Evening journal., 1897-03-13
NEWS OF NEW CASTLE
HE SCALED THE WALL.
Arthur Webster Escaped From
New Castle Jail.
IS ONE OF THE BANNING BURGLARS

WHILE WARDEN GOULD WAS RE
CEIVING PRISONERS FROM VII
MINGTON HE HOOKED A ROPE
LADDER INTO THE JAIL YARD
WALL AND ESCAPED.
Arthur Webster one OF the Banning
burglars. escaped from Jail yesterday
afternoon, shortly after $3.50 o'clock, by
scaling the Jail yard wall by means OF
a rope-ladder. which he had manufac-
mred from his bedding and also from
the lining Of his prison coat.
Attached to one end Of the ladder was
stout hook. made OF small pieces of
telegraph wire bound tightly together
with strips Of bed ticking.
Webster was out in the yard exercis-
ing at the time OF his escape. Know
ing that the train from Wilmington
which brought the prisoners convicted
at the morning session OF Municipal
Court arrived at New Castle about $3.50
o'clock, and that shortly before
o'clock Warden Gould would be
busily engaged in receiving and
registering them, he timed his
movements to take advantage of
the wardens busy time in his office.
Slipping to his cell. he took of his
striped coat and went to the yard with
the rope ladder concealed about his
person.
xsrotobt,,, bte onpovturff,, ba focoad
the hook to the top Of the jail yard
wall. where It caught firmly. He then
pulled himself TO the top and dropped
over into the street No one, either in
side or outside the Jail, seems to have
seen the fellow when he went over the
wall.
The fact that no one on the streets
noticed him leads to the conclusion that
he had an accomplice on the outside
who supplied him with a pair of con-
ventional trousers to slip over those
which he wore in prison. This eon-
cealed his Identity from the people of
New Castle. who would quickly have
noticed the striped coat and trousers
had he attempted to walk through the
streets in broad daylight wearing them.
The escape was discovered about 4
o'clock, when the ccll-to-cell inspection
was made. An immediate search was
instituted, as 1t was thought that he
might have concealed himself about the
Jail premises, but when the rope was
found dangling from the wall it con-
vinced the Jail officials that the man
was on his way to freedom.
The sheriff Immediately notified the
police departments at Wilmington, Phil
adelphia and other cities to look Out
for him. and meanwhile a careful
search is being made of the rural dis
tricts in the neighborhood Of New Cas-
tie.
About a week ago the Jail officials
found a bottle of vitriol concealed in
his cell, but whether it was to be used
to throw in the face of the warden or tC
eat away the iron bars of his cell is
not known.
Webster was convicted at the las
! September term OF the Court of Genera
Sessions of being one of the principals
in the Banning burglary. He was ar
rested in Baltimore by Detectives Nc
Vey and Witsil, brought to Delaware
by requisition, indicted pleaded no
guilty. tried and convicted, togetherwitl
his accomplices. and was sent to jai
for FIVE years, in addition to suffering
the additional corporal punishment. H
had served only a little over sil
months Of his time.
He is a young man, heavy set, darl
n. fsaI.
, about 165 pounds. His desperate char
acter will induce the authorities 4
make extraordinary efforts to recap
ure him.