Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-26
INSPECTOR MAYo'S VIEWS.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

ture Francis on Friday to the action
of one deputy sheriff. Francis it
was hoped would be captured at LORD S
bridge. He drove into the woods with
a stolen team. Warden Norton telc-
phoncd positive orders to allow no
one to pass into the road, but the
deputy sheriff is alleged to have dis
regarded the order, in the hope it is
supposed of himself capturing Francis.
and the latter took a haS:y departure.
Mr.. Mayo described somewhat min
utcly the method by which Francis
scaled the prison wall. He has kept
up his dumb bell practice ever since
being committed to the prison, and
when he left the prison he was in
prime condition. There is Il window
about IS feet high near the spot Wher"
Francis cleared the wall the window
being seven feet. four inches from the
wall and at right angles to it, The
wall is two feet higher than the top
of the window. Just as the men were
being lined up to be marched back to
their cells for the night, Francis bolted
from the line. climbed by the grating
between the upright bars of the win
W." WITH tlIt dSilltN Oh II cat ana III =
orally threw himself upward and out
ward until he landed with both hands
on the top of the wall, making an up
ward jump of two feet and Il side
jump of seven feet, four inches. He
got poor hand hold with one hand
but managed to regain his grip and
swung himself over the wall, dropping
to the ground outside.
Mr. Mayo attributes the escape of
Francis due to circumstances that
would seldom if ever occur again.
Mr. Washburn. one of the regular
guards at the prison, was absent on
leave, and his place WAS being taken
by substitute, a wcll-known elderly
man in ThomaSton. The latter was
supposed to be standing with rifle OF
arm while the line was forming H.
stead, this substitute guard was en-
gagged in sweeping his lodge and fail
ed to see Francis when he left the
line. The substitute guard l., said to
be Frustrated with grief and it Is fear
ed that his years may be shortened
His neighbors of Thomaston do not
hesitate i'll expressing their sympathy
for him.
How did Francis got away from
the searchcrs on Beauchamp point?"
was the next question.
That is just as easy of explanation
as can be-" replied Mr.. Mayo. "T.lr
men of the pOss" were unused to such
work. Warden Norton posted a guard
of Il men 40 feet apart, within speak
ing distance of one another, and gave
stringent orders fer them to remain
that way. At 3 O'Clock the next morn
ing they were found all together, hav-
ing the incest time in the world"
Mr.. Mayo said that there was no
truth in the story about decoys. nor
"cre the mother and sister of Francis
Implicated in his escape. Mr. Mayo
said that Francis is Il light mulatto.
and humorously declared that he looks
for all the world like a wcll-known
Portland newspaper man, whom Mr..
Mayo named.
Mr.. Mayo believed that the surrcn-
der of Francis was Il question of hours.
Ills spirit must be broken by this time
declared Inspector Mayo 81 think
that when he is surrounded and COW
cred. he Will throw up his hands very
quickly"
Every man down there has a gun"
added Mr. Mayo. "cvcn the ucwsrarce
men. Each officer has two pairs of |
fandcuffs. and hopes to use thnm soon.
sui they are getting pretty rusty. |
pretty rusty"
However. all jcsting aside, Inspector
Mayo was sanGuinc that with the good
work that was being done. the rccap-
lure of Francis was in sight.