Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-16

rZM In view OF hlsnarr0W
Wk escape from death upon
tho scaffold. and, as is
said about many life conricts, he may then de-
vote his attention to living up to the prison rules
and at the same time devising some means Of
escape.
Prisoners under life sentence are usually we'll
behaved, because they know they have got to
make the best Of their home in order to receive
proper treatment and prevent being disciplined
in manner that may be uncomfor table for a
long period as we'll as being painful for the time
being. With the short-t:me convicts it is dir
ferent. They only expect to remain in prison
short while. and if they do no. get the good
behavior communication it does not concern
them much, for If they have been in the habit
of spending or doing time in prison, as the
crooked people put it, month or two moro
does not make much difference.
The states have their own rules for prisons
and good behavior communication differs in the
different states. In New York, where most of
the District prisoners are sent, two months are
allowed for the first year, four months for the
second and eight months for the third year. In
a ten years sentence the good behavior of the
convict would deduct three years and six
months. In other words. he would have to
serve but six years and six months.
JOHN sHEA's ESCAPE.
gratings and armed guards cannot prevent the
escape OF some OF these men, and during the
past score of years many remarkable escapes
have been made in various parts of the country.
John Shea, who is now under life sentence in
Missouri for killing st. Louis policeman,
Is probably the most remarkable crimi-
nal at large so far az prison breaking
is concerned. although others had done some
clever work in that direction, and proved that
heavy walls and iron bars we're not too much
for them. John Shea cheated tho gallows on
one occasion and cheated life sentence later,
and when he took French leave Of the prison
there was no indication of sei6shness
about him. for n.arranging his plot he took
into his confidence other murderers and crimi-
mails who had long sentences staring them in
tho face. Shea has now been out of prison
several months and not many weeks ago he
came here and visited some of his old friends.
With him came q man named Kelly, whom
Shea had induced to believe that he would col
lect some $500 or $500 from his old friends and
then they could have good time on the stake
They roughed it through the west on their way
here and Shea was arrested on one occasion
and set at work on q stone pie.
JESSE PoMERoY's ATTEMPT.
The attempted escape Of Jesse Pomeroy from
the Massachusetts state prison some time ago
was a smart piece Of work and he was only de-
tected in his task short time before he would
have effected his escape. Being a dangerous
and desperate prisoner Jesse was provided for
in a cell where he would not come in contact
with other prisoners and the guard paid
especial attention to him. 1t 30 happened that
and this change aroused the suspicious of the
guard.
jesse was permitted to read books and during
the time that he appeared better than usual
he seldom took notice Of the guard and wonld
remain with his back toward that official all
H.
sequcnt events proved that as soon as the guard
disappeared the prisoner lai1 aside his book
and performed what the guards and prison
officials thought could not be done without the
assistance of iron tools. The cell was lined with
steel plates. the bolts coming through into the
cell and being held In position by heavy nut.
Jesse had saved pieces of brown bread, which
he had soaked and made up in form similar to
the nuts on the bolts and in some unexplaiu-
able manner he succeeded in removing these
nuts and placing the bread limitations In their
places. During odd intervals he would remove
the plate and climb through into the air shaft,
from which he removed distractions from
time to time until he had nearly cleared the
way to the roof OF the prison. and then he was
detected in the cleyerest piece Of work Of the
kind ever dono.
Sing Sing prison in New York ia considered
one of the best and strongest institutions il the
country, bat it is said that even that prison has
been SO operated against by criminals that
they have managed to escape.
AN ESCAPE THROUGH sEwEE.
In tie Baltimore prison three crooks per-
fected their plans aud escaped and were 80 far
away when their absence WAS noticed that thew
were not captured. Their escape demonstrated
the claim OF many prison officials and detect
ives that all persons who escape by means OF
well-lald plans are assisted by persons on the
outside. These prisoners were at work during
the day OF ;hoir disappearance and their alb
sence from the dinner table caused the spread
ing OF u general alarm over the telephone and
telegraph wires asking for their capture.
The mon had gone through a trap in the
prison yard and had passed through the sewer,
going as far as Jones Falls and then disappear
ing. The iron bars had been removed, show
ing to tho satisfaction Of the officers that there
Was outside assistance In tho case.
THE DISTRICT JAIL.
The United States Jail in this city has re-
markable record so fer as escapes are con-
cerned and during the many years of its exist
ence but few prisoners have managed to get
away. There have been several prisoners who
have got away from the guard outside the
building when they we're intrusted to perform
labor OF some sort and who got away because
there was not the necessary prison wall around
the grounds. The escape OF LuE Seweii one
of the Lieut.. Tyler diamond robbers, and Joe
Buck. who stole the diamonds of Mrs. Sarah
Brown Potter, was effected about three years
ago, and III that instance it was pretty
clearly established that there was an
outside worker. The wide corridor about the
prison is thought to be one of its strongest
points, and the officers think it would be il
there WAS q sufficient number OF guards on
duty in the prison at night The bars in the
cells occupied by the prisoners were cut AZ
were those in the windows of the outer walls.
and there being no prison walls about the
grounds and no guards about the outside es.
cape tie easiest matter in the world Lu1a
Sowell remained in the city and was soon rear
rested, while Buck was not captured for sew
eral months, and then he was found in New
Orleans.
With prisoners who escape from the upper
floors Of prisons the bed clothing is generally
brought into requisition for the purpose Of
making rope enough to reach to the ground
from the window, and with prisoners of expe-
| rience the task Is an easy one and can be &C
compllshed in few minutes. Such means have
been employed in tho District prisons many
times although the prisoners in tho work house
as a rule have no need to adopt such measures. as
they have plenty OF opportunities to escape
while out on the streets or while working about
the farm, and many Of them have embraced
these opportunities.
NO REWARDS OFFERED HERE.
In most cities rewards are offered for escaped
convicts, rs for fugitives generally, but in this
city rewards are seldom il ever offered in elther
case and Notwithstanding this tho ofYicera FOR