Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21

SCiiS. no SCIScYSAs VI the Dy
means of a lever, closes all of the cell
doors at once. On this night the scape-
grace military convict erouched in a dark
corner when the sergeant closed the cell
main corridor. He had simply then to
wait for the sergeant and the sentries to
pass out and into the guard ROOM and
slip out of the wtderopen door. This he
did, rs it was all afterward figured out
He made his way in the darkness to the
cliff on the San Francisco side clambered
down to the abrupt beach and plunged in.
The night was particularly wild and
stormy. Two days later his body was
cast up on the Preside beach Suspended
from his neck by a cord. beneath his con-
Wet undershirt, was small oiIskin bag.
1t contained nothing but carte visite pho
tograpn of his girl wife and baby The
girl died in less than a week from heart
break.
A Successful Attempt.
A sentry was stationed on the Alcatraz
dock, at the base of the cliff upon which
the mems quarters stand, one night few
years ago. The business of the sentry sta
toned on that post is to see that no boats
pull alongside the dock in the night to
carry away prisoners, and to shoot into
them if they do. Boats are not permitted
to approach within 200 yards of the dock
day or night. the government boat being
the only exception, This particular sentinel
vas stationed there at o'clock at night.
When the corporal of the guard two hours
later, brought another sentry down to re-
lieve him, he found his gun planted into the
wooden dock by means of the fixed bay
CT ct His belt was sIung over his gun, and
so was his overcoat. Pinned to the over
coat was a slip Of paper with these words
scrubbed in pencil upon it: Gone, but not
forgotten The hurried investigation show
ed that five of the most desperate prisoners
OF the batch on the island were gone 1t
Was decided as probable that the prisoners
had gotten out of the prison through
In ft,o r-rrf
cpen), and had sneaked I'D on the drowsy
sentry, overpowered him and compelled
him to go along with them in the boat
brought TO the dock by confederate One
OF the prisoners, in sardonic frame of
mind. had probably scrawled the note.
None of the crowd, soldier or convicts. was
ever captured.
They Ate Dinner Elsewhere
Much the same sort of thing happened in
the broad light of day at Fort Leaven-
worth early In the eighties. A soldier with
an excellent record was sentinel over three
convicts down near the banks of the Mis-
souri, river, which flows by the post. When
1t came time for the soldier to bring his
prisoners into the prison for the noon din
ner and turn them over to the prison guard.
he did not show up. A patrol party was
instantly sent to where the sentry's gang
OF three had been assigned to work cutting
wood The corporal of the patrol found the
soldiers gun leaning against a tree and his
belt lying at the, foot of it note was
plhned to the stock of the rifle 1t said.
II you get me. you can t make the charge
against me Of stealing government prop
erty, Tor here's my gun and belt And IL
you want to know ,wheEe We are go to HI
and find out" The four men, sentry and
v Wticb s. naa swan the Big Muddy"
farmer on the Missouri side had seem
them emerge from. the water and been
told by them to mind his own business on
ifo -
u authorities of Kansas and Missouri +riad
their best to round the four men up. hut
not one OF them was ever taken.
DUTY. sfronxeE4Thsin Friendship.
A sentry. NOW ins'thei artillery as a SER
geant, was guarding Single prisoner. who
was engaged tn picking up scraps of pa-
per and refuse along The roads. at the
preside of sansFrancfscS few years ago
The prisoner was the sentry's friend. They
had been buHkies and intimate chums In
the same comphny. ssThe two men were
iona OF each other and, before the prts-
oner had gotten his sentence for fckinp
fls first sergeant, they had fought for each
other many e. time. On this afternoon
when the prisoner had worked his way
aown near the fence around the preside,
the sentry right after him with his loaded
rihe, ne suddenly halted and turned in his
tracks. 40 -A-S
Joe" said he to the sentry. you know
l ooH Whit 10 get you In trOuhle-
but L m going to go now"
No." said the sentry
Yes. am; l can't stand it any longer,
Joe; ard I've got twc-year bit yet to do;
SO L m going now"
Not while 1 am sentry over you; you'll
get me In trouble; wait until some other
fellow has you OUT
Il just can't do it. Joe: must go now
The sentry Iaused.
If you make break" said he finally,
TN Kill you. Mark me, now. I'll shoot
you dead If you make break"
on, you wouldn't do it. Joe; you
better keep out of trouble by coming along
with me. We could go 1t together all
right No? Well. SO long; III write to
you"
The convict started for the fence at a
Come back." shouted his sentry friend.
standing stockstill. The convict turned
and waved his hand at him.
Once more, come backw again shouted
the sentry.
The prisoner kept right on. AS he was 60
ing through the fence his friend on duty
raised his rifle, took steady aim, and put
hall in the back Of his head. The con-
Wet fell back dead. The civil authorities
OF San Francisco wanted the sentry for
murder. The commanding officer of the
pest declired to give him up. THE SOL
der only did his duty" he said. But the
soldiers heart was so sore within him over
the II ing that his health went back on
MIN, ana he had to be given a long fur
Tough. He is pretty quiet man today.
A Swim With Man-Enting Sharks.
When tn. cruiser Boston arrived at Hon.
olulu on her way to China early last year
three of her men, seamen, deserted. The
Boston went on to China without them,
Tut the cruiser Bennington was stationed
In the port, and the master-at-arms of her
had no difiic atty in getting the three de-
serters. They were brought aboard the
Bennington and put In double irons. One
evening after dark the irons were taken
off their feet and hands for some purpose.
The three men reached the topgallant fore
cas- tie, slid down the anchor chains into
the water and were off The Bennington
then was anchored about mile from the
Honolulu decks. Honolulu harbor Is alive
with Elan-eating sharks. But sharks are
natural towards; t44ey fear the splashing
made by two or three. men, and, down there
at least, will only HAttauk a man when he
is alone in the water. Ffalf a dozen gfgan-
tic sharks followed these three deserving
swimmers all the way eto the docks; but
the men, who wefei experts in the water.
kept Up great tosdo with hands and feet
in the water, andi!theI sharks kept at
n icfa nf tov ha