The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-21
HOW HART GOT AWAY.
The Slick BunkO Man Was Hid
den i'm a Trunk
AND SHIPPED BY TRAIN TO PAsco
Aided 1t Spokane ny Consfdfne-Now
In co-wanderings Of q Man
set Free by Tom Blanck.

How did Frank J. Hart. the bunko man.
who escaped from the county jail IN the
great delivery led by Tom Blanck last
March, el14e the policeT That IS a ques-
ton which has puzzled many people In
this city. and has remained unanswered
unfit within the past few days. But in
view of correspondence on file with JDnn
W. Allen, agent at the Northsrn Pacific
freight Office In this city, the answer be-
comes very easy. Hart was loaded into
a trunk and shipped out OF town. and at
Pasco, In tire darkness of night. crspt
from the little station free man.
The sweeping jail delivery headed by
BIanck. the king-pin OF King county Grim
inals, waE accomplished on the evening
OF March II, when jerry YerDerry cow
cred before the wooden revolver OF the
desperado and unlocked the combination
that fastened the steel tank in the Jail.
On the following day, while The officers
~ the law were absorbed In the chase OF
Bianck, who had been located 10 he sou n
of town, an express wagon froye up TO
a place not a thousand miles from the
corner OF South Third and Washington
streets. and took on trunk. Thence II
went rafting down the road 10 tn. North
ern Pacific freight depot, and in a few
minutes Hart and his trunk OF refuge
were safely deposited in the large store
room In readiness for the I'D overland.
The trunk was weighed In at 20 pounds,
and released TO a valuation OF s. hun
dred. Accompanying the trunk and claim
ing ownership WIS q man whose calm
demeanor and aelf-satssfied air gave no
sign OF his connection with one OF the
most remarkable fail deliveries ever made.
lie gave his name as A. w. Boyle, and
had the trunk consigned 10 himself at
Pasco.
After Hart reached his destination. he
81 all an Et
station In the midst OF the sandy desert.
and then crept forth from his hiding place.
Leaving Pasco. he headed straight for
Spokane. where friends and money await
ed him. Eis mails benefactor N his sad
extremity was 10 less person. IL Is said,
than John Considine. at that time In the
midst OF TIE fignt whereby. like the fox
Ia the fable. he set the main political
powers OF this city at war with one an
other and slipping In secured the prize
for himself and his dance halls. Once
under me protecting arm OF the ward
boss. Hart was safe. and although he
was seen in Spokane he did not fall into
the grasp OF the officers OF the law.
But 10 remain in Washington. even
within the domain OF his powerful friend,
was dangerous. and on taking counsel.
Hart decided TO seek the Mexican line.
amply supplied with funds, he tourneyed
down the Columbia river 10 Portland, and
then ur the valley OF the Willamette 10
Salem. Here. worn out by his exertions
and the physical and mental strain OF
lodging vidoeqs. real and imaginary, the
hunted man fell sick. He was again sup
piled with money from Spokane, and
after recovery continued on his way TO
the south Only a few days elapsed be-
fore he was safe within the Mexican line.
In the meantime the trunk, which had
afforded concealrnent from the officers,
IL, . he ir~F.+ ~
co. Early the present month II was dis
s,oyered--how is best told by Agent r. W.
LYONS who wrote the following letter 10
r w. Gilbert. superintendent at Spokane.
and to W. r. Bernard. A. +. G. A. at Port
land:
pear Sir: March 20. 1895. we received
from Seattle TN N p car 2073. train "a. on
w b. 500. March IS. one trunk consigned
10 A. w. Boyle. Pasco. This trunk was
boxed and has since laid in the warehouse
uncalled for.
To-day I'm checking the warehouse we
found this box empty so far as the trunk
was concerned There were I'm the bottom
OF the box two or three old gunny sacks
and bottle containing liquid. The top OF
the box has cover that fastened inside
by means OF two cleats and small ropes.
on the outside OF the cover and around
the edge was a row OF nan heads rather
more close together than such a cover
would naturally demand.
THE box was amply large enough 10
contain an average sized man. The indl-
cations are very plain that somebody was
shipped in here. and after being unioaded
fhe occupant of the box raised the cover
and escaped. This would he an easy mat
ter 20 do. "a the box was unloaded az mid
night. and sfter being taken into the ware
house 10 was not again disturbed We
have so little freight that after a shipment
A. once placed In the house We have no
further occasion 70 disturb Il un.n II =
delivered. Mr. Weir the travelling audi
tor had occasion 20 examine the hox. and
50 discovered that IL was empty"
TIL. letter OF Agent Lyons set on foot
an extended inquiry. and Mr. Allen was
subjected 10 some pieasantries by his
comrades IN the freight offices along the
line Superintendent NcCabe wrote TO
Newman Kline. superintendent or the Sc
attic, Lake Shore & Eastern asking what
Mr.. Allen had 10 say in explanation: also
tnqulring the names or tho shippers and ir
~ were possible a man was shipped IN tho
box. But ERE mos, pointed letter was
written ny Mr.. Gilbert 20 Mr. NcCahe Il
YRS as follows. under the classification
''suhiect: dive stock I'm hoxes:''
'ncar Str; invite your attention 10 at
facii~d letter from our agut AZ pass,o
showing the method YOU have of getting
You may wish 70 look into this matter
Would suggest IN future that YOU put
them on Sc"
Hart was one ~ the TITO that burkoc,q
tho Anvek sisters. and, along With TouiS
Goodfriend ard Nike Golden was ~ la,.
sentence 81 seven years IN the pcnfter-
Tiarv. When the break occurred h,fh
Goodfricnd anT Golden refused ~ leava
the wide-open faf and orTy a short time
sfterward Vera nardoned not having
served day a. Waila Wall Whether
Hr7 would have sharNf in the good for
fnne or his fellows Is rot known
Harris escape from the Officers. vyhe,,
one considers me circumstances OF che
san delivery and tho Subsequent rounding
up % the small TOt ~ criminals is no,
remarkable Among the crowd OF ,,1u--
derers ana thugs Hart was a criminal ~
small Importance ani the direct efforts ~
sheriff Van De Nanter. assisted ~ rNlAf
~ Police Rogers were hent FIRST and last
on The CAPTURE - Blanck hir1<e,- when
y - rejected that things we're ~>,e,vs,i
"f the Desperate shortly srte~ r,,i,inirA,
fhe night % The escape. -here IS ,,, ro,-,,
Tor wonder that HRrt so easily role OF
of the ct~y. The officers Nas-fr- io~,.~.,
Banck. ceagse,F7fo watch the trssns a..
Harris box passet uucha1ferre4 tsaa
Hart been TIA only prisoner o,t+ ~ s,1 a.
~ thought ~ would never have ,,-,.,.
away a. he did The-e would Nav,, Ne,
TOO many sharp eyes on boxes ahst,t re
deqotS
ONLY ONE SAFE WAY.