Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1912-10-17
(cODyright bS y. L. Nelson

chance Of getting n peep OF sunshine
again. set up communication with
a friend of mine. When l was taken
! to the court to plead my friend shook
me heartily by the hand. Incidentally
he slipped up my sleeve in front OF
the bright-eyed coppers some very
small tools which would be OF great
service to me. l took the precaution
of putting them away In case should
be searched on entering the jail. !
got through all right, and divided my
tools with Sam. who had a cell on the
same tier with me, about twenty-five
feet away. MY tools consisted OF a
set of the finest steel band saws and
a little box of acid to soften the iron
and muffle the buzz Of the saws VIXEN
at work.
'Tt took three nights to get through
with everything except the automatic
bolt which locks all the cells. After
learning that Sam had made as good
progress as had, we arranged 1t to
90 through the last bolt before mid
night and be ready to make break
as soon as possible after the mid
night change in the watch. got to
work on the automatic bolt when the
lights were put out early in the eve
ming, and by / o'clock In the morn
ing could shift my bolt In good
shape. / tried the door and found
that It opened easily. After the guard
made the rounds l slipped into the
corridor. A moment later Sam APP
peared.
I'VE had our plans all laid. ] en-
tered his cell. We waited for the
guard to come round again, and as
he passed the door we seized him
from behind. dragged him into the
cell and put him to sleep with a
crack on the skull with an iron bar.
/ put on his official coat and hat, took
his keys, unlocked the door to a store
room and sent in the half-hour signal
to the main ONCE. Sam used the
saws as quickly as possible to 60
through the bars on the window,
while / made the regular tour OF the
guards corridor.
IT had to go within twenty feet OF
another guard, but covered my face
with my handkerchief during an as
sumed At of coughing, and ran the
gauntlet in good shape. When Sam
got through the bars l brought two
sheets to him, which he made into a
rope, while 1 made my last tour.
when l got back to the room ev-
erything was in readiness We slid
| down the rope to the top Of the prison
wall. 1t was an easy drop from there
to the ground and we got away. 1t
was a very cold night and we forced
an entrance into clothing store and
got a new outfit. We decided that 1t
was best for us to 60 It alone and
make line for New York.
I'VE were fiat broke and had to
get money somewhere. We fixed up
bit and tumbled >-onto q darling
scheme the very first day out Two
young fellows. as we were passing the
First National bank shortly after 3
o'clock, came out carrying a bag.
They showed ny their manner that
they were ON al important mission.
We laid for them for two days, and
found that they came out regularly
each day with the bag. Then we fixed
our play.
I I'VE waited for them to appear on
the third day in Trinity church yard.
and when they started up Broadway
we got them before they had gone
block Stepping quickly up behind,
each picked out a man and gave him
handful Of red pepper in his eyes
They dropped the bag like shot. and
before they had time-t yell l picked
It up and we got lost in the crowd.
It was a safe play to make a break
for the Liberty street ferry with the
bag as II We were going to take
train on the Central. ! unloaded the
bag In the lavatory and got just $751;
600 for the days work"