The Indianapolis journal., 1903-12-07
BARS NO BARRIER
PRISONER DAsHEs DOWN DOORS
AND MAKES ESCAPE.
George Brenneman Twists Handchfs
from Cell wall and Breaks Hinges
from stone with Heavy Pipe.
SENTENCED TO REFoRMAToRy
WAS CONFINED IN DUNGEON ny
SHERIFF AS PUNISHMENT.
CrawIs Through to Open Air I'm
Broad Daylight Saturday
OFTEN SHAMs INSANITY
GAINED FREEDOM ONCE WHILE
SERVING TINE IN wORKHoUsIs.
After sheriff Metzger Discovers iAb-
sence Officers on Trail Miss MEN
Five Minutes AT Home.
CraNIs Through to Open Air I'm
Broad Daylight Saturday
Afternoon.
sHAMs INSANITY
OFTEN
GAINED FREEDOM ONCE WHILE
SERVING TIME IN wORKHOUss.
After Sheriff Metzger Discovers ABB
sence omcers on Trail Miss sfsn
Five Minutes AT Home.

After having broken by sheer strength
the steel links which bound togetheF his
manacled hands and forced his way
through Heavy iron grating. Gorge
Brenneman, under sentence OF from
two to fourteen years in the Reforma-
tory for grand larceny, made his escape
from the Marion county Jail Saturday
afternoon. In spite of the fact that he
was pursued by the police within twenty
minutes after he gained his freedom. ne is
still at large and probably has left ths city
of Indianapolis far behind him.
Brenneman, is a local police character,
who at thine employe OK the
city fire department. but his criminal record
is bad. He was placed under arrest. sew
eral months ago on charge of granS lar
ceny and since that time has been coffned
in the jail awaiting his removal to Jeffer-
sonville. During all his stay in th3 Jail
he has been brewer of trouble apd his
escape yesterday, while Kidding the Jail of
bad character. robbed the prison bf its
allotment of; punishment for him. On ac-
count Of his numerous breaches Of tho rules
of the Jail. he was handcuffed TO a heavy
iron grating in the basement OF the cpunty
prison on Saturday afternoon, whete he
was to remain until evening punish hment
for his rebellious nature. His punishment
proved to be blessing for him. In some
manner he succeeded in breaking thes chain
which held together the two cuffs (which
enci-cled his wrists end his solitars co4svn
| fnement gave him the opportunity to work
for his freedom unmolested. He caIefulIy
searched the basement of the buildiag for
the weakest spot, and after examining all
the windows. chose the one through which
| the wood and coal is passed into TIE Jail
celler The window Is twice the size of the
others. but 1t was protected by two mas
sive iron gratings which swing irTwards
hinges to admit the entry of the wood
and coal. The iron framework oT the
gratings seemed to be solidly indebted I'm
the heavy masonry of the foundation and
the strength of the defense against Che es-
cape of prisoners had never been; ques-
| toned.
CRAFTY AT WORK.
Brennemah. however, realized thas IL he
escaped at All it must be through tbat one
opening and he made the trial. He placed
two mattresses which he found in ths base
ment on the cement floor directly uneer the
window so as to deaden the noise pf the
iron grating when it fell to the floor. and
| with a heavy iron pipe which ne picked
a n
He used the pipe as a lever and su6ceeded
| in not only loosening the iron grating. but
in pulling it with part of the st,ine sill
onto the mattresses which he had tplaced
on the floor.
| Once the grating was out of the vsay his
escape was assured. and in the gathering
| dusk he crawled out of the basemesit ana
breathed the air of the big outside; From
m n ~
80 South Blackford street, where ne hur-
riedly chopped the iron bands of thu hand
cuffs from his wrists. changed his Clothes
and bade his wife goodbye. Five Isinutes/
after he had left his home the poEce ar
rived at his house. looking for him. bufS
they were compelled TO go back tt head
| quarters empty-handed, for the bid had
| flown. posse of men under Sheriff Metz
| ger was soon on his trail. but he evidently
succeeded in jumping on freight tsain as
| it was pulling out of the city, for rp trace
| OF him could be found. Probably the fact
sonville this morning added zeal ,to his
| efforts for liberty but at any rate she po-
lice failed to locate him and he isIa free
/ man to-day.
sHAMs INSANITY.
| Brenneman has been the bane ,of the
sheriff's existence since he was frsis placed
under his care. and his escape only ;adds a
little more bitter to the troubles he has
| already caused. Shortly after hi was
locked behind the jail bars he Slammed
| insanity, and so successfully did hs make
| his blur that for a time IL went through.
| Sheriff Metzger. however. becameI suspi-
cious and one day about month sago he
informed Brenneman that It was useless
for him TO continue the game lonejr. and
under the threat Of severe punsshment
/ Brenneman admitted that he hai been
| shamming and for some time 3ehaved
| himself.
| on Saturday he secured some nkDrphine
| and gave IL 10 several of his feiliw-pris-
/ oners whom he had persuaded 10 Hay on
| sick and when caught In the acts OF ad-
| minstering the drug TO one OF lie pris-
| onsrs he became insolent and In afthreat-
! ening manner told the jailer that M would
! do as he pleased. For his insubor sination
/ he was placed in solitary coninment in the
| basement.
/ About year ago he was given ( work.
| house sentence and in very SENSATIONAL
manner he succeeded in breakingi out OF
| that institution. He got into the bs ssement
| of the main building and with a heavy
scantling pried open the iron doors and got
| away. He has been In trouble isuuu,er-
| able times and twice he succeeded ~ feign-
| ing insanity so well that he was seclared
| of unsound mind by insanity com slissions
| and sent the Hospital for the IT.curable
| Insane at Julietta, escaping from that in
stftution both times. He pleaded insSnity In
! both cases 10 escape punishment fCs- thiev-
| ing His description was -telephfned TO
| all surrounding towns as soon ast his es-
/ cape was discovered and the police San over
this and adjacent States were notihid to be
| on the lookout for the man.