The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-26
CUT THEIR WAY OUT
OF !AzEWELL JAIL
Eleven Prisoners Make Their Es-
cape from New 100000
Prison.
----sh
SAWS STRUGGLED IN THERE
Strange Man Had Carried in
Implements Used to File the
Hardened Steel Bars.
SAWS STRUGGLED IN THERE

TAzEWELL. VA, october 25.-Eleven
prisoners. all white, escaped from Taze-
wells new $4,000 jail last night by
saving the ears OF ono of the cells.
and up to n late hour tonight only one
Of the prisoners has been captured-a
small boy. by the name OF Asbury,
who was caught at his home. near Max
well.
The work OF severing the bars looked
ms IL 1t had been done by an expert.
The Jail has only been occupied about
six months, and the bars in the cells
were supposed to be OF hardened steel;
but the fact that the men in the jail
made their escape SO easily would lead
one TO believe that the bars were not
as represented.
The claim has been made that Taze-
wells jail is one of the best in the
State, the manufacturers claiming that
the structure was made of hardened
steel. and could not Ae penetrated by
ordinary means. The work of cutting
the bars was done by saws. as 1t de-
veloped late this afternoon.
saws Struggled In.
When the Asbury boy was questioned
by the authorities hef said that some
time last week a strange person, who
gained entrance to the Jail, Struggled
a dozen small saws to one Jacket, who.
Will lIe OUTFITS, went 10 WORK at ONCE
saving the bars. The saving was
finished last night about 10 o'clock. and
the entire lower floor was emptied ex-
cept one man. who was locked in an
other department. The upstairs OF the
jail was occupied by colored people.
several of whom were not acquainted
with the deiiverance until the iaiier
made his usual visit this morning. On
account of their department being
JnrknJ ave ~ Ia,, ,,JrI tl-S -
The charges against the ones who
escaped are various and sundry. The
most regrettable part of the affair is
that two men from Buchanan county,
who were sent oN;er here for safekeep-
ing. and who were charged with a
heinous murder. made their escape with
the rest.
Who the Men Are.
From the pest information obtain
able the following are the names of
the men: Grover Shamblin, confined
for assault. whose time would expire
In December: Addison Beavers, for the
murder OF his father: Alex. Beavers,
who was to have been tried at the next
term of court: John MaXly Clendening,
NJ. Jacket and jeff. Hamilton, the two
murderers here from Buchanan county
for safekeeping; a. Topesky. A. Thomp-
son, John Johnson and Jas. Bolan. The
last named were only confined in Jail
a few days ago. charged with assault
ing one Mr.. Moore at Cedar Bluff
several days ago. John Johnson is the
man who came over to his county
from West Virginia and tried to shoot
up Cedar Bluff. and ran up against a
constable with blood in his eye.
Young Asbury, the only one so far
caught. said that he did not want to
leave the jail. but that he was forced,
under penalty OF being killed, to fol-
low the rest. HIS is also said to have
stated that the men scattered to the
tour winds as soon as they were freed.
The officials of the county are said
to know the man or parties who snug
gled the saws into the Jail. and vigor-
GUS action against him will be taken
at once. With the combined force of
the deputy sheriffs OF the county and
other officials. the men will have a
hard time getting out of the county,
but 1T is said that so far nothing has
been heard OF the escaped prisoners.