The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-03
A BREAK FOR LIBERTY.
TWO PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM
THE CITY JAIL.
Sam Phillips and Harry Lyons Are
at Large-The Other Prisoners
Who Might Have Gained Their
Liberty Preferred to Remain
How the Job Was Done.

Sam Phillips and Harry Lyons sawed
the paddock of the city prison during
the early hours of yesterday morning
and are now at large. A new lock is
now the only obstacle standing in the
| way of the liberty of Frank Robert
son, Jake O'Connor and another pris-
oner, but they will not repeat the
performance of Phillips and Lyons, for
they had the chance last night TO get
away and declined the hazard.
Phillips and Lyons were engaged
upon the Jail delivery from about 8
o'clock on Monday evening TO o'clock
Tuesday morning. After Jailer Kim
ball had made his quarters as secure
as possible, he left the interior of the
old hulk 70 it's occupants.
The systematic manner in which the
breakers made ready for their labor
stamps them as professionals. A bar
was first sawed from the iron bedstead
in their cell. This was to be used as a
lever on the outside frame doors. Then
work was commenced on the grating
Portal separating the prisoners from
the main hall of the building. Two fine
steel saws were taken either from the
hatbands or shoes of the men. Thrust
ing his hands between the bars, one
VI the men ISlu the pdQlOCk III lhc
most convenieng position while the
other started to cut the lock. They did
it by relays, while the other prisoners
watched in amusement. About 2:30 the
lock began to yield. When half way
through the haSp, the bar wrenched
from the bedstead was used to break
the lock. few smart blows accom-
Dlished the purpose.
Then Phillips and Lyons gave two
hi crl cfe trirr ,arAf1
and in high glee invited their COM
panions to seize the opportunity and
flee into the night. There was some
parley. Robertson is prisoner who
was sentenced for $50 days, and has 80
more of the original sentence to serve,
or less with deductions for good be-
havior He made mathematical prop
osition of it and concluded to remain
and be released without a cloud hang
ing over him. O'Connor had just been
arrested for petit larceny. He was I'M
certain as to his fate when arraigned
before the police magistrate, and also
declined the invitation; the other man
was serving a petty sentence and did
not relish the chances, so, after being
saluted as 'chumps and fools" by the
breakers, they were left behind.
Lyons and Phillips crossed the hall,
and with the iron bar forced the lock
of the door, opening into the dining
room, then the door from this apart
ment into the kitchen. 1t was an
easy matter to crawl out of the win
dow and take the alley back of the jail,
out into State street. Discovery of
the delivery was not made until about
o'clock, when the cook entered her
kitchen to prepare the morning meal.
She startled the desk sergeant mo-
ment later by the cry: They've got
away; the prisoners is out"
1t was all true enough. The three
broken locks and the three culprits who
were still sleeping in their beds, con-
frmed the story. Robertson and O'Con-
nor gave the details. Robertson is a
young fellow of smooth face who was
sentenced last October for enticing
some girl from ogden to a house of
i'll fame in this city. He was required
to pay a fine of $50 and serve 80 days, |
making a total of $50 days. If the !
young prisoner had known that an
other charge is pending upon which I
he will be arraigned when the first |
sentence is completed, he might have
taken the advice of Phillips and Lyons. /
He must answer to a charge of petit |
larceny.
Phillips is the smooth rascal who |
stole Postmaster Barratts overcoat on |
February %, and glibly admitted it.
He got so days. Harry Lyons was ar /
rested for removing store clothing from
dummies. He was sentenced on Feb.
4 to serve 10 days. No trace of the
men has been found.