The herald., 1893-02-14
THEY SAWED THE BARS.
TEN PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM THE
CITY PRISON.
The Remarkable Affair Makes 1t an
Easy Thing for an Enterprising
Prisoner to Kick HIS Way
to Freedom.

The reason there were any prisoners
left in the city jail yesterday morning
was becauae they did not want to 20,
and not because they could not have
walked out.
As it WAS 10 able-bodied wards of the
city for petty larceny offenses were
dodging about yesterday endeayoring to
elude recapture.
In any city where there is even an
ordinarily we'll constructed Jail, such a
Wholesale escape, even though the city
may be well rid of the fugitives, would
lead to severe censure OF the police de-
partmeut for permitting any such loop
holes Of escape as those of which cum
ming criminals take advantage; but in
this case the old rattle-trap of Jail is
30 insecure, and the city council has
been so frequently asked to remedy it,
that the blame, If any, does not belong
to the police department.
Some features about the escape are in
terssting. In some manner the prison.
ere in the large cell, No 10, where about
rs prisoners were confined Sunday
night, secured file or saw for cutting
iron. With this instrument, whatever
it was, they sawed through two iron
bars in the window which opens into
the kitchen at the rear of the Jail, and
then it was matter of very few mo-
ments TO remove enough brick from the
thin wall on the west, fronting Broad
way, to allow whoever wished to crawl
into freedom.
The iron bars were sawed through at
the bottom and bent upward, leaving
an aperture which, by actual measure
ment, WAS 834 inches wide and 15M
inches long. 1t was tight squeeze for
amsll man, but some OF the prisoners
who escaped we're Of a pretty good size
and must have been showed through by
their comrades, creating amusing ex-
periences to the prisoners who declined
to avail themselves of the chance. The
names OF those who escaped, and the
time they yet had to serve, are as fol-
lows:
David Young, 80 DAYS; John Lyons,
So; George Parsons, 50; Fred Forrest,
IA; George Murphy, rs; Frank Brown,
1854; John Edgar, %; John Myers, 1853;
Ed. Harcourt, %, aud Chinaman,
awaiting trial for stealing set OF hsr-
ness and some eaws.
Sunday evening was very windy, and
under cover Of the wind and singing the
noise Of the workers ON the bars was
drowned out. They also made big
noise when they crawled through and
crashed into bread box that stood on
the opposite side OF the window in the
kitchen.
Jailer Hare made his uausl rounds
about midnight, and when he went
around again found that an escape had
been made. Captain Roberts was noti-
tnd nd cfo OF lob 10
capture the fugitivee, but they all man
aged to secrete themselves so that none
were found yesterday during the day.
Any one who has curiosity enough to
see what kind of prison the city
officials are allowing to remain in dill
apidated condition should take the
trouble to go back OF the Jail in the va
cant lot at the rear OF the HERALD
Office.
The first thing which attracts the at
tention Of the most cursory observer is
ragged crack which extends from top
to bottom of the brick wall. This wall
is the only obstacle between the prison
ers and the outside world. The crack is
fully an inch wide and the plastering ia
so poor that prisoner with toothpick
would be dull fellow if he could not
get through it in short time. The
wall is 12 inches thick. the same thick
ness as at the front on the west wall
through which the escape was made.
Towards the lower part of the crack is
to be seen the fresh plaster which marks
the hole through which number OF
prisoners escaped before Chief Glass was
made chief of the police department.
The poor construction of the Jail ia
also comprehended at glance by any
one who gets up high enough to look
over the top of it. 1t is regular ram
shackle job, additions having been put
on of different heights, 80 that it really
looks as if good strong breath would
blow it down.
The only way in which prisoners have
been kept as we'll as they have been by
the officials in charge has been by vigi-
l., ,.,a4ab;,,ov