Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-03-06
A HOLE IN THE ROCK
The Story Of an Attempted Es'
cape From Gibraltar.
BuRaowINe OUT OF PRISON.
The Wonderful Secret Work That Con-
vict ReaIff Performed In the Teeth OF
Constant and Systematic Supervision

vict Realm FoTIoTWSe ~ $40
Constant and Systematic Supervision
by His Jailers.
Ambrose Realff was undergoing a
life sentence on the towering rock OF
Gibraltar for scuttling his ship for the
sake of the insurance money. The
governor told the story of Realf's at
tempt to escape:
srhat fellow led rowing life-a
daredevil that obeyed every impulse,
good or bad. And yet for three whole
wears I found him model prisoner.
At first he was employed as carpen-
fer. and little later we put him on
the harbor works. But suddenly to
this wild nature came an unquencha-
BILE thirst for freedom. At that time
Realff was In charge Of all the labor
ers' pick handles and wheelbarrows IN
the Resia quarry, where he was IN
stalled in a little lean-to shed against
hollow In the mighty cliff. Every
report put before me extolled the
mans good behavior.
swell, every afternoon at A the WORK
ing party of convicts would form up
and return to the prison-which, as
Won know, contains some Of the tough
est characters of both east and west
and an officer would 60 to Realfr's
shed TO unlock him and bring him
along with the rest.
"But this afternoon the door was
opened In vain. Realff was not there.
| And vet twenty minutes previously ne
had been seen through the little WIN
dow when visited by the chief warder.
He had even answered to his name as
he stood planning at his bench In dark
recess. He was gone, how or where
not a soul knew. PROFESSIONALLY the
shed was locked on the outside, and
fine lock had not been tempered with.
And there appeared no other exit ex-
cept the door, nothing but solid rock.
The little shanty was ransacked, emp
lied, bat without result.
<"Could the man, wondered, pave
discovered some secret recessf You
! know the whole rock Is fairly honey
combed with holes, both natural and
artificial, like Gruyere cheese. Alarmed
at the results such an escape womb
have on the morale Of my dangerous
gangs. | had torches brought and per-
sonally examined every nook and cram
nv of the cliff against which the shed
was built. Then my best officers went
over 1t ali with hammer and croWpar'
But no, nothing but solid rock. Now
for the floor. 1t was level and fairly
smooth, Just covered in places with o
little loose single.
"'Bring me a bucket OF water J
cried with sudden inspiration. When II
came threw /. carefully out and we
all watched. More and more! we
fairly inundated the floor and shouted
with excitement as we saw 1t eDD >ai
most as swiftly as we poured.
"Mere absorption was Impossible
The rock was not porous. There mus
he q cave or tunnel below. Phe mar
hunt was growing hotter now. Relent
lessly we traced the ebbing streams t
dark and distant corner, where l ha'
to get down on all fours to crawl un
der a massive rock shelf. Here TN
last trickle disappeared.
"Idke a fash our crowbars were
work, and, 10, big block was prie'
, I'D, revealing dark gulf below. aI
preached 1t cautiously. Now, Realm
/ cried sternly, it's all up! We've go
your -,
"There was no reply. My chic
warder poked a pole down and foun
a depth of eight feet he and wv
giant subordinates got out their II
yolyers, seized lanterns and swun
themselves in AS ticklish JoD 9
routing out wounded tiger from ~
lair. We above waited long an
breathlessly. Suddenly faint shot
Travelled up to US, followed by SOUND
of a desperate struggle In the caverl
BY and by back they came, with Real
securely handcuffed. Lowering rope
: we hauled him up, battered, but sm'
ing. ;,
"He faced his disappointment VIII
rare pluck, flashed smile on me az
said, Better luck next time, colonel
> "That was the end Of four long al
patient years of endeavor. | think
discovered the pit shortly after
was first put in the shed. And he hs
not only enlarged 1t with scrap
iron and the patience Of another Barr
Trench, but he had also extended
laterally, no doubt hoping for ultima
escape to the sea by the subterrane'
passage.
"But even this in any event was on
the first stage. Realff's provision we
u much farther. He had actually blu
y himself boat out Of nondescri
scraps of canvas, old sacks and cd
and ends of timber. 1t was a mary
of constructive skill, yet surely no
= but q desperate man would think
committing himself to the Medit'
ranean or Atlantic In such a era
skiff-a mere tiny coracle barely cal
\ ble of keeping man afoat OF coul
- he felt sure that once launched
would soon be picked up by SOL
passing craft in the crowded strait
y Gibraltar, and he had a story rea
for his savlors as well as provisic
for himself. OF these asst ne D
abundance-chiefy biscuit and s
y; pork-Iaid by bit by bit from his
: tions and carried out daily from
nrison In such small quantities as
~ elude the search made at every para
"But that the man was able to la
7 IN his cave and build and provis
his boat In the teeth OF constant
systematic supervision seems to me
~. short of maryel0us."-New y