The evening times., 1898-10-13
PoWELL'S FRENCH LEAVE"
Little Mystery About the Escape of
the Alleged Murderer.

There is very little mystery connect
ed with the temporary escape of Eugene
Powell, the alleged murderer of Patrick
Lee who managed TO get out of his cell
yesterday afternoon and for nine hours
evaded the efforts of the police for his
recapture
Policeman Mansfield, who was on duty
at the Sixth Precinct station house,
said he gave the persons a drink of wa
ter at 40 and 2:I5. When he entered the
cell room to take Powell out and turn
him over to the men who were to take
him to jail, Powell was not there
Mansfield rushed out into the corridor
where he met Serst. Falvey, who was
acting lieutenant in the absence of
Lieut.. Kelly. who is now out of the
city. The policeman told his superior
of the escape and the latter h rried to
police headquarters where he informed
Major Sylvester what had occurred. The
major Immediately informed the various
stations of the escape and ordered every
man in the department to be on the
alert. AS a result the man was cap
tured al l0:40 last night as he was enter
ing the house of Grace Clark. Detec-
tives Muller, Baur, and Lacy were sent
out on the case as soon as Inspector Mat
tingly was informed that the murderer
was at large. They picked up the man 5
trail and followed him with much difficult
ty to the house where he was captured,
When the detectives arrived al the house
they found that Powell had gone out a
few minutes before, hut it was discovered
that he had made arrangements to sleep
there last night. The detectives met Po-
, iiceman Ward on the street and told him
to watch the house while they went to
the place where Powell was supposed to
have gone.
Shortly after the detectives left the vi
cinity Powell and another colored man
came down the street, and he was imme-
diateIy arrested by Policeman Ward.
The question of how the man escaped is
no mystery to the members of the police
department. The cells in use in the Dis
trict station houses are said to be of the
most antiquated pattern, and it has been
pointed out to Congress time and time
again by the District officials that a
person with ordinary intelligence could
pick the locks with which the cells are
secured. These locks are the best that
can be bought, Major Sylvester said last
night, but 1t was fact that prisoners
have repeatedly escaped from the cells
and roamed around the cellroom. Under
ordinary circumstances the heavy doors
to the ceflroom are not closed, and it is in
not closing these yesterday that the Of
ficers on duty at the Sixth precinct are
considered lax in the discharge of their
duty
Recently wire netting cover to the
cell door has been accepted by the local
officials but so far, only one station
house has been fitted with the new ap-
piiances. The netting is so placed that a
person inside of the cell cannot reach
the lock.
Major Sylvester has design for steel
cell and cell room which he wants to
have adopted in this city. He says the
cells have been in use for a long time
in Baltimore, and from the report of the
Maryland officials. it would appear that
their operation has been very successful.
An investigation of, the escape of Pow
ell has been started. but Major Sylvester
does not think that there is any blame
attached to any particular PRISON.
Powell was brought to headquarters
this morning. where he was measured
and photographed. after which he was
sent to jail. ~ -