New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1898-09-21

and then coolly walked out Of the bank
and out of sight with all the funds he
could get his hands on.
Zone day man answering closely
the description we had of Barnes STEP
ped off the train at Los Angeles. We
took him in tow at once, but found
we did not have the bird we were after.
However,, we managed to hold him
long enough to find out that he was
Frank Steadman, who had become no.
torious even at that time as successful
Jail breaker. He had four or five escapes
from prison in southern Indiana credit
ed to him. had got away from Joliet
and had still seven years to do at the
Illinois prison; had also been at San
Quentin, and had escaped from there
with five years unfinished.
"Steadman was machinist by pro-
fession, and burglar by inclination.
When he was sent back to San Quentin
to finish his time, he was put to work
with other convicts in the engine room.
It was here that an idea came into his
brain that for absolute daring and fear
lessness was typical of theman. He had
noticed that every evening at the time
the men working in the engine room
We're lined up to be marched away, the
machinery was stopped at exactly the
same moment. He had observed as we'll
that window leading to an adjacent
roof was not far from the top of the big
driving belt of the engine. From that
roof it was possible to reach the outer
wall Of the prison. Beyond the wall
was freedom. he had escaped so many
times that his mind reverted again and
again to the window high up on the
wall Of the engine room. Apparently it
was beyond all possibility of being
reached. No ladder was to be obtained.
Had such a thing been even standing
in place against the wall, to break
from the line and scale it with oatlike
dexterity, although the work Of but q
few seconds, he we'll knew would be
futile, possibly fatal. Bullets travel
faster than legs, and the guards were
not bad shots. But desperate deeds de-
mand desperate means. Some minds
may work with an ingenuity born of
despair, but Steadman' g was of differ
ent caliber. His plans were the out.
growth of steadfast optimism.
"One day there came to him as if by
inspiration the thought that the big belt
might be the means of carrying him to
his goal. He found that it was impossi-
BILE to count the revolutions Of the driv-
ing wheel, but there were lacings in
the broad belt, which he was able to
distinguish as q sort Of blur as it passed
a given point. For days and days he
counted, and in his cell at night be
spent his time in calculations. He dis
covered the exact number Of revolutions
the wheel made per minute. He learned
also by constant observation just how
many times the belt went round after
the engine was shut down.. ~
z"One evening, when the line had
been formed as usual at the close Of the
days work and as the big wheel began
to lose it's momentum, suddenly con-
vict sprang from the line. leaped to the
belt, with outstretohed arms graphing
both edges Of the broad leather. he had
calculated we'll the strength that would
be required, for the terrific wrench did
not loosen his grasp. Outward and up.
ward he swung until he reached the
topmost point Of the circumference. The
nicely Of his calculation had reaped itz
reward. The belt stopped. He leapedSto
his feet, sprang through the window
and was gone before convicts or guards
had recovered from their astonishment.
He caught up guards coat and hat,
dropped from the wall and got away IN
the dusk Of the evening. I am inclined
to believe that as q Mathematical propo-
sition that was about as perfect piece
of work as any man ever accomplished. y
And did he get away without no
capture?' some one asked.
No. lam almost sorry to shy, he did
not, = answered the Los Angeles CHIEF,
for that ought by rights to be the de-
nouement Of such q story, which oom-
hines so much OF daring and cleserness
Steadman was taken again in q. ahUt
time and put to work At his old Job.
There are bars over that high window
above the big drive belt now. Not lma
after this Steadman cut and nearly Hi
ed one Of the other convicts and Il nov
serving ont IN additional sentence fnr
attempted murder 6 the olsom pEisus
which il situated some IS miles hon
Sacramento. - Chicago Int@ Ocean.