The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-03-23
VESTS ATTEMPT
TOBREAK JAIL WAS
Merry TRY
Former Detroit Broker Saws Way
Out Of Baltimore Bastile, But
Ladder Breaks as He Has
Almost Scaled Wall.
'Ill Die Before I'll Tell You" He
Gamely Answers When Asked
as to Confederates.

A Baltimore dispatch gives the de-
tails OF the attempted escape from jail
of Hume H. West. former Detroit
broker, who has left trail OF crime
not only In this city but all through
the east. laying down forged cheeks
being his speciality. The dispatch
fellows:
When Hume n. West sawed his
way out OF the Baltimore city jail
just as dawn was breaking, made
dash across the prison yard while the
guards slept on their rifles, scaled
The stone walls until his hands grasp
ed the top OF the parapet and freedom
was in sight. then fell back and down
10 recapture and prison again, he
merely added another chapter to
life of extraordinarily clever daring.
When he went back 10 his cell
wincing under the pain of a sprained
ankle. and the keepers asked him
where he got the saw and who his
contederates were, he said
I'm die before I'll tell YOU and
smiled calmly.
Even under the strain OF seeing
plot that had occupied his. brain for
ally was in his hands. West showed
the same imperturbability that was
his when he woed and won Regina
Ellicott, the daughter OF Judge ELI
colt, OF East Capitol-st., Washington,
ID. c.. and went TO live with her in
Brookline. the fashionable suburb Of
Boston. when his only means of sup
port was the nimbleness OF his wit.
The dash for liberty also was but
another manifestation OF the steel
like nerve that led MIN when arrest
ed here In the garb OF a priest 20 dare
10 suggest to his captors that he be
taken before Cardinal Gibbons for
identification. He calmly accompan-
led them TO the archiepiscopal resi-
dence. and when the prelate swiftly
denounced him as an impostor he
said, Oh, very WELL and walked or
tn lookup, where he suddenly drew
a magazine revolver and fired at the
detective who captured him.
10 Merry Chap.
This act OF bravado was in keep.
ing with the daring that led him, In
Washington, ID. c.. to represent him
self as Lieut. Commander Henry
Knowlson. u. S. N. and also TO enter
private banking house and induce
conservative financie-s to let him
have lot OF government bonds.
The warden OF the Baltimore city
jail now knows that West had the
nerve TO show to the prison keeper
copies OF personal advertisements he
was inserting In newspapers and con
tanning a secret code by which he
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side.
The story OF Vests dash for lib
erty reads like page from Monte
tristo. He was sent 10 Jail on Nov.
20. 1910, to await trial for the larceny
or blank checks. For three years
workmen have been inside and out
side the building. They have ha
hammers, saws, pliers. pieces OF pipe
and other things OF the sort sprinkled
about the institution.
Not ding ago one OF the men lef;
saw behind while he went to an.
other part of the building. He was
discharged, and an order went out
that in the future all saws must be
turned in TO the head warden, to be
kept under lock and key. When a
saw was wanted thereafter the work
man had TO be personally responsible
for IL.
Found Piece Of Saw
Before they were locked up West
managed 10 get piece of one. he
| says. The warden thinks he got a
whole one. II he didn't get the saw
Inside the jail a confederate brought
IL in. The saw, or piece of saw,
can't be found and the theory is that
West hid II somewhere. He says he
threw IL down the vault in the tower.
With the saw West collected lot
or odds and ends OF pipe-small pipe,
such as goes into gas fixtures. There
were ten OF them altogether, includ.
ing three joints, or elbows.
Every morning at o'clock the
prisoners are let out of their cells
and gent TO the towers. Ii is the
theory that on these visits West. who
could just look out of the window and
examine the wall on the Madison-st.
side at his leisure, sized IL up by feet
and inches, for his work showed care
fulness I'm detail and a mechanical
genius by no means to be despised.
West put the pieces OF pipe to-
gether easily. as they were provided
Wltn I0TeduS NJ DUH enuS. lie maze
straight connection OF piping Just
as long as the width OF the big wall.
AT either end he formed joint, or
hook, TO catch on the wall At one
end he formed an additional hook
turning outward and from this sus-
pended q small cross bar OF wood.
Then he tore up his blankets and with
the dizziness OF sailor plated the
strips into a rope ladder long enough
TO reach from the top Of the wall 10
the ground.
He made a single rope of he
sheets as stout as could be turned out
by machinery. He must have taken
some time at this job. because the
plating was done expertly. This
single rope was to swing from the
tower and slide down into the tail
yard. The ladder was to be used to
scale the wall.
Cuts Heavy Window Bars.
When the prisoners were called on
a foggy morning West evidently had
his pipe continuance disjointed and
concealed under his clothing He
went straight to the tower. The other
prisoners finished their additions AID
left him there. He closed and locked
the door-that is. they think he closed
and locked the door. That left him
free to work, and with his saw he
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