The San Francisco call., 1896-06-03

work hunting for Henry Wheeler, con-
vict, who disappeared about o'clock Mon
day evening.
Among the prison officials the prevailing
opinion seems to be that Wheeler is con-
cealed within the inclosure, and with this
view in mind a thorough search Of every
nook and Granny in each OF the buildings
is being made.
Wheeler was employed in the jute mill,
where he had passed about a year and a
half hemming bags. His behavior is said
to have been exemplary; but while his
hands were busy with the needle his
thoughts were evidently bent on the re-
gaining OF his liberty.
During Sunday and Monday he seemed
somewhat more reticent than usual.
though he had never been very commune
cative, and on Monday while bnsy at his
appointed task seemed TO be nervous and
restless. His work, however, was well
done, and as he made no complaint little
notice was given TO the slight alteration in
his manner.
At O'Clock Wheeler ceased to be visible.
As though the earth had opened and
swallowed him, he left no trace OF his
having been in his accustomed place an
instant before.
Immediately the jutc mill was in an
uproar. By means of communication best
known to themselves, the news of an dis
appearance spread among the convicts,
and eyes which had been dull and hope
less cleaned with mingled envy and salts
faction.
"Wheeler's gomez" the intelligence tray
eled rapidly from man to man, and the
restlessness, usual when news of the es-
cape gets abroad among the convlcts, was
70 N,,ni, Y,1n nf,,1Vv IL,
gaze of the guards and warders.
The jute mill was cleared forthwith, and
the convicts there employed were placed
in their cells, in order to prevent them
from spreading the news of the supposed
escape.
Then most minute and careful search
of the mill buildings was instituted. The
walls were tapped with hammers, the
floors sounded and wherever loose
plank was noticed it was highway torn
up, in the expectation that perhaps the
fugitive might be found hiding in some
burrow or crevice. Upstairs and down the
bands of searchers labored, but without
success.
Darkness at length came on and all the
lights in the mill were ordered turned on
in their full strength. Each searcher was
provided with lantern and the jute mill
was soon abaze with light. The search
went on during the entire night, the man.
hunters working by turns.
The lights paled in the radiance of the
rising sun, and yet no Wheeler came to
view. But the search was not given over.
The mill was strongly guarded within and
without, and then the outer premises, par
celed out into districts, were gone over
literally inch by inch. Bit by bit the
radius of exploration was widened, until
the outer limits of the prison domain were
reached, when the entire ground was COW
cred over again, the second search within
the iute mill being almost tinical in it's
miEuteness.
Meanwhile kilograms had been sent in
every direction and several squads of
guards were securing the country back of
the prison. While most of the officers be-
lieved the missing man to be in hiding,
there were others who thought it possible
that he had in some manner evaded the
vigilance of the wardens and escaped
from the prison precincts. All day yes
terday the search went on, but the one
hunted fugitive who had stirred up all the
ADO declined to answer to his name.
~ heeler is professional escaper." re-
marked CAPTAIN Birlen yesterday. The
CAPTAIN seems sorely perplexed at the con-
vlcl's disappearance and has shown much
interest in the search now under way.
Yes" he resumed, 'what this man
Wheeler doesn't know about escaping
isn't worth knowing. He is a thorough
going criminal and has a record as q bur-
glar which many a more pretentious crook
might envy. And yet he is young.
don't believe he is over 35 years OF age
He first escaped from this prison in
1888. He was serving his time for a bur
glary committed, I.don't know where, and