The evening times., 1896-10-06
BROKE THE LOCK AND FLED
Howard M0ulton Escaped from
Georgetown Station.
A NERVY COLORED SAMSON
He Had Been Cleverly Captured by.
Corporal Confer of the Barracks,
Whose Bicycle He Had StOlen-IIis
Escape Was Not Discovered for
Some Hours fterward.

hOWiTu hOuuOn, young cOiOreu Dltycte
thief, after a few brief hours OF imprison-
ment yesterday afternoon in the George
town lookup grew weary of the enyirons
ments and unpleasant atmosphere of his
cell, so he seized the big paddock in his
strong hands and Samson-like broke it
apart, and quietly closing the heavy iron
doors behind him shook the dust of the
station house from his feet and made his
escape.
1t was broad daylight, early in the after
noon. squad OF reserves were lounging
around waiting for rsomethingto turn up, and
the desk sergeant sat at his pOSt answering
calls and regularly responding 20. k to
calls from men on the beat.
The big clock on the wall was slowl Y tick
ing off the minutes, all was quiet Il nd well
about the station, and not even drunk
was in the remaining cells TO disturb the
quiet OF the Seventh precinct.
AT Just what time their bird had flown
none of the officers could tell today, but
il was somew here in the neighborhood OF
D. NJ. when some one had occasion to go
back into tie corridor where the bicycle
thief was supposed TO be repenting OF his
sins, sitting on the hard wooden bench, that
tile escape was discovered.
THE CAPTURE.
The story uf how Moulton CAM to he So
journing in a felon's cell is as follows:
Abouta month 20 Corporal Confer OF Bat-
tery /, Fourth Artillery, at the Barracks,
mounted his new bicycle and took spin
to West Washington TO see his best girl.
Before entering her home he placed his
wheel under the parlor bay window.
When the time came TO take his depar-
ture. the corporal found that some thief
had ridden way on his bike" He rode
To the barracks that night on the cable
cars, and on the folio wing day he borrow
ed wheel and started out TO find the
rosue and his missing bicycle.
For a month on his OF days. Coulter has
played sleuth and searched every section
of the city for rhisstoleu prof. erty. Yesterday
morning his search was rewarded He
spied a colored boy riding bicycle which
he Thought might be his, and followed the
youth until he stopped at an establishment
in Georgetown where wheels are repaired.
The colored lad entered the place and left
the bicycle to be mended. promising TO re-
turn for it at certain hour in the after
noon. Confer did not wish to flush his game,
so he remained outside until the boy had
taken his departure. Then he entered
and recognized the wheel as his property
by certain private marks and the number.
THE ESCAPE.
1t had been wocfully transformed by the
thief, however. In stead OF the modest
maroon color lit was wont to wear, the pur-
lciRer had daubed it with gaudy and bFsl-
liant red, white and blue hues, until it re-
sembled trick wheel. such as are used
in circuses. He had also removed certain
parts OF the mechanism and substituted for
them parts from another bicycle
a trap was laid to capture the thief, and
late yesterday afternoon, at the appointed
hour, the hiuc-coated sleuth and Detective
Frank Burrows OF the Seventh precinct
Were on hand when the colored youth cam.
to get the bicycle. He was taken by ssr-
prise, but denied he had stolen the corporal's
wheel. He gave his name as Howard
Mnulton and was locked up at the George
town station house.
Cell No. 4 is the last one on the east cor
fidor, and from the corridor is an outside
door leading down to the stable and into
the yard. Through this it was Moulton
escaped while the W hole force W as diligently
ON duty.
The thief is about nineteen years old, OF
stocky build and very muscular. By reach
ing through The bars, he was able to seize
the lock, and as the holts which hold it to-
gether are not Tiveted, he was able TO
wrench it apart, and his exit was then an
easy matter.
Carefully he must have guarded his
opportunity, and by closing the door so
as TO avoid any suspicion he might have
been gone an hour before his absence was
discovered.
TUE FOURTH OF THE KIND.
This is the fourth escape from the
Georgetown station which has occurred
within recent years, the most remarkable
one being that OF Il timer named Cole
man, on Thirty-seConG street "a few weeks
ago. The man was morphine fiend, and
when under the influence OF the drug was
subject to the most terrific rawlings. which
made il necessary 10 sometimes unprison
him.
Coleman. in his rational moments, was 4
very brilliant man aud a skilled mechanic.
He swore that there was 10 prison cell in
Washington strong enough to hold him, and
that he would not remain in one. He
subsequently, proved what he said One
night lie was placed in celiNo. 1 and during
the night quietly set at work. picked the
lock. opened the cell door, relocked it,
picked the lock OF the outside door and was
missing in the morning.
Another prisoner, about four years ago,
one night cut the bricks which held the lock
out of his cell and thus escaped, and u
very unruly negro who was placed down
stairs in the dungeon made similar sue
cessful escape from the station
Moulton has not been Fecaptured, though
Il search is being made for him, and if again