The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-04-08
A HOLE IN THE ROCK
The Story of an Attempted Es-
cape From Gibraltar.
BURROWlNG OUT OF PRISON.
The Wonderful Secret Work That Con-
vict Realff Performed In the Teeth of
Constant and Systematic Supervision
by His jailers.

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 Realff's at
tempt to escape:
That fellow led a rowing life-a
daredevil that obeyed every impulse.
good or bad. And yet for three whole
years | found him a model prisoner.
At first he was employed as carpen-
ter. and little later we put him on
the harbor works But suddenly to
this wild nature came an unquencha-
bic thirst for freedom At that time
Realff was in charge of Nall the labor
ers' pick handles and wheelbarrows in
the Rosia quarry. where he was in
stalled in a little lean-to shed against
a hollow in the mighty cliff. Every
report put before me eXtolled the
mans good behavior.
We'll. every afternoon at t the work
'
and return to the prison-which, as
you know. contains some Of the tough
est characters of both east and west
and an officer would go to Realff' S
shed to unlock him and bring him
along with the rest.
But this afternoon the door was
opened III vain. Realff was not there
And yet twenty minutes previously he
had been seen through the little win
dow when visited ty the chief warder
He had even answered to his name as
he stood planning at his bench in a dark
recess He was gone, how or where
not soul knew. Unquestionably tie
shed was locked on the outside, and
the 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
tied. but without result.
Gould the man. | wondered. have
discovered some secret recess? 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 would
have on the morale of my dangerous
gangs. | had torches brought and per-
sonally examined every nook and cram
ny Of the cliff against which the shed
was built. Then my best officers went
over it all with hammer and crowbar.
But no. nothing but solid rock. Nov
for the floor. 1t was level and fairly
smooth. Just covered in places with q
little loose Shiugle
Bring me Il bucket of water
cried with sudden inspiration When it
came. threw it carefully OFT. and we
all watched More and more" We
fairly inundated the floor and shouted
with excitement as we saw it cob al
most as swiftly as we poured.
Mere absorption was impossible
The rock was not porous. There must
be cave or tunnel below. The man
HINT was growing hotter now. Relent
lessly We traced the ebbing streams to
a dark and distant corner, where had
to get down on all tours to crawl IN
der massive rock shelf. Here the
last trickle disappeared.
Like a fash our crowbars were at
work. and. 10. big bloch was pried
up. revealing dark gulf below. l ap-
preached it cautiously. Now. Realff.'
] cried sternly, it's all up! We've got
your
There was no reply. My cher
VI
a depth of eight feet. He and two
giant subordinates got out their re-
volvers, seized lanterns and swung
themselves in as ticklish a job as
routing out wounded tiger from his
lair. We above waited long an.
Suddenly a faint shout
Travelled up to US. followed by sounds
Of desperate struggle in the cavern
By and by back they came, with Realff
securely handcuffed. Lowering ropes.
We hauled him up, battered, but smil
Ing.
HE faced his disappointment with
rare pluck. flashed smile on me and
said, Better luck next time. colonel
That was the end Of four long and
patient years Of endeavor. / think hi
discovered the pit shortly after be
was first put In the shed. And he had
not only enlarged 1t with a scrap Of
ron and the patience Of another Baron
Trench, but he had also extended 1t
literally, no doubt hoping for ultimate
escape to the sea by the subterranean
passage.
But even this in any event was only
he first stage. Realff's provision went
much farther. He had actually built
himself boat out Of nondescript
scraps of canvas, old sacks and odds
md ends of timber. 1t was a marvel
If constructive skill, yet surely none
put desperate man would think Of
committing himself to the Mediter
'anean or Atlantic in such a crazy
kif-a mere tiny coracle barely capa
DE of keeping man afloat. OF course
le felt sure that once launched b.