Evening star., 1902-01-20
Desperate Prisoners Dig Out of Nc
Neirs Island Prison.
ARMED GUARDS In PURSUIT
Two Launches and a Fleet of
Boats PatroIling Island.
FEARS FOR THE FARMERS

TACOMA, Wash, January 2O-Eleven of
the most desperate prisoners in the United
States penitentiary on McNel's Island made
their escape between 1 and o'clock Sun
day afternoon, and up to late hour last
night were still at liberty
The men at large: w. D. Snyder, sent up
from Idaho for robbery; James Campbell,
Nome, pickpocket; Thomas Norton, Nome
burglary; Frank Ainsworth, Nome. lar
ceny; Mike Williams, Spokane, counterfeit
er; Harry Davis, Nome. and Frank Moran
true name, Ed. O'NeilD, Spokane coun-
terfeiter; James Moriarty, Spokane, coun-
terfeiter; ]. P. Stewart, Idaho, counter
feiter; Bruce Kenright, Nome, manslaugh-
ter; James Carroll, Alaska, murder
A hole in the brick wall of Cell No. TO-
occupied by Convicts Snyder and Davis re-
veals the method of escape. The wall was
about a foot in thickness and the floor of
the cell is of equal thickness covered with
concrete. The tunnel was dug at the juno
ton of the wall and the floor sloping out
wardly 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 chamber the
prisoners crawled about forty feet to where
it opened into the boiler room, the opening
being covered by an iron grating This OBJ
stacle was overcome by the use of saws
and the prisoners 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 ground and
the dense growth of timber afforded them,
temporarily, safe retreat.
Slipped Out During Dinner Hour.
The prisoners took advantage Of the lati-
tude allowed them during the dinner hour
to consummate their plans, which had been
carefully designed and boldly executed
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 miss
ing. 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 possible
the prisoners secured more than fifteen or
twenty minutes the start of them. He at
once sent squad efguards In pursuit and
made tour of the island, notifying the
farmers of the escape andFinstructing 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 line, it is be-
lieved by the officers that If the men were
still on the island sat 8 o'clock last night
their escape will be blocked.
Warden Cannot Explain.
Warden Palmer has not had time to make
a thorough investigation, but Is unable to
realize how the work could have been done
without detection.
1--WE inspect the cells regularly once each
week." said the warden. "The last inspec-
tion was made Saturday, and I ordered the
guards who made the inspection to make a
careful examination. They reported every
thing all right. 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 reached the
air chamber is more than I can under
stand"
The plan which 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 boat, and
then row to the mainland. Among the es-
capped prisoners are several desperadoes
who would not hesitate at murder to ac-
complish their purpose. With SO many at
large the farmers would be at their mercy,
and should they once get possession of
weapons. it is believed by the officers of the
prison that they will fight to the death be-
fore they are captured