The Topeka state journal., 1902-01-20
II CONvICTS
BREAK JAIL.
Prisoners Escape From the
Federal Penitentiary
On McNeil's Island NearTacOma,
Wash.
LEAVE AT NOON HOUR.
While Guards We're at Dinner
They Slipped Out
Through a Hole They Had Dug
in the Wall.
AT NOON HOUR.

Tacoma, Wash, Jan. 20.-Eleven of
the most desperate prisoners in the
United States penitentiary on McNeil's
island made their escape between L and
2 o'clock Sunday afternoon and are
still at liberty. 1t was the most daring
and successful Jail break ever attempt
ed in this state, and the charcter of
the men implicated makes it doubtful
whether they will be retaken without
loss of life. The men at large:
W. d. Snyder. sent up from Idaho
for robbery.
James Campbell, Nome, pickpocket.
Thomas Morton, Nome, burglary.
Frank Ainsworth, Nome, larceny.
Mike Williams, Spokane, counter
feiter.
Harry Davis, Nome.
Frank Nome, true name Ed O'Ne1l,
Spokane, counterfeiter.
James Moriarity, Spokane, counter
feiter.
Up. Stewart, Idaho counterfeiter.
Bruce Kenwright, Nome. manslaugh-
James Carroll, Alaska, murder.
A Ledger reporter who visited the
island last night brings the following
particulars of the escape:
"A hole in the brick wall of cell No;
TO- occupied by convicts Snyder and
Davis, reveals the method of escape.
The wall is about a foot in thickness.
and the floor of the cell is of equal
thickness, covered with concrete The
tunnel was dug at the junction of the
wall and the floor, sloping outwardly
until it formed a connection with the
air chamber about two feet below and
a foot outwardly from the corridor wall
of the cell. Through this air cham
ber the prisoners crawled about forty
feet to where it opened into the boiler
room, the opening being covered by an
iron grating. This obstacle was over
come by the use of saws, and the pris-
onerS had then only to walk out of
the back door of the boiler room, across
the yard and scale the board fence. A
few yards from the prison grounds the
dense growth of timber afforded them
temporarily a safe retreat.
1.-The prisoners took advantage of the
latitude allowed them during the dinner
hour to consun mate their plans, which
had been carefully designed and bold
ly executed. The guards with the ex-
ception of two who were on duty on the
wall overlooking the corridor, were eat
ing dinner in the dining room. The
tables were being spread in the corridor
for the prisoners dinner, it being Gus
tomary to serve them ifnmedia tely on
the conclusion of the guards repast- A
dinner gang was at work putting the
tables in order and the other convicts
had the privilege of the corridors. One
by one the men Slipped into cell No. 10
and craWled through the hole unnoticed
When the guards came out and lined
the prisoners up for dinner eleven were
missing. A brief search resulted in
finding the hole in the wall. and the
guards at once ran to the boiler room,
where the steel door swung on it's
hinges, showing that the men had al
ready flown"
Warden Palmer does not think it pos
Sible the prisoners secured more than Is
or 20 minutes the start of them. He at
once sent a squad of guards in pursuit,
and made a tour of the land, notifying
the farmers of the escape and inStructing
them to guard their boats carefully so
that no opportunity would be allowed for
escape. Marshal Ide and Warden Palmer
exerting all their efforts to establish a
perfect Gordon around the boats, belieV-
ing that if they can prevent the prisoners
leaving the island under cover of darkness
they will be able to retake them.
With two launches, three row boats and
thirty men guarding the shore line, it is
believed by the officers that if the men
were still on the island at ] o'clock last
night their escape will be blocked
Warden Palmer in speaking about the
escape said: 1.-The work must have occu-
pied several days, and how they could
have concealed the brick and dirt which
they took from the wall until they had
reached the air chamber, is more than I
can understand"
The plan which is most feared will be
pursued by the conyicts will be to raid
some of the numerous farm houses the
island, secure guns, clothes and boat and
then row to the mainland Among the es-
capped prisoners are many deSperadOeS
who would not hesitate at murder to ac-
complish their purpose. With so many at
and should they once get possession of
weapons, it is believed by the officers of
the prison that they win fight to the
death before they are captured.