Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-27
2 CONVICTED BURGLARS.
CAUGHT DIGGING TUNNEL.
Prisoners Wrench
Hammock Hook
Loose and Work
at Night while
HOWling Wind
Covers Noise

Digging their way toward freedom
through the weak wooden floors OF
the cell In the territorial prison, two
desperate criminals last night almost
effected jailbreak. The vigilance
OF guards in the prison resulted in
the discovery of the plan and it's
quick Illustration, and instead Of com.
ing up from q burrow into the free
air Of the front yard. the two men
landed IN close confinement on n
diet Of bread and water.
According to what High Sheriff
Henry has learned OF the attempted
jail-break, Il was the, climax of care
fully-concOcted plot The two prin.
cipals In the case are Howard C.
Duke and John +. Bates Both OF
them are types of bad men," Both
are serving sentences for burglary in
the first degree. They were con.
victed on August Is of this year, and
Duke was sentenced to serve not less
than one year and six months nor.
more than twenty years. Bates was
sentenced to not less than two years
and SIX months nor more than twenty
years, Judge whitney delivering tho
80
The plot began to work out when
number Of the white prisoners In
the jail cQmDAIned bitterly and per
sistently ~ their food. They declafed
1t was poorly cooked, ana the prison
Officials were asked to make q change
In the chefs that preside over the
prison kIfch11. one OF the convicted
burglars. Duke. was said to be good
cook, and the little group of trouble
making white men wanted Duke put
to work In the kitchen.
II was suspected even than that the
object OF the plan was to out the
man in q place where he could get
hold Of knives and other iron and steel
utensils that could be used In q jail
break. The old prison is none too
safe. anyway, and in q number of
places . little digging will free the
prisoners. High Sheriff Henry refused
to allow Duke to 60 to the kitchen.
The two men determined to make
their escape at all hazards and last
night appeared to be an excellent time
10 carry out their plan The>:ind was
bowling about the Jail and under cover
of its noise the two evidently hoped
10 conceal their efforts to cut through
the floor aud dig out.
About three o'clock this morning
a vigilant guard heard a suspicious
noise In the cell on the lower cor.
ridor which the men shared. Quick
investigation showed that the prison.
ers were fast cutting Their. way
through the wooden floor, which is
made of oneinch planking laid across
timbers and offers little opposition to
any kind Of a sharp-edged tool. The
men had ingeniously fashioned, an in.
strument out Of q screw which they
had obtained from the wall, unscrew.
ing hammock to get the implement.
The men were surprised at their
work and after that it was nothing
but the bread-and-water diet for them.
Plans have been completed for the
new prison, and High Sheriff Henry is
anxious to get into it, as the present
structure is anything but delivery
proof. The contract for the admins.
tration building OF the new Jail will
be let early next month. and the rest
OF the work will be done by prison
labor. The structure when completed
will be model OF its kind.