Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-11-21
A PATIENT CONVICT.
HOW HE EFFECTED HIS ESCAPE FROM
PORTLAND JAIL

The Only Prisoner Who Ever Man
aged 20 Get out Of the Great Eng
lIsh Prison Tells How He Accom-
plished the Dimcult Feat.
William Bartlett, q well known Eng
lish burglar. is the only man who ever
effected his escape from Portland pris
on. an escape which is the original II
that described In Hawley Smart's
novel. Broken Bounds" Bartlett told
the story Of his escape to reporter as
follows:
"rhe correct details Of my escape
have never been told" he said. I'm
tell you what actually happened. In
1868 received a sentence OF ten years
penal servitude. From Pentonville ]
was taken to Portland. II was awful.
made up my mind to escape-a feat
never before accomplished. One day !
managed to pick up small piece OF
hoop iron. That seemed like a godsend.
Every time ! had the chance | took
that iron hopping with me. and worked
like n niger to make II into a saw.
did II In fear and trembling, for the
slightest sound would have betrayed
me. A stroke Of luck awaited me. l
found convict who had got little bit
OF file. He had no ambition and said
the file was no good TO him. gave
him my dinner for II, and with the file
I was able to complete the saw. Then
l managed. by working stealtbily ev-
cry evening after l had been locked up
for the night. to saw through the wood
flooring OF my cell. Every night had
to replace the boards. so that the ward.
ers should not see what ! had done.
Then an awful disappointment await
ed me- The space beneath my cell was
lined with sheet iron: but, nothing
daunted. l eventually got through that.
Then got into an airshaft. and after
three months hard work saw my why
clear TO liberty.
at last the opportunity came. II
was dark night, and all was still.
With my sheets had made a rope.
and, rs luck would have Il. had pick.
ed up n piece Of wood. called dog
with iron hooks nj each end. put my
stool underneath the quilt, 10 look as
much like my body rs possible In case
the warlers should look in' aud then
went down the passage II had taken
me three months hard labor TO make.
After lifting an Iron grating found
myself In the open air and managed to
throw the hooks on my linen ladder
over wall. By this means got on to
the roof Of the officers quarters. There
was no one about. and the only sound
could hear was that made by my
beating heart. From the roof had 10
Jump on to the boundary wall, about
10 or IL feet distant. dare say II was
bold leap. but you don't stick ut
trifes when you are escaping from
Portland. made the leap and was
successful In reaching the boundary
wall. Then | got TO the ground by
means OF my linen ladder.
Unfortunately the hooks were so So
cure that had TO leave the ladder
where II was. and II II had not been
for that I might have been In London
In three or four days. As II was. had
an awful experience. While making n
desperate tug at the ladder heard
footsteps approaching. and I rushed
into the garden OF the grove public
house. turned round and saw
guard looking at the ladder. A few
minutes afterward shots were fired.
and bell was rung. My escape had
beon discovered Guards were running
by In all directions; but. unperceived.
I got through the window OF the Ro-
man Catholic chapel and concealed my.
self beneath the communion table.
which proved to be something very
much like box. could hear the
sound Of hurrying footsteps all night
but no one came into the chapel until
the next morning, when service was
held there.
1T was not pleasant position to be
In, can assure you. A sneeze or a
cough would have betrayed me. but
fortunately all went well. But got
very hungry. So at the end Of about
SO hours stole out and broke into the
Clifton hotel. there found some bread
and meat, cheese and tobacco. What
was OF more consequence, ! was able
to steal hat and some clothes. With
the clothing and the food-the sweetest
food ever tasted-l returned to my
hiding place In the chapel. Out OF
black coat made n pair Of trousers.
which happened TO be made Of velvet.
The food divided into six portions,
and for six days ! was concealed be-
meath that communion table. There
were frequent services. and. what was
still worse. the priest used TO come
In at night for private devotions.
AT last had more than enough Of
II and broke into the priests house
W ia NAt obJtNk Va OOtoAhihS SOhbN h'Na
ey. could find none. however There
was some silver plate, but that was Of
no use TO me. obtained white stole,
however. and with that made some
thing resembling shirt. Feeling now
fairly confident as to my appearance,
I walked down tie road and saw q
milkman. who l afterward found gave
information about me. At little place
10 miles from Portland concealed my
self In a field. Two men came In
blackberrying. and had TO get out.
They asked me where was going. !
said to Blandford.
"They volunteered to show me the
way. but we had not gone very far
before we met two police inspectors
They asked me to go into n public
house and give an account Of myself.
They were particularly anxious to
know II had mark on my right arm.
Seeing the game was almost up, tried