The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-08
NEGRO MURDERER
 STILL AT LARGE
No Clue to Whereabouts of Dix, the Escaped Prisoner
$500 REWARD OFFERED
No News of Dix snce the Daring Es- cape From the County Jail Friday Night By Saving Through
 Two Sets of Bars.

The negro prisoner Robert l.. Dix un- der death sentence, to have been hanged August 3, for the murder of Bert Pesnell, motorman on the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company, who escaped from Jefferson county jail Friday night about o'clock by saving his way through two sets of iron bars. has not yet been apprehended. In fact 1t is re- ported at the sheriff's office that not the slightest clue has been obtained as to his whereabouts.
 Since leaving the jail Dix's movements were unknown. The completeness with laid together with the skill with which he sawed through his cage and the out side barred window of the jail lead the authorities to believe that Dix had out side as well as inside assistance, per haps both. They are inclined to the opn- ion that the efforts looking to his escape had been going on for some time. Other wise they cannot account for the ap- parent ease with which the work was accomplished. For one man, they say, the task would have been too much. One of Dix's fellow prisoners. the negro Earl Fletcher. also condemned to be hanged, says that Dix had been saving on the bars of his cell for four days. He stated that the saw Dix used came through the window but he would not say, If he knew. who passed 1t in.
 Sheriff Burgin immediately after noth- cation of the negroes escape Friday night offered a reward of $500 for his capture. Yesterday morning the Blrming- ham Railway, Light and Power company offered 5000 more, making the total re- ward thus far to be paid for the capture of Dix $150O.
 Dlx's descriptions About 2S years old. feet inches tall light ginger cake color, and the most noticeable thing about him are three upper god-crowned teeth It Is expected that the governor will offer an additional reward.
 Afternoon Discovery.
 Between 1 and o'clock Friday after noon Jailer Pinson had discovered that a bar in one of the northeast windows about twelve feet from the floor was sawed through. He gave the alarm, the prisoners who had the freedom of the hag tn cells and to see that none had escaped all 1t Is said were checked off by the roll.
 Then some of the deputy sherlffs came and a thorough inspection of that part of the jail was made It was decided in view of the sawed bar in the window that an extra inside Jaler would be tailed.
 Dix made 4.zeseape during the watch of Syd Sandifer the inside jailer, whose duty 1t is to keep on the lookout in the corridor which extends round the cells. MT Sandfer states that he had just been talking with Dix at his cage from where he walked to the front door of the jail and there met Deputy Sheriff J. L. Thompson. who was to remain in the jail with him that night.
 MT. Sandefur's Account
 Mr. Sandfer said there was a ladder in the corridor which had been used for fixing an electric light and as he thought that it was a good time to remove it. he asked Deputy Sheriff Thompson who Al, l..1 him take 1t out. They carried the ladder Into the yard and set 1t, he said up against the court house some twenty feet away, the time consumed being about five minutes. Immediately upon re-enter- ing the jail MT. Sandifer said he returned to the corridor in which was Dixs cell and at the first glance discovered that the light which had a minute or so be- fore been burning in the cell was out. In flash he said he knew that Dix had escaped and so told Deputy Thompson. A hurried investigation proved the truth of this statement. The two men then ran with revolvers In hand to the jail yard but neither Dix or any signs of him were to be seen. According to one of the prisoners Dix, when he crawled out of his cell through the opening made by removing the bars already sawed. car ried a piece of his cot with him. It was by this means that he scaled the high brick wall which surrounds the Jail After making his exit by the window where the bar that had been sawed in two was noticed in the afternoon.
 Heflin Talks.
 Solicitor H P Hefin when seen regard ing Dix's escape made the following statement: 'I can see no sort of reason why he should have gotten out of jail. There Is absolutely no excuse for 1t. If the officers in charge of the jail had done their duty Dix would still be there. l understand the bars of the window on the outer wall of the jail had been sawed through and this fact reported to the deputy sherlffs between 4 and o'clock Friday afternoon. AnG yet Dix was al- lowed to escape after this. Why was there not a man placed at that window to see that no prisoner got away? l do not blame MT Burgin. the shNifr for this escape, but men under him are wholly to blame for it,If they had done their duty the escape would have been impossible The jaf is one of the best and strongest in the south The saving of these bars fin Dix's cell must have required several days, and had the officer in charge of the jail and the inspection of the cells done his duty he would have found that Dix was making an attempt to escape"