The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-01-08
BIG JAIL DELIVERY
NDsn PRISONERS MAKE ESCAPE
FROM RALEIGH PRISON.
The Jaiier Says Outside Aid Must
Have Been Givcn-Sfiss Howell
Resigns as Governors Secretary
Other News.
Messenger Bureau.


Raleigh. NJ c.. January sth-
About ten years ago. eleven negro
prisoners headed by a murderer,
Orange Page. made their escape from
Jail here, using part OF . steel Get as
a lever. Some time last night. IL Is
claimed after o'clock. nine negrs
prisoners made their escape. There
were 21 negro prisoners on the lower
nesr in the negro division OF the cell
block. The men in ere cell used some
kind Of q saw TO cut the long lever
and locking bar which fastened thel
doors ef the three cells in that divis-
ion. 1t worked all right 50 far asI
two cells were concerned. but became
wedged ever the third cell door. sol
twelve prisoners in that cell failed tsl
get out The opening OF the cell dosrs
admitted the prisoners into the steel
corridor, where there were some pris-
oners already, the corridor being con-
sidered safe. With the bar OF steel.
which had formed part of the lockingI
bar, the prisoners priced away patch
which had been put at the bottom OF
the steel cage forming the corridor,
and thence got into the main corri-
der. The. patch which they broke
away was put on in 1898 TO cover a.
hole through which a noted negroI
murdered named Booker made his es-
cape into the corridor. II is inter
esting to state in this connection that
Orange Page was recaptured and
hanged. having been found at Wash
ington n. c., while Booker was re-
captured at Baltimore and was also
hanged.
The nine convicts, thus in the main
corridor, went around TO the rear of
the cell block and with the steel bar
priced out the bricks from under the
window. thus getting into the Jail
ward. which is surrounded by wood
en- fence, and of course had no trou-
Bile in escaping. The men who thus
got away are Joe Battle. aged %
from Edgecombe county. who was
here for safe-keeping, to prevent
lynching, his crime being felonious
assault; Len Spence. aged 19, house
breaker: John Bethel, Daniel Biggs.
Ed Cotton, Henry Gates, George
Hayes, Mooney Perry and Hubert
Raymer.
The night was the coolest of the
winter and unless the escaped men
got into shelter quickly they must
have suffered severely, but no doubt
all Of them were cared for by negro
criminals here in town. 1t is pre-
sumed that they were led by Biggs, a
noted thief locally, who has served q
term or two in the penitentiary.
The jailer says if the story told
by the negro prisoners remaining in
the Jail is true, outside aid was given
those who escaped. These prison
ers says that John Bethel had a pistol
In ho
kill any one who gave an alarm. The
sheriff thinks the prisoners made a
knife or a razor into a saw by notch
ing the blade and he says one Of the
escaped men had said he could get
out eff any Jail. Some other negroes
could have escaped. One OF these
got out and notified the clerk Of the
! escape of the others. When the
| sheriff and police reached the Jail
! they found another prisoner in the
| act Of crawling out Of the hole.
Mayor Powell remarked today that
| for three days not a case had been
reported to him Of violation of the
] city ordinances. He says he never
knew so long a time 70 elapSe before
| in this matter, and of course attrib-
| utes the good conduct to the dispen-
| sary.
A charter is granted to the South
|
| capital stock $4,000, f. G. Cham
| berlain, of New York. and A. ]. Nc
| Kinnon. Of Maxton, being the chie'
| stockholders; the company to do q
| general trucking business, also tc
| manufacture cotton, tobacco, lumber
| etc.
1t was expected that the state
| board of charities would have its an
nual session here today, but Presi.
| dent Duffy and another member were
unable to be present. so 1t was post.
| poned.
Miss Julia Howell, who for thras
! years has been executive clerk tc
| Governor Aycock, resigned today. and
is succeeded by Miss Lillian Thomp-
| son, daughter Of Mr.. John w. Thorn D
| son. Of Raleigh.
Mr.. Herbert Brimley commissioner
| In this state to the st. Louis exposi-
ton. is informed that a great con.
venton of Press Representatives OF
the world will be held at St. Louis
May 10th to 25th.