The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-18

| without the aid of such an appliance
1t is, I can say without fear of contra
dlction, absolutely impossible for any
human being to free himself from the
ordinary handouts employed by the po-
| lice.
| The most embarrassing contingency I
found myself obliged to solve was how
to conceal these keys so as to be able
to get at them in whatever position I
happened to be handcuffed The favorite
place of concealment was the cabinet In
which always retired to effect my re-
lease This was constructed of iron pip
ing, and many Of the pieces which ap-
peared to be essentially portions of the
framework were in reality only intended
to hold my keys Other keys disposed
about my person in sundry small pockets,
and l had them so arranged that I was
able to place my hands upon some of
them In whatever position might be.
The best places for pockets I found to be
under the knees, to permit me to reach
the keys when in crouching attitude.
The next best place was about six inches
up, inside the leg of trousers, II they
were worn. When pinioned with my
arms behind my back, small pocket In
side the neckband Of my waistcoat made
my compliment of pockets complete. A
piece of violin string made into loop
was kept inside the cabinet for emergen-
cies Thus. when 1t was impossible to
draw the key and force the lock spring
with the fingers, the loop was dropped
over the key, the heel of the boot was
placed in the other end of the loop and
the lock was easily sprung.
When L have accepted challenges In a
nude condition 1t has naturally excited
great attention. This is the way ] have
had to work It. First, I must explain
that when I undergo this test In the
hands of the police authorities I hold a
vastly different position from a prisoner
in the hands of the law. The very ma
ture of my visit enables me to make con-
ditions favorable to myself, of course.
l state what I require, and 1t is while
listening to my instructions that the po-
lice as we'll as the public audience are
deceived. When they take me down to a
cell which Is fitted with spring lock, all
| have to do in the course of my condi-
tional examination OF the locks, ETC., Is
to fill up the bolt hole with a wedge of
hard wood. AS the door shuts the bolt
"pinches on" this wedge and remains
shut but pressure opens 1t, and to con-
ceal my methods afterwards secretly
remove my wedge.
/ generally Work on tnlS metnod IN or
binary cases, but once in Clermand-Fer-
rand they would not let me have the
conditional examination. However
shall tell later on how I succeeded In
outwitting them. =
| In cases of escaping from cell nude,
l generally have my keys (Which all fl
into tiny silved tube) stuck under my
armpits by meano of shoemakers' wax
| I have also concealed my keys in my
hair, which I keep particularly long fol
that purpose. The feke key I used tc
open the English regulation handcuff Il
round piece of steel about inches
long. with a handle at one end (Which
can be folded up) and with the opposite
end drilled out and screwed with a one
fourth-inch top. 1t will open all regula
| ton English key irons. These, as al
'locksmiths know, are opened by ks1