The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-01
IDLE answer to the question of how he
got away.
Bell Does Not Talk.


If Barton Bell, the Centerville man,
who was with Locke in the successful
escape of the latter, would open his
mouth to tell of how it was planned,
the mystery might be better explain
ed but Bell says he don't know
nothing about 1t" only that he was
with Locke and helped, etc, how
much he does not say. Bell says that
the first he knew about the proposed
delivery was when he was awakened
by Locke who was saving the bars
outside his corridor. He got ready to
go and finally managed to pull him
self through the seven inch opening.
The two men climbed down then to
the floor and walked around on the
outside to where Locke had reached
the outside corridor. They crawled
into Locke's corridor again, Bell said,
and then went to tn. bathroom where
they removed the grating and Locke
climbed the air shaft to freedom.
Bell is not specific in his accounts Of
the matter, saying nothing about any
thing except what is already known.
he says.
Had Time to Get Away.
If Locke had reached the outside of
the Jail at three o'clock, and it is
generally supposed that he was there
not later than that time, he had three
hours in which to put long distance
between Richmond and himself, if in
deed, he chose to leave the city.
Some time ago, Locke said that he
could never be found if he choose to
get away, because his membership in
the Brotherhood of Railway (rain-
men would cause any freight brake
man or conductor in the country to
conceal him and that he could travel
from one end to the other of the cOun-
try and no one would ever know
about it. Some hold that he is still
around Richmond, waiting for few
days, when the eagerness to capture
him will be somewhat allayed. and
then he will make his final getaway.
Turnkey Harris Knew it First.
The first person to know that he
was gone was Turnkey Ray Harris,
who went into the Jail at ten minutes
after six o'clock yesterday morning to
change the bedding of the prisoners.
He found Bell in Locke's cell and
asked him sharply what he was doing
there. Bell then told him that Locke
had shaken the dust Of the jail from
his person and was enjoying freedom
Harris notified Sheriff Smith who
81 win
scene, Bell would not tell them how
he managed to get into LOcke's cell
and as the sawed bar had been pulled
back into place, it looked for time
as if something supernatural had
happened. The defective bar was at
last found and Bell showed the as
founded sheriff and his turnkey how
they climbed through an opening that
could sca%ce~admit fair sized dog.
Harris first opinion was that the pris-
oner entered that part OF the jail
building that is used by the Sheriff
as a residence, and came down the
stairs, leaving by the front door.
This would have been possible, and
is one of the three methods which
Locke might have pursued. There is
skylight on the roof which would
have admitted hi INTO the attic and
from there, stairs led to the lower
floor and to the front door, which was
unopened
Sheriff Smith Gives Statement.
In speaking of the daring escape of
probably the most elusive criminal
that has ever been confined within
the walls of the Wayne County Jail,
Sheriff Smith, said: We'll. the fellow
got away from me all right, and I
givehhim creditSfor it He'is almighty
smooth man and ordinary precautions
are not sufficientsto keep him. Locke
and Bell, together with Hunt, who is
a desperate man, thought that they
would break away at the door with
the aid Tof the revolver which was
found on HuntSlastS week, but when
that was taken away, Locke and Bell
dropped Hunt from their scheme and
connected the plan which brought
freedom to Locke. / was taking, every
precaution, knowing that Locke was
desperate and dangerous. but he
eluded me- AS for having his cell
door unlocked, tits necessary to have
all the cell doors unlocked at night,
so that the prisoners can go to the
lavatory at will. l had no idea that
any man could climb through that air
shaft and it still seems impossible
although that is what was done. | will
have iron bars placed in that shaft at
once. so that this trick will never be
duplicated"
BIoodhounds Not Used.
So strong was the opinion of the
authorities that Locke made his es-
cape on a train that when trained
bloodhounds, from Ohio, were
brought to the city this morning they
were not used and last evening re-
turned home with their owner. Sheriff
Smith says that for the present,
Locke will be allowed to remain at
large, hoping later to capture him
when better clues can be obtained.
Mrs. Locke Happy.
Mrs. John Locke, the loyal woman
who sticks with her husband through
everything, is probably the happiest
and produest woman in the county
even if her husband is accused Of
stealing and several other crimes.