Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-20
THE WORKHOUSE BARS
THE SAW USED BY THE RECENT
LIZ ESCAPED MEN.
Fugitives Are Believed to Have Left
the City on a Freight
Train.

The manner in which the three alleged
professional burglars who made their es-
cape from the workhouse in this city early
Thursday morning last left the District Is
no longer regarded as a mystery. The In
strument with which they cut their way to
freedom has likewise come to light. A
workhouse coat and a fine saw constructed
from an ordinary table knife We're found
lying near the freight tracks of the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad little distance
east of Twining City and close to the An
acostia freight yards, are the clues discov-
cred by citizens, dissolving all doubts on
these two points. That men of the stamp
of cleverness displayed by the trio boarded
without difficulty a fast-movng freight
train from among the numerous ones con-
stantly leaving the yards there is no doubt
whatever.
The workhouse garment referred to was
picked up Saturday evening by George Wal
tiers, fourteen-year-o school boy, who
lives at $40 18th street southeast, and VIII
lie Dietz, a companion, whose home Is on
Pennsylvania avenue southeast. The two
lads were walking along the Baltimore and
Ohio tracks, going to the woods, when they
made the discovery. A piece of buttered
bread lay on top of the coat. George Wal
tiers later returned the garment to the
workhouse. They did not tell many people
about their find, and failed to report the
matter to the police
1t is said the opinion was expressed at
the WorkhouSe when the coat was received
there that the fugitives must have escaped
by the freight yards. Just before the boys
discovered the coat Mr.. Harry Chrlsty, a
resident of PENNSYLVANIA avenue extended
TWining City, found the saw above men,
toned. Mr.. Christy picked it up without
giving the mater much thought, and not
until several hours later did he recall the
escape Of the workhouse prisoners and the
fact that thew haQ cut their through
iron bars with some instrument
Still Has the Saw.
The saw is now in the possession of Mr..
Christy. 1t measures about ten inches In
length, having both edges filed into small
teeth There were marks on the blade to
indicate that 1t had been recently used. Mr..
Christy tested its qualities against a steel
rail, into which the improvised instrument
entered in a short time to a depth OF one
sixteenth Of an inch. There is no doubt in
Mr.. Christys mind that the saw Is the one
used by the alleged crooks The men, it
will be remembered, wore Workhouse
clothing when they escaped. When arrested
in this city by the detectives they were
heavily armed and gave the names of Frank
Bennett Michael Murphy and William Ad-
ANS. They were serving q sentence Of six
months each for carrying concealed wea-
pons, and after their arrest, 1t was ascer-
tanned that they Were wanted in other cities,
particularly In Buffalo.
When Mr. Christy picked up the saw two
strange men, who appeared to be tramps.
were sitting on the tracks close by, but as
they remained about Twining City for half
a day 1t is not considered likely that they
were two Of the escaped prisoners. The
places where the coat and the saw were
found have not been searched and 1t may
be that other clothing discarded by the fugi-
tives may be in the locality. It Is be-
lieved that they crossed the Pennsylvania
avenue bridge at Twining City after leaving
the workhouse, which is not far away.
Nothing Learned by the Police.
Nothing has been learned by the police de-
partment concerning the three men. Mes
sages and photographs have been sent to the
authorities Of the principal cities, but no re-
sponses have yet been received. The Buff
falo and Chicago authorities are more deep
ly interested in the capture Of the men
than are the local authorities. Under the
charge against them here they could have
been held for six months only. while in the
other cities mentioned two of them may get
penitentiary sentences. The men who gave
their names as Michael Murphy and VIII
liam Adams are wanted in Buffalo. and Ad-
ans Is also wanted In Chicago. So far as
the police know the third member of the
trio, Frank Bennett, Is not wanted else
where