The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-27
FROM THE DEATH-HOUSE
Particulars of the Daring Escape OF
Roehl and Pallister From
Sing Sing.
They Capture Two Guards and
Break a Big Hole Through
the Root.
CSol and Deliberate Manner In WHO"
They Went About 1t-No Trace
of Them.

Sna SING, N. v, April 26.-There have
baen many escapes from Sing Sing prison,
some of them unique in their inception ana
carving out, but that OF Pailister ana
Roehl last Thursday has thrown the Others
into the shade, aud will stand as the record
by which others may be measured. The
men who escaped we're Thomas eaiils'er
and Frank w. Roehl. two OF tho five men
occupying cells In the condemned house.
This is a one story brick building, sixty
three by thirty feet. On one aide are the
eight condemned oells. No. l was vacant;
No, 2 contained Pailister: No. ) contained
Roehl; No. 4 contained Osmond: No s con-
tanned G~eoeehegan; No. 6 was vacant; NO. Z
ves vacant, and No. 8 contained Carlyle
W. Harris.
When, at about five O'Clock. the prison
closed for the day on Thursday, Guard
James II. Huise went into the room 20 AXE
his turn at Watching the condemned men
He was to be Joined later in the evening by
Guard James W. Murphy. Hulss took MS
seat after nodding as usual to the con-
demnsd men, and seeing that everything
WAS all right with them and their cells as
far as appearances might show. Roehl
asked that his evening meal, a PLATTER OF
meat and pan of milk, might be warmed on
the stove in the room. and the reqnest was
granted. At about l:3o O'Clock tae aisnes
were steaming and Roehl asked for them.
Guard Hulse got them and went to Roehp
cell.
LARGE to pass between the bars OF the COILS.
80 Huise unlocked and onened the door OK
the cell to hand them to the prisoner. as
soon as the door was opened the prisoner
threw a quantity of pepper into the hulse's
ewes and then seized him by the throat
with both hands. almost ~strangling MN.
In his agony from pain in the eyes, Hulse
made no resistance. and Roeht QUICKLY
backed him to the front of Palllster,s cell.
P~allister seized the guards arms ana henos
and held him while Roehl relieved h'm OF
his revolver.
'Roehl then held the pistol at the mans
heal and told him to march. Blinded by
pepper. Roehl pushed him into the cell that
with a ban and quickly turned the key in
the look, making Huiss a prisoner: He
was told to remain perfectly quiet and not
to attempt to make any outcry or give an
alarm, for such en- act would cost him his
life.
given. and Hulse apparently obeyed i'm
plicitly. Roehl then took the bunch OF
KEYS from the lock and went to Pallisters
cell, which he quickly unlocked and let its
inmate out. The Two desperate men then
visited the other cells and told the three
men who we're behind the bars that they
had locked the guard up and were going out
of the prison.
..Will you come with us, or not? Make
up your minds quick. for there is no time to
waste.'' exclaimed Roehl.
All three refused to take the chances.
Carlyle Harris was appealed to to go with
them. but as near as Guard Hulse can 1e-
member he said: mo. l won 20. l am
going to stay here; you a:e in bad business.
boys"
The two men. who then had the run of
the room, hastily made preparations for de-
p~arture. They knew that the second guard,
Murphy, would not be aroand until 3
o'clock, and that they had something over
an hour in which TO cut their way out.
They took from under the stove the iron
voker, an instrument about q foot and a
half long and admirably adapted for use us
"a jimmy, and q round- covered shovel used
for throwing coal into the stove, and
climbed to the top of the cells.
Directly overhead is a trardoor on
hinges. by turning which aside u button
DROPS down. Roehl opened the door, and
then the two men took turns attacking the
frail roof overhead. about two feet above
the opening of the t%rapdoor. The roof is
composed OF light timbers and boards Gov
cred with tarred paper. on top of which is
gravel.
When they had cut a hole in the roof
large enough to let themselves ont they de-
scended and waited for Murphy. for they
knew that by securing him as thoy had al
. rendy secured Hulse they would have the
entire night to make distance between
themselves and the Prison walls. Had they
gone at once. Murphy would have discov-
cred the plot and men would have been put
upon their tracks in less than half an hour.
While waiting for Murphy, Roehl secured
Day Keeper Derenbacker's hat and tore oil
the gold letteted VOID Keeper" Pal!is-
ter obtained an old derby hat which had
been hanging on a reg. and Appropriated
Hulse's shoess Both were in the citizens
men on their reception ct the prison. Thus
they were etfectually disguised as far as
clothing was concerned.
Ia about fifteen minutes Murphg's knocl
wns heard. Paliibtcr grasped his ~rcvoive,
tighter in his right han and went close te
the wall, in order, as much as possible, tt
keep out of sight of any person entering b,
the door.
Roehl vent to the door, which opans in
wardly. having only a lock on the inside
Roehl unlocked it and pulled it open
hiding. at the same time, behind it. A
Murphy entered he had q basket of D Iowa
ions for his nights meal on one arm and
lantern in his hand.
As he pissed in koehl sprang upon him
from behind and pinioned his arms to h,
Bide. AZ the Same moment palllster plncs
the cold muzzie of the revolver to HIS rigt
temple and commanded him to keep quiz
or have the top of his hend blown of
Murrhy had nothing to do but comp!
and was marched to vacant cell No. 2 IN
locked in. He was given the insttuctio,
that Hulse had reviously received to n
main perfectly quiet or be killed. Murpi
said nothing.
The two keepers being thus disposed c
the two prisonet > quickly climbed up to IL
top of the cells and made their exit to ii
outer world in one of the worst storr
which ever rugged thereabou!. But TIL
cared nothing tor the storm. They we
along the roof to the south end of the hit
building which is an annex to the ma
building, and jumped to the ground,
their footprints, deep in the mud. plain
showed.
Right where they are supposed TO hn
lanped were noticed three deep holes il t
ground, evidently. it WAS thought, made
the stove poker. These were at first tnk
ns indicating the ,resence of Il ladder, /
n guard explained their lack of signItican
by saving that there were many other no
like them in the grounds.
Thence their tracks led to the large ga
in the iron fence along the river side. +