The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-20

MAKE THEIR
ESCAPE.
EIsV3n Desperate Prisoners Gain
Freedom From Confinement
by TunnaIing,

Tacoma, Wash, Jan. 2O-Eleven of the
most desperate prisoners i'm the United
States ponitentiary on McNeils' Island
made their escape between ! and o'clock
Sunday afternoon and up to late hour
last night were still at liberty
The Jail breakers are: w. ID. Snyder,
sent up from Idaho for robbery; James
Campbell, Nome, pickpocket; Thomas
Morton, Nome, burglary; Frank Aims
worth, Nome. larceny; Michael Williams,
Spokane. countcrfeiter; Harry Davis,
Nome. and Frank Moran (true name Ed
O'NeilD. Spokane, counterfeiters; James
Moriarty Spokane, counteTfeiter; j. r.
Stewart Idaho, counterfeiter: Bruce
hcnwright. Nome, manslaughter; James
Carroll, Alaska, murderer
hole in the brick wall OF cell No TO-
occupied by Convicts Snyder and Davis
reveals the method of escape The wall
was about foot I'm 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 until IL formed Il
connection with the air chamber about
Two feet below and a foot outward from
the corridor wall OF the cell
Through this air chamber the prisoners
crawled about 40 feet To where IL olerod
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 60 walk on.
of the back 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, safe retreat
The prisoners took advantage of the
latitude allowed them during the dinner
hour TO consummate their plans. which
had been carefully designed and bolu.y
executed. The guards with the exception
OF two who were on duty on the wall
overlooking tho corridor were eating din
ner I'm the dinng room.
II ttble=-tr->tt-- t-,fffts- -Srrcrrt-in thH
corridor for the prisoners dinner II being
customary To serve them Immediately tu
the conclusion of the guards repast \
dinner gang was az work putting the ta-
bles in order aud the other convicts had
the privilege of the corridors One by one
The men slipped into cell No. 10 and
Crawlcd through the hole unnoticcd.
When guards came out and lined tho
prisoners up for dinner, III were missing.
Search resulted ia finding the hole in tho
wall and tho guards at once ran To the
boiler room, where the steel door ewung
on its hinges, showing that the men had
already flown.
Warden Palmer does not think IL pnssi-
bic the priscsors secured more than IS or
20 minutes start. lie at once sent squad
Of guards in pursuit and made a tour OF
the island. notifying the farmers Of the
escape and instructing them TO guard
their boats carefully so that no opportu-
nifty would be allowed for escape.
With two launches, three rowboats and
% men guarding the shore line a. n be-
lieved by the officers that II the men
were stll on the island az o'clock hast
night their escape will hc blocked
Warden Palmer has not had time to
make "a thorough investigation, but Is un-
able to realize how the work could nave
been done without detection.
"Wc inspect the cells regularly once
each week said he THE last inspection
was made Saturday and 7 ordered the
guards who made tho inspection % make
q careful examination. They reported ev-
crything all right. The work must havc
occupied several days and how they could
have concealed the brick and dirt. which
they took from thc wall until they had
reached the air chamber is more ihan 1
can understand
10 is feared that lei by the moro de-
perate Of their number. the fugitives MAJ
raid some Of the farms on the island. se-
cure clothing arms and boats and make
Tor the mainland In that event serious
between the cDnvicts ana on
Cots may result.