Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-21
CONVICT EAST
TELLSOFHI
ESCAPE
HIS BREAK FOR LIBERTY WILL
COST HIM DEARLY MUST
NOW STAY IN PRISON FOR
TWELVE YEARS.


Five months ago. with the moon and
The evening star TO guide him, r. E East,
alias c. r. Henry. known 20 the United
States authorities as Convict No. s.. was
fleeing along the banks OF the Chattahoo-
chez, having affected an escape from the
Atlanta federal prison after a daring and
novel plan Today East wears his prison
stripes again He IS closely shaver. His
hair Is cropped and from his leg swings
a massive chain with an iron ball at its
other end.
Here Is East's own account Of his es-
cape and capture, secured from him at
the prison yesterday. He laughs light
heartediy as he tells IL and seems to for
get the fact that he Is now a third grade
prisoner, for years 20 be deprived Of con-
versation- OF company. OF books. OF
amusement and OF communicating with
his friends outside. Even the good time
BE would have had 20 his credit is gone.
nearly three years. and for twelve and
half years East IS entombed-
Warden s. A. Hawk. OF the prison,
would permit no one TO see East until he
had himself had a talk with him. espec-
tally IN view Of several significant circum-
stances II was surmised that East's es-
cape was effected through some collusion.
and Warden Hawk questioned the man
closely as 20 the relations existing be-
tween him and the guard who carelessly
suffered his escape In reply 20 this East
said that the guard was not assisting him.
This statement he persisted in. and War
den Hawk now says he Is satisfied that II
was nothing more than carelessness.
Another point on which East was ques-
toned was as regards two letters. signed
with his name. and purporting 20 be sent
the warden by him These letters were
almost ocular IN tone. save that one con-
tained threats OF what he would do II his
aHH ~rrFa "A
Having sent one OF the letters Finally ne
broke down and seemed 20 manifest
sincere contrttiOn before he LETT the war
den's once. but when he was seen hair
hour later he had recovered his hisn
spirits and was all good humor.
East's Story.
ssru lust tell you all about It," he said.
iauRhingly. II was the barber. There was
a loose grating in one Of the windows. and
when the guard left me in that room
minute climbed out OF the window This
was about o'clock on March 18th pre-
tended 70 follow the guard upstairs, but
lust as he started turned back heard
another guard coming. so ] jumped Tor
the window and got cut. Then 1 strucE
out IN a southwesterly direction, as near
as could make It.
ssTt was good dark by this time. and /
ten You I hurried Ny idea was TO get
10 Mexico. OF course. had another point
or two was going to strike for first. but
NE won't say anything about that
The conversation was held in the pres
ence OF Deputy Warden Dawson East
looked at him quizzically as he gave this
hint OF his friends
ssWait a minute interrupted his cues
tioner. Didn't you have any help from in
side the PRISON.
friends. but not on the inside. Well. I
went Il all night There vas no sleep for
me. crossed the railroad not far from
the prison and struck a road Then had
q good scare"
An Awkward Meeting.
s-The first thing did was TO Try 70 dis
,xuise my clothes. I put my drawers on
over my trousers, pulled the bill on my
can and turned my coat wrong side out.
/ had no weapon. but had g cents"
where did you get the 6 centsg"
East only laughed.
wei. I was going along the road when
an OF a sudden met two fellows didn't
have time 70 get out OF the way. I just
had 70 meet them tried TO tuck the
edges OF my coat under, so the stripes
wouldn't show. They said Good evening
and said. Good evening but somehow
i didn't feel inclined to talk much. I guess
this was about six miles from the prison
they were Efoot. But they never recog-
mixed me. and hurried on
daybreak, struck the river at ferry.
Well now, you know a ferry wasn't any
placs for me This was about daybreak>
u considered a while which way I'd go,
and then I decided TO strike down stream.
hoping I'd find a skin TO get across In 1
went on q piece. and then concluded ia
better get over anyway: so I found me
bridge timber. II looked like. / undressed
and put my clothes on crosspiece OF
wood and started over"
Pretty cold. wasn't it7'' asked the dep
uty.
ct was the coolest bath ever had. Well.
got over and then dressed. I was near
~ frozen 70 death decided. as II was
daytime. I would rest in the brush. so I
did, but along about night found a skin. i
90 / Just thought I'd go across the river
again, and over went IN the skin.
The next night / walked all night
again. had pretty good idea which way
I was going. because I guided myself by
fhe moon and a big star-the evening star,
] think II was. aimed southwest steady.
and I never met a soul Occasionally I
would come 70 stores and houses. but I'd
20 around them
ssBy the third night was good and tired
out. I hadn't had a thing TO eat. and I
was sick from sleeping out doors. wasn't
used 70 Il. you see Then 1 got my first
meal
COL donn r1enry-s son.
Il struck a place called Haddoway's
NH. I don't know where Il was exactly.
hut I saw a sawmill and a nice looking
house up on the blur. and says 10 my
self Here's where I see n I can't get
something 10 eat and a place TO sleep
so I went up 10 the house and asked the
lady-a nice old lady she was. toO-if she
couldn't give me something TO eat and
place 20 sleep.
a. 'Lem'me SEE she says. what's your
uame?' East put a peculiar nasal twang
into hts voice as he tried 20 initiate the
old LADY.
. Henry I says.
what's your first manner she says.
John says l. Ny names John
Henry
the old lady.
- Colonel John Henry I says.
Then you're kin 10 me- she says.
no ma'am.' 1 says: I guess not Ny
father lived over Fayetteville way.
Well she says; L haven't got any
thing cooked. You go up the road bout
half mile where my brother John lives.
He'll take care OF you for the night
Then she shut the door and went away.
I went on TIL not far from there found
a high bluff and on top Of this I made
FIRE and went to sleep, when heard some
boys calling.
q y 49, - -. 49,. -