The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-11

A. Bow street yesterday William Bartlett.
Of North street. Borough. summoned the
commissioner for the delivery OF a savings
bank besk. &c In geld, silver watch and
chain, q pocket knife and some papers.
Detective Sergeant Thon,as represented the
commissioner.
The complainant; in ,nis case Is well
known burglar. and it Is stated that he Is
the only man who ever effected his escape
from Portland prison. an escape which Is
the original Of that described in Hawley
Sularss novel. Broken Bounds
w. Bartlett, the ex-cnnyiet, after leaving
Bow street. told the romantic story Of his
escape from Portland prison to a reporter.
The correct details OF my escape have
never been told" he said. .'I'n tell you
what actually happened. In 1893 received
a sentence Of ten years penal servitude.
From Pentonsille was taken to Portland.
II was awful. l made up my mind TO
escape-a feat never before accomplished.
One day I managed TO pick UP small
piece OF hoop iron. That seemed like a
godsena. Every time had the chance I
took that iron hopping with me. and work
ed like a niger TO make IL into a saw. /
did it In fear and trembling. for the slight
est sound would have betrayed me. A
stroke of luck awaited me- found a con-
vict who had got little bit of a file He
had no ambition. and said the file was no
good TO him. j gave him my dinner for
II. and with the file l was able to COM
plete the saw. Then / managed. by work
ing stealthily every 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 warders should not see what
] had done. Then an awful disappointment
awaited me. The space beneath my cell
was lined with sheet iron; but, nothing
daunfsd. / eventually got through that.
Then / got into an air shaft, and after
three months hard work saw my way clear
to liberty.
AT last the opportunity came. 1t was
dark night and all was still. With my
sheets had made rope. and, as luck
would have 1t, had picked up piece OF
wood. called dog with iron hooks at
each end. | put my stool underneath the
quilt 10 look as much like my body as
possible, in case the warders should look
in. and then went down the passage 1t
had taken me three months hard labor
to make. After lifting an iron grating !
found myself in the open air. and man.
aged 10 throw the hooks on my linen lad
der over a wall. BY this means / got
onto the roof of the officers quarters.
There was no one about. and the only
sound l could hear was that made by
my beating heart From the roof l had
10 Jump onto the boundary wall. about
ten or twelve feet distant. j dare say
II was a bold leap. but you don't stick at
trhss when you are escaping from Port
land. ] made the leap. and was success
full in reaching the boundary wall. Then
l got to the ground by means OF my linen
ladder.
Unfortunately. the hooks were Sc
cure that had TO leave the ladder where
IL was. and II IL had not been for that I
might have been In London In three or
four days. AS it was l had ar awful ex-
perience. While making desperate tug
at the ladder I heard footsteps approach
ing. 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. Ny escape had been
discovered. Guards were running by In
all directfons but unperceived l got
through the window of the Roman Cath
Ollie chapel and concealed myself be-
meath the communion table. which proved
10 be something very much like box. I
could hear the sound OF hurrying foot
steps all night but no one came into the
chapel until the next morning. when ser
vice was held there.
1T was not a pleasant position TO be In.
/ can assure you. A sneeze or q cough
would have betrayed me. but fortunately.
all went well But I got very hungry. so
at the end Of about thirty-shree hours
stole out and broke into the Clifton hotel
! there found some bread and meat. cheese
and tobacco. What was of more conse-
quence. ! was able 20 steal hat and some
clothes. With the clothing and the food
the sweetest food ! ever tasted-T returned
"a my hiding place in the chapel Out OF
black coat | made n pair OF trousers.
and pat on another 81 the stolen coats
waich happened 70 be made OF velvet. The
food divided into six portions. and for
six days | was concealed beneath that com
rnunion table There were frequent SER
vices. and, what was stIll worse. the priest
used 20 come in at night FOR private devo-
tons
''At last had more than enough Of II.
and broke into the priests house with the
object CT Obtaining some money. / could