The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-19
BROKE JAIL
At W|LL|S70N
Three Prisoners Cut Hole in
Wall of Lookup" and
Made their Escape.

Williston, N. D.. Aug. 19.-The call
became so insistent hat three in
mates of the county's strong house
heard it and Needed without waiting
for breakfast.
A rather neat opening, about ten by
fourteen inches in size, through the
brick wall of the county Jail, we'll up
near the caves, with a rope formed of
four or five blankets dangling in the
morning breeze, told the story at a
glance of the first escape that has oc-
CURED from this building.
From the ground it appeared like A
rather small opening but proved large
enough to allow three prisoners to
gain their liberty during the silent
watches of Monday night. The es-
capers are Ed. Kerr, who will be re-
called as the man who got into the
limelight by s%natching a lady's purse
during the performance of Campbell
brothers circus a few weeks ago;
John Maher. brought here from Stan
ley on a charge OF blind pigging, and
a man named Taylor, bound over
from Ray on a larceny charge.
Kerr was without doubt the insti-
gator n leader in the plans which
resulted in their regaining their lib
SitS as III OoIe Il4dlS IIldI AS VI lIle
experienced criminal. One prisoner
remained in the Jail lot thinking wise
to avail himself of the opportunity
of escape. He is Henry Schenck. who
is also held on the charge of violat-
ing the liquor law.
Ii has been the custom of Sheriff
Olson with prisoners having no very
serious charge against them Il allow
the freedom of the corridors n this
is the first instance where the leni-
ency has been taken advantage Of. 1t
has been reported hat the men had
been working on the opening through
which they made their getaway for
several weeks. but the sheriff dis
credits this idea as he say he made
the rounds of the Jail every day and
any operation of this sort could not
repeatedly have escaped his notice.
He believes the work was mostly
done the night of escape and says it
was no very. difficult or lengthy job
after the first couple of bricks had
been loosened.
side of the Jail between the walls and
the steel bars of the cells is covered
by a steel ceiling, and at the point
where another corridor leads into this
one it is an easy matter to get on
top of this ceiling from where there
was a good opportunity to work at
the wall. The tool used in doing the
1ob was an ordinary composition
table knife cut off at about the middle
OF the blade. With this they patiently
dug u the mortar and removed the
bricks. being careful that no pieces
fell outside. They made a breach the
length of two bricks and a height
equal to the thickness of four bricks.
Four or five blankets from their beds
were twisted together and tied with
cords.
Emmett Mathews and a young maj
employed at the Lowe feed store dis
covered the evidences of the escape
n at once notified the police. Sher-
III olson and Officer Be1nis in an auto
searched the country in the most
likely direction. particularly along he
railroad tracks and river bottoms,
taking with them the sheriff's blood
hounds. The sheriff returned at noon
and continued his search in the after
noon with the assistance of Chief
Nolan. No clue whatever was found,
The most acceptable theory is that
the me- went at once to the railroad
yards and o d the rods of No. 4 or
some freight train until they calcu-
lated their escape had been discov-
cred, and then got into cover. All
trains that had left Williston that
morning Were searched as soon as
the crews could be communicated
with and descriptions have been sent
out In every direction. 1t is believed
the fugitives will be picked up within
a few days. 1t vas fortunate that the
charges against the men We're not of
a serious nature. They are the first
prisoners who have gotten away from
grined over the affair.