The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-11
ONE HAS BEEN CAUGHT
NEGLIGENCE OF THE GUARD
CAUSED THE ESCAPE.
cONWCTs WERE ALLOWED TO GAMBLE
They Made so Much Noise Over Their Game
That the Guard Didn't Hear Them Tear
up the Hearth. Escapes Have Re-
Gently Been Frequent.

Superintendent Ray, of the Wake
county Work House, is making about as
brilliant a record with his prisoners as
John r.. Smith made with the peniten-
tiary convicts. In fact he is going John
II. a few better.
In January of this year Ray reported
that twelve prisoners had escaped dur
ing the last eleven months; or, in other
words. that the Escapes were about 10
per cent of the receipts. Since then half
a dozen more have escaped. -Four of
IL / took leg bail Wednesday night,
and they were all long-term prisoners.
Those who escaped are:
DICK RRIDGERS. who was two
months ago convicted of robbing Gattis'
store and was sent to the roads for four
years.
CHARLES GRAHAM, who was sew
eral months ago convicted of highway
robbery of Mr.. Thurston on the Fay
etteyille road near this city. He has
FIVE years to serve.
JAMES ROLLINS, who was convict
Ell in Wake Superior court one year ago
of house breaking. He has four and a
half years to serve.
JOHN HAYES, convicted at Septem-
Der term of court of larceny. He has
two and half years sentence remaining
to serve.
The cause of escape was the negli-
gence of the guard and the fact that
the prisoners, some of whom have no
doubt been sent there for this parti-
cular crime, are allowed to gamble. Doc.
Gqllley was the guard on duty. He
says the prisoners We're playing craps in
AN adjoining room and making so much
noise that he did not hear them when
they escaped
A squad of twelve conyicts have been
employed blasting on the Tarboro road,
near Wilder's Grove, two or three miles
from this city. Two men We're employ
ed to guard them, Doc. Gulley being on
night duty while B. j. Norwood relieved
him during the day.
The convicts and guards slept in n
two room cottage. the conyicts in one
room, while the two guards were i'll the
adjoining room.
Wednesday night at 6 O'Clock, when
the men stopped work. one took into tho
room drill about one foot long, con-
cealed under his clothes. just as soon
.
they began their usual entertainment
playing scraps" Seven men were en-
gagged in this game, and -four were
hanging about the fireplace.
Gulley was in the guards room and
the loud noise made by the crap play
crs prevented HIS hearing the other pris-
oners who were at work ON the hearth
stone. The foot drill was brought into
use, and few minutes before s O'Clock
the hearth-stone was removed and the
four lOng-teTm prisoners began crawling
for their liberty.
The noise of some one crawling on
broken twigs under the house aroused
Doc. Gulley, and he at once made an
inspection To his establishment four
men were missing. and these the longest
term prisoners serving in the work house.
Gulley rlsheu from the house and saw
in the darkness Dick Bridgers making
good his escape The guard raised his
Winchester to his shoulder and fired
five shots at the convict.
The prisoners had gone toward Raleigh
and as soon as possiure word was sent
to the police here to keep a sharp watch
for the men. Before 3 O'Clock Officer
Conrad found Dick Bridgers at the
house of a disreptable wonlan-Enma
Pratt-on the Bowery. She had been
Bridgers friend before his conviction.
and it, was for this reason that the
police Swallowed the place.
The others are still at large. A re-
ward of $40 each IS offered for their
capture.
In addition to the above, two other
prisoners-Moses Williams, who got two
years for stealing Mrs. Branch's silver.
and VIM. AIicks, who was in for q
short term, have recently escaped from
Mr. Rays keeping.
Great are our fusion officers.