Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-23
MANY DESPERATE PRISONERS ESCAPE.

Tacoma, Wash. Jan. 20.-Eleven of
the most desperate prisoners 10 the
United States penitentiary on MoNeil's
Island made their escape between | and
? o'clock yesterday afternoon, and up
to late hour last night were still at
liberty.
The men at large are: w. d. Snyder,
sent up from Idaho for robbery /;
James Campbell, Nome, pocket picking /;
Thomas Norton, Nome, burglary !;
Frank 4 insworth, Nome, larceny; Mike
Williams, Spokane, counterfeising |.
Harry Davis, Nope, and Frank Moran
true name Ed 0'Neib, Spokane,
counterfeiting James Moriarity, Spo
kane, oounterfeiting j. Z. Stewart,
Idaho. counterfeiting Bruce Ken.
wright, Nome, manslaughter,a and James
Carroll, Alaska, murder.
A hole in the brick wall of cell 10.
occupied by Snyder and Davis, re.
vealed the method Of escape. The wall
is about 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, sloning outwardly until 1T formed
a connection with the air chamber a
about two feet below and a foot out
from the corridor wall of the cell.
Through this air chamber tho prisoners
orawled about 40 fest to where 1t opened
into the boilerroom, the opening being
covered by an iron grating This
obstacle waa overcome by the use OF
SAWS, and the prisoners had then on
to walk out of the back door of the
boilerroom and across the yard, and
scale the board fence. A few yards
from the prison grounds the denee
growth OF timber afforded them tenn
porarily a safe retreat. The prisoners
took advantage OF the latitude allowed
them during the dinner hour to con.
summate their plans, which we're care
fully designed and boldly executed.
One by one the men slipped into cell
10 and orawled through the hole un
noticed. when the guards came cut
and lined the prisoners up for dinner,
II men we're missing. Search resulted
in finding the hole in the wall, and the
guards at once ran to the boilerruom,
where the steel door swung on it's
hinges, showing that the men had flown.
Warden Palmer DOES not think the
prisoners secured more than 10 OK 70
minutes start. lie at once sent a squad
of guards in 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 ami
30 men guarding the shore line, it is
believed by the officers that il the mon
were still on the island at - o'clock last
night their escape willHbe blocked.
The warden has not had fima in mako
thorough investigation, hut is unable
to realize how the work could have
been done without detection. I'VE
inspect the cells regularly once each
week, " he said. "The last inspection
was made Saturday, and | ordered the
guards who made the inspection to
make careful examination. They
reported everything all right. The
work must have occupied several days,
and how they could have concealed the
brick and dirt which they took from
this wall until they had reached the air
chamber Is more than l can under
stand. "
The plan which it Is most feared will
be pursued by the convicts will be to
raid some of the numerous farmhouses
on the island, secure guns, clothes and
q boat, and then row to the mainland.
Among the escaped prisoners are several
desperate men who would not hesitate
at murder to accomplish their purpose.
With so many at large, the farmers
would be at their mercy; and should
they once get possession OF weapons, ii
is believed by the officers of the prison
that they will fight to the death before
thew are cBntured