The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-24
USED A CASE KNIFE
THREE PRISONERS SAW THROUGH
wORKHOUsE CELL BARS.
Another Peculiar Case at that Insti-
tuition - 'Goose" Eden Is Night
Waterman at the Place.

William williams, Edward Smith and
Walter Tibbetts. three prisoners, confined
at the workhouse. escaped some time FRI
day night by saving an iron bar seven
eighths of an inch thick and letting them
selves down from a window twenty-five
feet from the ground, with rope. Will
liams occupied cell No. /, on the first range,
in the south corridor, on the ground floor.
His cell was nearest the office. Smith oc-
cupied cell No. s, on the same range. Tib-
belts occupied cell No. 107 on the third
range Of the north corridor. Williams and
Smith were TRUSTEES"
Yesterday morning at o'clock, Goose
Eden, the night Waterman, went to unlock
the TRUSTEES who work in the kitchen. He
discovered that Williams and Smith were
missing. This created a little excitement
among the prison officials and there was
much hustling in counting the other pris-
oners.
Friday night, at Z o'clock, there were ITO
prisoners, and when Superintendent Ander-
son counted them yesterday morning, he
found three prisoners missing. The third
man proved to be Walter Tibbetts. AS
soon as the prisoners were discovered miss
ing, the officers hunted for the means of es-
cape Going to the window in the extreme
northeast corner of the north dollhouse, on
the third floor, they found that one CT the
bars had been sawed and also that two
thick ropes used for suspending a ladder
during the day, while the premises were
being cleaned, were tied to crossbars and
hanging down on the outside. An exami-
nation of the sawed bar indicated that
some time had been occupied in saving it,
and that 1T must have been tedious job.
The officers decided that caseknife must
have been used in saving the bar. The
their escape has nine large bars. The
fourth one was the one found sawed. The
prisoners had evidently sawed IL nearly
through, then bent 1t inwards to break It
The prisoners required to go to their
cells Immediately after supper, and the
cells are locked, with the exception of that
of the cell boss, who Is permitted to roam
around until o'clock. Friday evening i'm
mediately after supper, the prisoners were
locked up in their cells as usual A long
operated by lever bolts the doors of all
the cells in the range. The lever is held
in position by heavy paddock: Probably
one OF the prisoners succeeded in remain
ing out of his cell when the other prisoners
We're locked up Immediately after supper
without attracting The attention of the 9TH
er prisoners. III the latter noticed this they
said nothing to the prison officials The
free prisoner then made his way to the cells
of the two who escaped with him and
their cells. Once free from their cells,
they went to the window and began to
saw the iron bar with case knife sneaked
from the supper table. The ropes used for
letting them down to the ground were OBJ
tanned easily. The opening made by the
saving of the bar was about eight inches.
The prisoners then squeezed through this
opening and lowered themselves TO The
ground. After that, If the attempt was
made during the night escape was an
easy matter. The prisoners had shaved
heads, wore heavy shoes and striped uni
painted on the back of the coats. The pris-
oners probably went TO the homes Of
friends, where they exchanged their pris-
garb for citizens clothes.
Some of the prisoners stated yesterday
morning that they heard an unusual noise
prison officers think it probable that the
three made their escape at that time.
Williams was sentenced to the wOrkhOuSe
April 20 on a charge of assault and bat
terry with intent to kill. He was fined,
and this fine, in addition to his assessed
at the workhouse. His term would have
expired April 8, 1895. Smith was sentenced
TO the workhouse on a charge of petit
larceny. His term would have expired
to serve 129 days at the workhouse on
charge of assault and battery. His. term
would have expired Aug. %. Tfbbetts is
barber, and as he is very handy with tools
and a very shrewd man it is thought that
he was the originator of the plan of es-
cape
Some time ago there was another deliv-
cry of prisoners at the workhouSe, and
there was some comment yesterday on the
fact that prisoners could so easily escape.
sioners investigate the workings of that in
stitution. -st-