Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-20
PRISONERS BREAK JAIL.
Desperate Gang Gets Away from McNeil's Island Penitentiary.

The Prisoners Made Their Escape
 Through a Forty Foot Tunnel
 Prison Officials are After the Men
 and Hope to Recapture Them Very
 Soon.
 Tacoma. Wash, Jan 20.-Eleven ct the most desperate prisoners i'll the United States penitentiary on McNeil Island made their escape between l and o'clock Sunday afternoon. and np to late hour last night were still at liberty. The jail-breakers are: W. D- Snyder, sent up from Idaho, for rob- bery; James Campbell, Nome, DICK pocket: Thomas Morton, Nome, burg lars: Frank Ainswortn, Nome, larceny; Mike Williams. Spokane. counterfeiter; Harry Davis, Nome, and Frank Moran (true name Ed O'NeilD. Spokane, coun- terfeiters: James Moriartv. Spokane, counterfeiter: J. F. Stewart Idaho, counterfeiter: Bruce Kenewelgilt, Nome. manalaughter; James Carroll, Alaska. murder.
 A hole in the brick wall of cell No 10. occupied by convicts Snyder 1 Davis. reveals the method of eScapt. ] The wall was about q 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 outward un- | til it formed a connection with the :,ir 1 chamber about two feet below and q | foot outward from the corridor wall of the cell. Through this air chamber the l prisoners craWled about forty feet to l where it opened into the boiler room, the opening being covered by an iron grating. This obstacle was overcome ] by the use of saws and the prisoners had then only to walk out of the back l door of the boiler room, across the yard and scale the board fence. A ] few yards from the prison grounds and the dense growth of timber afforded | them. temporarily, q safe retreat. 1 The prisoners took advantage of the 1 latitude allowed them during the din- ner hour to consummate their plans. which had been carefully designed arI boldly executed. The guards with the exception of two who were on duty on the wall overlooking the corridor. were eating dinner i'll the dining room. The tables were being spread in the cor ridor for the prisoners dinner, it being customary to serve them immediately on the conclusion of the guards repast. A. dinner gang was at work putting the taDles i'll order and the other conyicts had the privilege of the corridors. One Dy one the men slipping into cell No i0. and crawled through the hole until I,o- 1 tlced. When the guards came out anl lined the prisoners up for dinner l nInvan -, In finding the hole and the guards at once ran to the boiler room, where the steel door swung on it's hinges. show ing that the men had already flown.
 Warden Palmer does not think it possible the prisoners secured moro than fifteen or twenty minutes start. He at once sent squad of guards in 1 pursuit and made tour of the island notifying the farmers of the escape and instructing them to guard their boats carefully so that no opportunity | would be allowed for escape.
 ! With two launches, three rowboats and thirty men guarding the shore 1 line. it is believed by the officers that l Ii the men were still on the island it o'clock last night their escape will be l blocked.
 
 make q thorough investigations but is unable to realize how the work could nave been done without detection. We inspect the cells regularly once each week. said the warden e'The last inspection was made Saturday. and l ordered the guards who made the inspection to make q careful exam nation. They reported everything all right. The work must have occupied several days, and hoy they could have concealed the brick and dirt which they took from the wall until they had reached the air chamber is more than l understand
 It is feared that, led by the more ] desperate of their number. the fuci- ] tives may raid scaae of the farmhorses on the island, secure clothing, arms and boats and make for the mainland. In that event serious encounter be. i tween the convicts and omcers may result.