The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-30
FIVE CONVICTS Baked
TOOK DESPERATE CHANCES TO Es-
CAPE AT JEFFERSONVILLE.
Colin Campbell, of This City, the
Leader-HOIe Through the Roof
and a Ladder.

Colin Campbell. who is serving a four
year term in the Reformatory at Jefferson
vile for embezzlement of the funds of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in
this city, led carefully-planned attempt
to escape from the prison dollhouse early
yesterday morning. Campbells companions
were Memhart Schwartz, Philip Crems,
Charles Smith and Charles Morganson The
men were all captured before they had
reached the outside world and will be
thrown into the lowest grade Of prison life
and obliged to wear stripes. 1t will take
them a year to reach the first grade again
and be permitted to wear the natty blue
uniforms which this class is clothed in.
Capt James r. Henry, a member of the
Reformatory board. happened to be at the
institution at the time. He returned to the
city last night and told of the attempted
escape. The men were all members of the
Reformatory band and had access to the
musical instruments. From the stringed in
struments they removed all the strings and
wove them with some bits of thread and
string into a rope about fifteen feet long.
At intervals along the length of this rope
were fastened short pieces of iron. max
ing ladder. They also tore up bed clothing
and made another rope about fifty feet
long.
With these they then sought method
by which they could reach the top of the
cells. They were kept in Dollhouse c. which
adjoins the main Office building. Once on
the top of the cells it would be an easy
matter to cut a hole in the roof of the
dollhouse. The long rope was intended to
be used to reach the ground on the outside.
Owing to the crowded condition of the Re-
formatory all the prisoners cannot be kept
in cells at night. Some forty or fifty sleep
On cots inside the dollhouse in the corri-
doris. Campbell and his companions slept
on the balcony of the top range of cells.
1t is about twelve feet from the floor Of
this balcony to the top of the cells, and the
top extends out over the balcony. The
short rope ladder was fastened to Crap
ping hook made by bending an iron stove
poker stolen from the hospital. With
pole used to raise and lower the windows
of the dollhouse this hook was placed on
top of the projecting portion of the top
of the cells and the men clambered up on
top of the cells. 1t was a difficult and ex-
tremely hazardous undertaking. There was
little assurance that the hook would not
slip or that the rope would not break.
fall would have landed them, not on the
iron floor of the balcony from which they
started, but on the stone tagging OF the
lower floor, about thirty-five feet below.
All the five men reached the top of the
cells, and then hole was made through
the roof, which could easily be reached
standing on top of the cells. For this work
the men had bunch of saws and files and
a Ratchet. Campbell was the first to climb
through the opening, and out into the cool
night air. Then one of the others appeared.
But these two were all that went so far.
TIPPED OFF BY "A CONVICT.
Another convict reported to Deputy War
den Garvin Sunday afternoon that he had
heard some of his fellows make the boast
that they would be free before the next day
or would be wearing stripes The boast was
known to have come from a convict in Cell
house C and Mr. Garvin surmised that the
escape would be attempted by way of the
roof. He accordingly took a guard with
him and camped out on top of the building.
After hours of waiting the two men heard
the noise, as the convicts beneath began
working on the roof. They let them cut the
hole. Then mans body was pulled
through, and a moment afterWard another.
Mr.. Garvin did not know how many he
might have to cope with and thought two
were sufficient to have on the roof with him
and the single guard. He shouted to the eS-
Gaping convicts and fired a shot over their
heads. The second one to emerge dived back
into the hole, while Campbell threw up his
hands and exclaimed:
IN surrender. For Gods sake, Mr. War
den, don't shoot me-"
He was sent back through the hole and
later the five men were taken back off the
cell top. 1t was a difficult job to land them
safely There was no ladder long enough to
reach from the lower floor to the top and
1T was impossible to place a ladder from
the upper range balcony to the top. The
convicts were finally Obliged to climb down
a rope to ladder set against one of the
balconies.
Campbell is the man who, though mar
ried, eloped with fifteen-year-old girl.
whom he took to St. Louis, The child sang
In South Side church choir which he d.
rected. The case against him for embez-
zling was not regarded as a very strong
one, but the jury. it was believed by many,
punished him on general principles. He was
under a six years sentence