Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-06-17
CUSTER CITY. SOUTH DAKOTA. JUNE I'll
asoAsnp raox JAIL.

| ouTPTisoo 70 learn tnat curing the nigh,
three prisoners had escaped from the
county Jail. They were Miles Houston,
George Otto Phillips and John Doe, {
companion Of Phillips.
Sunday night sfter supper Sheriff Ike
Ainslie locked up Phillips and Doe In
their cell, leaving Houston out In the
corridor; then going out on the streets
awhile. Returning to the Jail before 8
O'Clock hs proceeded to lock up the pris-
onsrs for the night, a. usual. When he
went In Houston was sitting on q bench
near the door OF the steel cage. When
the Sheriff opened the cage door Hous-
ton walked into the cage and on into his
cell. Not seeing Doe the Sheriff asked
whore he was. Phillips answered he 10
In bed. As they bunksd together the
Sheriff supposed everything was oil
right. He then closed both cell doors
and the cage door. locking all three with
. lever. As q further precaution he
locked the cage door With q paddock, rs
he had been In the habit Of doing. He
also locked with paddock the other two
doors he passed through-thus feeling
they were secure for tho night
In the morning when he unlocked the
cells and called his trio to breakfast they
were not thsre-thsy bad taken an
early morning stroll and failed to come
back. The Sheriff found the doors ell
locked, just ss he left them !. but his
birds had flown.
Now the inference is that John Doe
either crawled upon top the steel cage
or hid under the bench that stood be-
tween the cage and wall. At any rate
there 10 no question but what he had
duplicate key and when everything be-
came quiet be let his companions out in
the corridor, locking the doors rs they
were.
The rest was easy. BY standing on
tho bench they could reach the floor
above. In some unknow manner they
had obtained brace and bit with which
they bored several holes through the
upper floor, forcing few boards upward
into register of deeds Office under the
table. All three being slim persons they
effected egress through q narrow space.
II was an emergency case where time
was valuable. From the bench they
could climb up into the window and
from there through the floor into the
register OF deeds Office. When In the
Registers Office they could open the
door and walk out unhampered.
Houston was brought back from the
pen" q month or so ago charged with
Phillips and Doe, the
hoboes, had only been incarcersted .
few days They were arrested for
breaking into freight cars and were be-
ing held awaiting arrival of an officer
from Nebraska, who was expected Mon.
day morning.
From the manner of escape II Is sur
missed that the escape Of Houston was
planned before the hoboes were put in
Jail and that he was only waiting an OPP
portunity to put it into effect. One evil
dence ofthst is the fact that heavy stick
Of stove-wood with one end whitfield
smooth aud round to give It q good
hand grip lay on chair In the corridor.
Probably the Sheriff would have been
assaulted with that stick, If other plans
had miscarried. There is no doubt that
Houston was furnished with tools and
to make false key, by out.
siders, as the complaints against him
would have sent him to the "pen" for
another term Of years. His confederates
we're anxious to secure his liberty-no
matter at what cost.
The following description Of the men
have been sent broadcast over the cotin'
try:
Miles Houston, horse-thief, s feet z
inches, las pounds, Sc years old, dark
smooth face, thin oval face,
very long large nose, light built, little
fellow, wore dark suit.
George Otto Phillips, % years old, 6
feet, $50 pounds, long slim face, very
large, long nose, light complexion, large
mouth. has shifty look in his eyes, stiff
bristly light hair, light baseball shoes,
light corduroy pants, dark coat, large
black felt hat.
Phillips lived In Custer several years.
In fact served short term in the "pen"
from this county. He has been away
for several months, and only Showed
up" few days ago.
John Doe, 25 years old, s feet 7inches,
l45 pounds, black hair, dark eyes, dark
suit, brown stiff hat.