The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-18
A Dummy Revolver in the
Hands of a Desperate
FrightenS Him.
A BOLD AND DARING DEED.
After Locking Up the Prison
Keeper the Latter's Captor
ProclaimS Freedom.

murdererS and six other criminals of lesser
degree, including burglars, counterfeiters
and horsethieves, are loose in this county,
and the people of Seattle and surrounding
country are in a fever of excitement and
fear. This state of affairs is due to dar-
ing county jail delivery, successfully ac-
complished under the leadership of the
notorious Thomas Blanck, twice muir
derer, with the aid of dummy revolver
made of wood.
1t was 80 this evening when Night
Jailer Yorkberry went into the north cor
ridor of the County Jail to take medicine
to w. a. Wilcox, convicted murderer.
When he reached the iron door in front of
the cells, he saw what he took to be the
barrel of revolver thrust between the
bars, and heard the voice of Blanck.
"Throw up your hands," said Banck.
The revolver was between the jailer and
the outer door, and, as the latter hesitated
an instant, the command was repeated.
The jaller's hands went up. Blanck made
Yorkberry turn around, produced a rope
from his pocket, tied his captive to the bars
and then took the iailer' revolver from his
pocket.
Then Blanck threw down the dummy
revolver and used the jailer's He next
loosened the cord about the jailers right
arm, threw moose over the latter's neck
and commanded him to unlock the COM
bination."
The jailer obeyed, and with the disen-
gagged hand soon had the iron door to the
cage swinging open. Blanck then went
through the iailer's pockets, taking his
keys and thirty cents in money.
He ordered the jailer into the cage oc-
cupied by Knowlton, the gold brick man,
and locked him up. Then he stepped into
the office, returned in a few seconds, re-
entered the cage, picked up Knowlton's s
heavy overcoat and donned it. Then this
condemned murderer issued mis- prociama-
ton OF freedom to all the prisoners, coolly
walked out and disappeared in the dark.
There was wild rush of ten other prisoners
after him.
Among these was Murphy, the slayer of
ex-Pugilist Phil DAVIS who was resentenced
recently for the crime of manslaughter
Murphy followed the prisoners, bent on
escape, but changed his mind, and imme-
diately went to police headquarters and
gave the news.
Detective Cudinee, who caught Blanck
last fall after desperate hand-to-han
fight, at once started for the Jail, and on
the way met Wilcox, who had picked up
the dummy revolver, and had also started
for headquarters with view of informing
the officers. Both of these convicted mur-
derers meekly went back to their cells.
The news spread like wildfre, and few
moments more only passed before an
enormous crowd had gathered in front of
police headquarters. In the meantime
Sheriff Van Devanter, was in conference
with his deputies, and steps were taken
to recapture the men.
Ex-Sheriff Woolery was sent out to pa
troll the Lake Washington shore, and other
guards are now covering the various ave-
nues of escape, while descriptions of the
freed prisoners have been telegraphed to
every county in the State.
The officers will shoot Blanck on sight.
HIS record last fall proves him to be the
coolest and quickest shooter that ever COM
mitUed murder in King County, and he will
kill a man on the slightest provocation.
The prisoners released were in what is
called the north division of the JAIL where
the murderers and desperate characters
are confined There are two other divi-
sions, but Blanck, who could easily have
thrown open the doors to these, also passed
them by.
James Murphy, the man who had given
the police the first information of the
break, said:
This escape was evidently planned and
executed by Blanck entirely without the
connivance or assistance of any person
in the Jail. l am satisfied that no
other person but Blanck knew any,
thing about the matter. We did not
even know why he took down the rope. I
thought it was worn out from men swing
ing on it and that he was going to mend
1t. | could not tell how many reyolvers
Blanck has now, but know well enough
that he did the work with the fake gun.
It looked just like real revolver. don't
know where he got it or who gave it to
him."
At this point Detective Cudihee came in
with the flake" pistol 1t is made of soft
wood, carved out in the shape of five or
six shot revolver. 1t was colored black,
and if any one had it pushed into his face
at a moments notice he would be willing
to swear that he was looking down the
muzzle of genuine revolver.
At the courthouse Night Jailer Yerberry
and Day Jailer Moore were figuring up ac-
counts. Yerberry talked freely, but in
sisted that Blanck had real steel-colored
revolver. He said:
Don't you suppose know the differ
ence between that fake gun, as you call it,
and the real gun Blanck had. Its no use
talking. Blanck may have had that piece
of wood, but he also had real shooting
iron"
Yerberry then gave the story of the hold
up about as Murphy narrated. He added
that Frank Hart helped Blanck bind his
arms before they threw him into the cell.
Yerberry has been night jailer for fifteen
months and this is the first mishap that
has occurred to him. u to about month
ago he was assisted at night by Second
Jailer II. G. Thornton, formerly Chief of
Police of Seattle, but the County Commits