moved the bar from his door, crawled
through the opening. and with all the
agility Of q cat climbed down the railing
from tier to tier, ran across the corridor
TO the tower door. and. with piece Of
shoemakex's wax. took an impression of
the lock, regaining his cell before the
guard appeared on that side Of the cell
house.
By careful working he made key out
Of lead pipe that q plumber had dropped
near his workbench in the shop. Sew
eral trips from his cell to the tower door
were made during the next few weeks
before his hey would ft, and then it
took him come time to get together
enough material to make dummy to
put In his bed to prevent his absence
being discovered before he could get be