Smyrna times., 1899-11-29
A PATIENT CONVICT.
HOW HE EFFECTED HIS ESCAPE FROM
PORTLAND JAIL.
The Only Prisoner Who Ever Managed to
Get Out Of the Great English Prison
Tells How He Accomplished it.

hsh burglar, is the only man who ever
effected his escape from Portland pris-
on, an escape which is the original of
that described in Hawley SmaIt's
novel. Broken Bounds" Bartlett told
the story of his escape to a reporter as
follows:
''The correct details of my escape
have never been told" he said. "I'n
tell you what actually happened. In
1868 l received a sentence of ten years
penal servitude. From Pentonville l
was taken to Portland. 1t was awful
made up my mind to escape-a feat
never before accomplished. One day
managed to pick up a small piece of
hoop iron. That seemed like a godsend.
Every time l had the chance l took
that iron hopping with me, and worked
like nigger to make it into a saw.
did it in fear and trembling, for the
slightest sound would have betrayed
me. a stroke of luck awaited me. |
found convict who had got little bit
of file. He had no ambition and said
the file was no good to him. l gave
him my dinner for it, and with the file
/ was able to complete the saw. Then
/ managed, by working stealthily ev-
cry evening after 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, eventually got through that
Then l got into an airshaft, and after
three months hard work saw my way
clear to liberty.
''At last the opportunity came. 1t
was a dark night, and all was still.
With my sheets 1 had made a rope,
and, as luck would have it, l had pick
ed up a piece of wood, called a dog
with iron hooks at each end. put my
stool underneath the quilt, to look as
much like my body as possible in case
the warders should look in, and then
went down the passage it had taken
me three months hard labor to make
After lifting an iron grating l found
myself in the open air and managed to
throw the hooks on my linen ladder
over a wall. BY this means l 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 to
jump on to the boundary wall, about
10 or II feet distant. | dare say it was
a bold leap, but you don't stick at
frffnc xuhnn
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 Sc
cure that l had to leave the ladder
where it was, and if it had not been
for that l might have been in London
in three or four days. AS 1t was, had
an awful experience. While making a
desperate tug at the ladder l heard
footsteps approaching, and 1 rushed
into the garden of the grove public
house. 1 turned round and saw a
guard looking at the ladder. A few
minutes afterward shots were fired
and a bell was rung. My escape had
been discovered. Guards were running
by in all directions; but, unperceived
! 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 a box. 1 could hear the
sound of hurrying footsteps all night
but no one came into the chapel unit
the next morning, when service wa
held there.
''It was not pleasant position to b
In, can assure you. A sneeze or
cough would have betrayed me, bu
fortunately all went well. But l go
very hungry. So at the end of abou
33 hours l stole out and broke into tn
Clifton hotel. there found some brea
and meat, cheese and tobacco. Wha
was of more consequence, | was abl
to steal hat and some clothes. Wit
the clothing and the food-the sweetei
food | ever tasted-I returned to IN
hiding place in the chapel. Out of
black coat | made a pair of trouser
and put on another of the stolen coat
which happened to be made of velve
The food l divided into six portion
and for six days l was concealed b
utdln lndL 1hCl
were frequent services. and, what W;
still worse, the priest used to con
in at night for private devotions.
"At last | had more than enough
1t and broke into the priests hOu
with the object of obtaining some mo
ey. / could find none, however. The
was some silver plate, but that was
no use to me. obtained white sto
however. and with that made som
thing resembling a shirt. Feeling nc
fairly confident as to my appearan'
] walked down tile road and saw
milkman, who l afterward found ga
information about me. At little pla
10 miles from Portland l concealed n
self In field. Two men came
blackberrying. and l had to get o
They asked me where | was going.
said to Blandford.
"They volunteered to show me
way, but we had not gone very