Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-01
Charles Kiss, Alias Charles Mer-
rift, Escapes From the
County Jail.
WORKED A SMOOTH GAME.
Said He Did Not Want to Go to
State Prison Immediately Be-
cause He Was Tired.
Declared That One Day Would Mako
But Little Difference But Subsequent
Events Proved That it Did,

Good bye, sheriff. ] must leave you,
Good bye jailer dear.
I hope my absence will not grieye you,
But can't stay longer herei"
Joyously, slso quietly, hummed one
Charles Kiss. also Charles Merritt, yegg
man, burglar ali-round crook and twice
escaped convict, as he sawed awuy at
the bars in the rotary of the county
jail. between last midnight and day
light on this the first day OF Febru-
AIRY, 1907. Kiss. or Merritt, presented
his April Fool one month ahead of
scheduled time, showing thereby that
he is decidedly INDUSTRIOUS After
getting out of the rotary. he paid at
tention TO the bars on the window To-
Gated at the southwest corner of the
corridor, He sawed a bar from the
window, pushed back tho iron screen.
lowered himself to the ground by means
OF rope made from a blanket and
GIVEN SEVEN YEARS.
Non est
Kiss is the man who burglmized the
residence Of J. D. Wood. also ten Off
ces in the heart of the business dis
by Detective Wheeling while In the act
of disposing of valuable sable wrap
which he had stolen from the Wood
residence In Judge DiehFs court yes
terday he waived preliminary hearing
IN the afternoon he went before Judge
Armstrong OF the Third district court
and entered plea OF guilty. He re-
fused to give his real name, stating
that 1t was not necessary. and declined
TO discuss his personal affairs beyond
saying he was guilty OF the crime
charged in the complaint, and was
ready Tor sentence. He was given
seven years I'm the state prison.
WORKED SMOOTH GAME.
But are they coming to him? Echo
answers. because Kiss Is not,
This clever crook worked smooth
game on detectives. sheriff court and
jailers. While IN custody he affected
limp and hump, Neither was genu-
inc.
After being sentenced To serve a term
of seven years In the Utah prison
something was said by an officer abouS
taking the man TO Warden Pratt's in
stitution on the hill. Kiss gently de-
INJURED. He explained that he was Mt
tackled with that tired feeling and hum
bly, remarked;
HAD THAT TIRED FEELING.
I'm feeling rather tired and don't
want 10 go TO the pen and one day
won't make much difference"
But subsequent events have proved
beyond the peradventure OF doubt that
zone day" did make much difference
The clever crook was sparring for time
and he got it--but not the seven years.
scHAFFER STILL THERE.
He was taken back to the county
Jail and placed in q cell on the top
floor of the rotary The cell was in ths
northeast corner. For a room mate
Kiss had G. II. Schaffer, recently SEN
fenced to four months for obtaining
money by means of false pretenses.
Schaffer declares he did not hear Kiss
at work saving a bar The officers be-
lievo Schaf4er's statement because
Schaffer is still IN jail.
HOW HE DID TT.
Kiss removed one bar and then
squeezed his body through the opening.
Going to a window at the southwest
corner Of the upstairs corridor he
quickly sawed another bar. The opens
ing made in the window, by actual
measurement. is exactly dA inches.
DIscot. RED THIS MORNING.
The so far successful break for lib
erty was not discovered until Jaller Joe
Burbldge came on duty at z o'clock this
was OH duty from II o'clock last night
until z this morning did not hear a
sound of suspicious character. This
fact is another indication OF the des-
perate character of the ex-prisouer.
When the fellows absence WAS dis
covered an alarm was given aud al
examination Of the cell and window
made. Schaffer declared that he did
not hear n sound, But two steel bars
were removed and an iron screen dis
placed. Kiss was gone. OF that
was found in the cell IA the way of
saws, candles or grease,
GOOD INTENTIONS.
II was the intention OF tho officers to
have Kiss "mugged" this morning ana
hen take him 20 the state prison. Guc
Riss had other arrangements and lost
no time in carrying them out and him
self ont OF jail. A thorough description
Of the man was taken by the sherns
force yesterday afternoon.
THE DESCRIPTION.
The description Is MS folIows:
Name--Chares Riss,
Agc--2G years,
Heiglu-5 feet ~ inches.
Wcight--i42 pounds.
ComplcXlon-dArI
Hair-Dark brown.
Eyes-LiBht blue,
Smooth face.
Tattoo on left fore arm Of pausy with
stem an lnch long, Also vaccination on
arm.
Clothing--Dark suit patent leather
shoes, black hat,
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
Had Kiss been placed in the lower
compartment OF the rotary he never
would have escaped, for the reason thar
Il would have been impossible 10 have
sawed the bars there because they are
composed OF rolled chilled steel and
q would require more than a dozen dif-
ferently tempered saws 70 cut through
the formation
WARNING GIVEN.
Last night Detective Raleigh phoned
down to the county Jail ana advised the
man IN charge 10 keep a close watch on
lsiss- There was q good reason FOR
this advise.
TRIED IN BEFORE.
1t was discovered last night that Kiss