The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-06
PORTSWOUTHNEWS
JRtl DcIiycry.

CouSiuernDie excitement was created
SUNDAY morning when it was MAIDS
Known that three persons, Walter
Douglas. Cely Burr and Walter Harris,
nau nude their escupe from the oouut y
jail by cutting bricks from out the
trout part of the building. and by
means of blankets had made their
escape. A searching purity, consisting
of Deputy Sheriff Sivorson, Constables
isham, Adams and Deputy Sheriff Alb
bolt, started in every direction, bus
Jailed To como mp with them.
douglass was sentenced to IL months
IN jail ut the July term of the County
Court for housebreakiDg; Burr was
sent to jail July 20 for 30 days. for
carrying concealed weapons; Harris
was sewing 30 days from July %, for
assault. Tho three men were placed in
the east cell on the third floor. This Is
wood cell on one side, back All d front,
the bIick wall forming the other side.
The inner wall is of soft brick, while
the other one is OF press brick
The men with n knife aud spoon dug
sll the mortar from around The bricks
and removed nine of them which made
hole large enough for man to get
through. They then tied their blank cts
to the corner post Of the cell, made a
rope OF them and slid down to the
ground and made their escape. MIR.
Slverson thinks it was near 4 o'clock
whom they got out. AS soon as the
men got away oolored man who stays
IN the hall reported the facts to the
laller, who gave the alarm.
Mr.. Siverson says that he, in com.
paDy with two other officers, was out
until near 2 o'clock after some thieves,
aud when he came in he looked all
around and found everything all right,
Officer Hart. of the city police, says he
was in front of the door at O'Clock,
heard some talking, but paid no atten.
ton to 1t. Soon after this the men
made their escape. All the cells except
tho one these men were in and a simi.
lar one on the lower floor had steel bars
oil aroud them, but they were full of
prisoners whose charges were of q M ore
serious nature. and those who made
their escape were put in wooden cell.
There were two others In the cell at
the county Jail from which tho prison
ers made their escape and they refused
to leave with them.
Jailor Siverson has learned since
the men made their escape that they
had started to cut hole through the
roof OF the jail, but abandoned that
ana trled the means through which
they made their escape.
Gang or HniirOad Ghievcs Captured
For some time gang of negro
thieves have been following excursiou
and freight trains from Portsmouth as
lar as boykins on the Seaboard Air
Line. number OF articles have been
stolen. but there has been no positive
clue to the thieves until late Saturday
night. Deputy Sheriff Siverson, Con.
stables lsham and Whitehurst raided a
house IN Sweet Canaan and captured
William Williams. William Ives, and
William Darlington. aud found a watch
aud chain and a number of articles of
clothing, hats, ETC., which were stolen
from the railroad. They also obtained
sufficient evidence to convict these
parties.
Williams and Ives are wanted in
Berkley for breaking into the dwelling
house OF lady in that town, and shoot
Ing ut her. with intent to kill. They
have managed to evude arrest for some
time aud during that period have oom u.
mitted several robberies. The arrest
OF these men is considered to be of the
greatest Importance, as they are all
known to be desperate characters. 1t
Was on this account that Jailor Silver
sou WAS out 30 late Saturday night