The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-09-27


broom handle and the rung of stool,
each about foot long, were the
principal implements used. One end
of these was cut to bevel CORE
spending with that of the bolts Sc
curing the door, BY passing the
pieces of wood through the bars of
the doors at the foot and then push
ing the beveled end upward until the
sense of touch told that it was be-
tween the lower and bevel side OF
the bolt and the frame of the door
nothing more remained to be done,
except to use the tool as lever. By
sharply pulling this to the left the
bolts, all of which are attached to
the same lever, were pushed back.
This unlocked the door, which now
only had to be pushed open. Two
men were required for the job, one
to force the bolts back and the other
to simultaneously push on the door.
Explained by Buckley.
AS already stated one prisoner,
confined in the south cage, declined
to avail himself of the opportunity
offered to escape. He remained be-
hind and to him the sheriff is indebt-
ed for knowledge as to how the deliv-
cry was accomplished.
;ro1 thn info ond
holes in the cages, Mr.. Hubbard was
at a loss how to explain the manner
in which the doors had been opened
After he had vainly tried to solve the
riddle, ED" Buckley, who is held on
the charge of burglary and safe rob-
berry volunteered to explain. He ask
ed that one of the pieces Of broom
handle be passed to him and then
unlocked the door of the cage in the
manner already described. The sim
plicity of the thing and it's ingenuity
fairly stunned Mr.. Hubbard, who ask
ed Buckley how long he had known
the doors could be opened. 20, about
three months" was the reply, accom-
panied by a malicious laugh. Buck
| ley also said that had he believed
he was Gin for it, on the charge pend
| ing against him he, too, would have
skipped" but as he felt confident of
(, his acquittal he did not propose to
j become game for a man hunt and run
chances of getting killed.
1 Buckley said he was not quite GER
tain, but believed it was about $3.50
o'clock when the others got away.
| tlad Outside Help.
1t is accepted as certainty that
the men had the benefit of outside
help and Samuel E. Grady and Oliver
o. Mosier, held for the murder of Po-
lice Sergeant Hannah, last July, were
the principal leaders in, the delivery.
| Both are known, to have many friends
willing to go to almost any extremity
to enable them to escape the certain
| fate hanging over them, should the
law be allowed to take it's course.
Either Buckley or some of the other
men charged with burglary discover
ed the manner in which the doors
, could be opened and communicated
it to Grady and Mosier. The latter
took advantage of the knowledge to
impart it to friends on the outside
and secure their assistance in the
way of tools.
The rung was taken from a stool
broken by the prisoners several
weeks ago, and it is possible that
| the other piece of wood was cut from
the handle of one of several brooms
the prisoners had, as one is shorter
than the other and shows signs OF
having been cut off, although this
apparently was done a long time ago.
, But where the two strips of hoop iron
found after the birds had flown came
from, unless passed from the outside,
the sheriff and jailer cannot explain
These were about one half the length
Of the pieces of wood and were per.
forated with holes, newly drilled and
counter sunk for the reception OF
screws. One was fastened to the
lever made from the broom handle
an end carefully bent over the bevel
and secured there with a screw
driven in its full length, the head
smooth with the upper surface of the
iron. The remaining end of the iron
was fastened to the wood with wrap
pings of small wire, the ends of which
were twisted as if with pliers.
Trial was probably made of the
rung and it was found to be strong
enough without the iron reinforce
ment, as this was not strengthened
| @l,o xooprow nP Tho hrOnunh q nd 10