The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-10-16
CLEVER CROOKS ESCAPE
FROM THE HORKHOUSE
Saw Window Bars With q
Piece of Tin.

By means of a small piece Of tin.
sharpened and used as q saw. Frank H
Bennett twenty years old, Michael Muir
ply twenty-three years old. and Vii
liam Adams twenty-three years old
trio OF house breakers arrested during
the G. A. R eucampment by Detective
SeTgeants McNamee and Lynch Of Buff
falo, New York. all professional thieves,
made their escape from the District
wor5house about > o'clock this morning
The men dropped O distance Of 80 feet
from their cell window TO the ground
and as vet nothing has been heard from
them Captain Boardman has detailed
several detectives 10 hunt for the fu-
gitives as they are thieves well known
20 the police all over the country. and
two OF them are badly wanted by the
Buffalo police
The escape Of the prisoners will lead.
1t Is believed. TO rigid investigation into
the system OF guarding prisoners at the
-workhouse. and Major Sylvester this
morning held an extended conference
with Commissioner West on the subject
Superintendent St0utenbUrgh Is also
making an investigation 10 ind cut who
is responsible for the affair. The escape
Of the three men was a daringIy clever
one, and has never been duplicated in
police annals. The men were arrested
on suspicion On the day Of the naval
parade. A search Of their persons
slowed that all had guns" Adams
b-oke from custody and endeavored 10
escape. but was captured by Detective
MeNamee- All were taken into court
and identified as professional thieves,
md they were given six months each
for carrying concealed weapons When
their time was up they were TO have
been taken TO Buffalo, y. Y. where they
were wanted for housebreaking.
The character Of the prisoners was
well known 10 the local authorities and
Major Sylvester notified Superintendent
Stcutenburgn 10 keep the closest watch
on them According to that official the
three men were placed in cell No on
the second floor of the mems building.
The cell has three beds and small
window facing the west They we're not
allowed 70 write 10 anyone; receive
messages, OF indulge in exercise. but
were kept locked up all Of the time.
One OF the beds in the cell was pushed
up against the window sill
Il IS thought that Adams, whose bed
1t was, and who. 1t is said, was the
leader o. the three, DciselessIy sharp
ened a piece Of tin he had secTeued in
the cell, against the iron bars Both
sides of the tin were folded, making an
inprovised saw They smeared q salve
on the saw and cell bar TO prevent their
operations being heard by the guards.
In this manner II is presumed The men
Iabored. each taking turns at saving,
while the others watched TO give them
warning upon the approach Of a guard
About 5 o'clock this morning a pris-
oner whose cell is directly next 10 that
occupied by the three men heard noise
He however. said nothing about il TO
anyone About fifteen minutes past
o'clock this morning Night Watchma1
Earick on making his rounds looked N
through the Stats and saw the room
empty Upon going in, he discovered
one Of the iron bars IN the cell window
bent upward. while dangling in the air
were three sheets. tied tightly Jogethe-,
down which all three men had slid 70
liberty. He at once awOke the other
guards and a general alarm was sounded
titled and made an investigation. at the
same time ordering his guards 10 search
The adjacent woods This was done, but
no one could be found who saw the fu-
gitives. Lying close TO the window
through which the men CIambered was
the small piece OF tin with an edge like
e razor Upon examining the broken
bar IL was found that the tin was The
means OF the prisoners escape
The circumstances surrounding their
escape are Of such a mysterious char
acteF that { rigid investigation VIII be
made into the matter by the District
Commissioners. The uolice believe that
there was q pal on the outside who had
other clothing for the fugiIiyes when
once they regained their liberty, and
they entertain but slight hopes Of re
capturing the men It Is possible how
ever. that q reward VIII be offered for
their capture
IN discussing the escape with
Times reporter this morning SUperin-
tendent Stouteuburgh said that he had
been informed Of the desperate charac-
ter OF the men and had ordered that
they be placed in d room together and
allowed nc privileges He said he would
Investigate the AFFAIR thoroughly but
thought that their escape vas due 20
the poor facilities and Inadequate mum
Der OF guards maintained II the work
house.