The San Francisco call., 1906-08-28
CONVICTS' RUSE
IS SHATTERED
BY JONES.
Felons at San Quentin Con-
struct Submarine Suits in
Which to Float Away
CACHE Is FOUND
BY SUB-FOREMAN
One Makes a Confession and
Four Are Repenting in
the Dungeon as a Result

the Dungeon as a Result
SAN RAFAEL, Aug. 27.-Floating
away TO liberty in improvised sub
marine suits was the dream Of at least
four convicts at the State prison. To-
night the four are in the dungeon in
stead Of floating like porpoises to some
unguarded shore and safety, and the
fngeniously constructed suits, that in
some respects resemble diving bells. are
in the hands Of the prison authorities
To them the prison on the bay shore
has not been Chateau d'Oeuf and they
are not Monte Cristos bobbing up from
the depths and making their way to
terra FAR from the cells that held them.
The discovery Of the conspiracy is
due 10 the vigilance Of Robert Jones, a
sub-foreman on the new work OF level
ing the cemetery hill for the new cell
buildings
The men in the dungeon are William
Brown, q second timer, serving three
years for burglary; Perry Hale, serving
ten years for robbery; Rupert Y
Downs. serving two terms of four and
FIVE years. respectively, for burglary
and J. B. Blackwell. serving ten years
for robbery. All of them came from
Folsom two months ago and all. with
the exception OF Brown, are hard cases
with four years and ever to serve. and
they viii lose on an average of three
and half years each in credits
HIDDEN UNDER THE BLUFF.
Friday. a week ago. Jones was walk
ing along the beach at the extreme
point OF the cemetery hill and noticed
q yellow bundle under the bank and
among the roots of a tree that had been
exposed by the action Of the waves.
The bundle was fully six feet under
the bank. He took the package and in
vestigated IL He found one Of the
neatest and most certain means Of
escaping by the water route with per-
feet safety under the noses of the
guards. In the package was an i'm
provised submarine suit. manufactured
by the ingenious hands Of the prisoners
and which was awaiting the time for
the owner 10 avail himself OF q suit
able tide and time to use it. The suit
consisted Of a convict shirt. with hood
and mufiers attached, a pane OF glass
over the face, a tube made out OF cloth
for breathing purposes The shirt was
coated with a very heavy mixture Of
resin and grease. applied hot to the
cloth. giving it a dirty yellow appear
ance. Attached to the cloth funnel was
a vinegar spigot, with a plug at the
end. When the time came the con-
vict intended TO slip this submarine
suit over his head and fasten it around
his waist with a heavy torniquet. max
ing itsabsOlutely alright. The length
Of the tube. six or seven inches. would
allow a man TO float away with only the
top Of the spigot visible
THREE MORE SUITS APPEAR.
Jones replaced the bundle and then
informed his SUP erior, James H. VIII
kins, the superintendent of construc-
ton. who informed Warden Edgar. The
convicts working out at the cemetery
were watched closely. They managed
10 place another suit there on the fol-
lowing Saturday. and Monday there
was another suit.
Suspicion fell on Hale and Downs
4 guard with a very powerful field
glass was located on McRae's Point
and instructed TO watch the place
closely. 1t was expected that the men
avere going TO try TO leave Tuesday
and that some Of their fellow-convicts
from Folsom were cognizant OF the
scheme, as six of them went to the
buns edge and looked over into San
Francisco Bay as If they were trying
10 see something. The plotters changed
their minds, and becoming suspicious
that some one had discovered their
suits, stole an AK and cut a lot OF
brush. They dragged the brush
through the mud and, laying the suits
under it. left it as IL the tide had
placed Il about high-water mark on
the beach.
This hiding method did not suit the
men. and last Thursday and Friday
they. made holes in the bank. close to
the waters edge. Another suit ap-
reared. Their work was done during
the lunch hour and must have taken
several weeks
BROWN MAKES CONFESSION.
AS Saturday is short day at the
prison. the guards waited patiently fol
them TO show themselves. This morn
ing at 11:2o o'clock. ten minutes be-
fore the time for knocking of fol