The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-10
REFORM SCHOOL ESCAPES
How Juvenile Prisoners Get Away
From the Institution.
BOYS SENT FROM THE WEST
Washington Lads Crowded Out by
Culprits From the States and Ter
States Courts-Eight Fugitivcs
Captured in a Swamp.

The escape of nine boy prisoners from
| ing will result in an investigation by the
board OF directors as to how IT was posi-
BILE for so many inmates to make sue
cessful dash for liberty at the same time
IL is true that eight of the fugitives were
! recaptured within an hour after they made
| the break, but that result might not have
| happened, knowing ones say.
The boys who made the attempt were
| all white, and United States prisoners
| That rs, they were sent to the TT formScho0l
! by Federal courts in the Territories, and
some of the Western States, to serve dur
ing their minority or long terms for rob
bling the mails, and other statutory Of
fenscs. as they were considered too young
to be incarcerated in the penitentiaries
1t is due largely to this fact that they owe
their speedy recapt0re Being strangers IN
this Section'of the country, they ran east
ward through the swamps, their way fl
nalIy being blocked by the Eastern branch
of the Potomac, along the banks Of which
they were captured.
The boys are allowed two reoesseS every
week day for play, and it is during these
periods of reCreations that most OF the
escapes are made. The first recess as at
noon and the second late in the afternoon.
The playground is said to he about half
acre of lawn. Beyond the limits of this
space the juvenile prisoners are not per
mitted to go. Should they q" sopunishment
is metcd out to the offenders. While at
play the boys are III charge OF two guards.
TIE inmates wear a sort OF hickory or
brown uniform, made distinctive So they
can be silly recognized by the police
should they get away. When any of the
prisoners are brought to the city they are
clad in a blue uniform similar TO that
worn 10y the regular Army soldiers.
During the afternoon recess Friday the
boys were romping about the playground
as usual. A plot had been formed among
the nine United states boys to make dash
together at given signal. While the at
tention of the guards was temporarily
diverted, the signal, three shrill whistles
were given, and away went the youngsters.
They scattered and made for the eastern
fence. over which they quickly ciambered
like monkeys.
An alarm was given by the guards and
the signal hell on one Of the buildings was
TunC In the meantime the fuGitives ian
rapidly through the underhrush and woods
TO the swamps which skirt the Eastern
Branch.
The guards quickly organized searching
party, which included several 'JrusticS'
among the colored boys The pursucrs fol-
lowed rapidly after the rHnaways and in
less than an hour had captured eight of
them They were found in bushes and hol-
lows, while oae little fellow from Texas, it
is said. had climbed into a high tree.
The colored TRUSTEES" were almost like
bloodhoundS and succeeded in locating most
of the runaways. For this they will have
their terms OF imprisonment reduced, 1t he
ing one of the rules of the institution That
when a trust Y" captures a runaway lie is
allowed SO much time off.
The boy stu at large is believed To have
started in the direction of Baltimore in or
der to cvade the Washing ton police, who
are perfectly familiar with the reform
school uniform. The eight who maIle The
unsuccessful break were punished for max
ing the attempt. besides being deprived of
all privileges
There are over 300 boys in the institu-
ton, and escapes are said to be frequent,
although nearly all OF the fugitiyeS are le-
captured. Supt. Shallenberger is much an
noyed over the attempt made by the boys
on Friday, as they were United States priS-
unerS. and he has already taken steps To
prevent the recurrence Of any such whole
sale delivery.
policeman stated today that the nine
boys who escaped Friday evening did il
in a novel manner The signal whistle
was given while the nine boys were pla wing
ball near the edge of the prescribed play
ground. As the signal sounded, one of the
boys threw the ball far in the direction
of the eastern fence, and then the nine made
rush in that direction. presumably after
the ball. They kept on running, however,
and scaled the fence almost before the sur