The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-15
James Gooch, Negro
Wife Slayer, Escapes
by Aid of Hacks Saw.
POLICE UNABLE
TO PICK UP TRAIL
Prisoner Took Advantage of Con
fusion in Building While 1t
Was Undergoing Repairs.
City Sergeant Offers
Reward of $1OO for
His Capture.

Picking time when the whole place
was III confusion as "a result OF repairs
James Gooch. alias James Rogers col
cred. awaiting trial for the murder of
his wife. escaped from the city Jail
between o'clock Saturday nh.ht and 6
o'clock yesterday morning
AS soon as his absence was discov-
cred. city Sergeant Sattcrfcld notified
the police. and Il dragnet was at Once
spread. not only in Richmond, but in
all adjoining St;;'es. Satterfield
promptly offered n reward OF $iO0 for
Gooch's capture. and it is expected that
this viii be supplemented by Governor
Mann.
Jail In Utter Confusion.
Inquiry at the jail brought to the
light the fact that for several days il
has been in Il state CS confusion be-
cause of repair work. Ii was shown
that frequently it was necessary to
transfer prisoners from, one part Of the
prison 10 the other, and the routine in
this manner WAS completely upset.
None OF the cells in the second tier of
the east side, where Gooch was con-
fined. had locks on the doors it was
said. However. the heavily grated door
at the end OF the tier was securely fas-
tened. The absence OF tho locks upon
the cell doors was explained by the
fact that they we're being repaired
II.
we'll as the other prisoners, had access
10 tho long corridor. The negro was
III his cell at 9 o'clock" said Deputy
Sergeant r. j. DAILY. FOR | saw him.
When we made the rounds at e o'clock
this morning he was gone"
Investigation clcavly showed how
Gooch made his way 10 freedom. BY
ripping piece of sheet-iron. which
covered large hole n the floor of n
wash room at the end OF the corridor,
where repairs are also in progress, he
was able to drop about six feet to the
tier below. and then, through second
hole, he let himself down into the
basement. y door which should have
been locked. II was said, but which had
been left open by workmcn. admitted
the negro 10 the eastern portion. and
he had no trouble in reaching a barred
and grated window.
Filed His Way Out.
With the aid of hack saws he filed
out one bar and cut away Il sufficient
part of the grating and stepped into the
jail-yard. 1t was then a simple mat
ter for him to leap the board fence
which surrounds the Jail and land in
Marshall Street.
Just how Gooch secured the saws
could not he clearly explained. 1t was
said that he may have picked them up
in the basement, where they had been
left by workmcn, or they may have
been smugglcd TO him by friends. Sew
cral persons We're inclined to accept
the latter theory.
The shcet-tron he ripped away was
only Il temporary arrangement. which
would have been removed when new
plumbing is installed. 1t was an easy
matter for him to remove slight bolts
which held it.
Sergeant Satterneld who made "a
careful inquiry into the case. said that
he
was due TO carelesSness or negligence
on the part of any OF his deputies. but
just one OF those unfortunate occur
rcnces which are likely to happen at
any time. The escape was made while
Deputies DAILY and Robert Lord were
on duty.
Shot wife in Cold Blood.
Gooch. who was arrested under the
name OF Rogers. shot and killed his
wife. Lula Gooch. in AN alley near
First street. between Clay and Mar
shall. on November 81 ic fed. but
was trailed by two schoolboys. Good
wyn Kuyl and Harry Spencer, and
pointed out to Mounted Policeman Wal
drop, nearly an hour after the shoot
ing took place many blocks away from
the scene Of the crime \ coroners
jury charged him with the woman's
death. and when arraigned in Police
Court he was held for the grand jury
for murder.
The police were never able to OBJ
tain from him any reason why he
killed his wife 81 just thought would
teach her a lesson" he said
Several hours before he shot her
Gooch called at the home OF Mrs. y. l..
Van Pelt. whore his wife was en-
p'oycd as domestic. and Quarrclcd
with her. He induced her to accom-
pany him to the alley. where another
al Il
drew revolver and fired AT close
range. The woman fell, and he ran
The police are inclined to tho belief
that the fugitive will attempt to make
his way to North Carolina He is said
to be known in oxford and Monroe
County, and the authorities there have
bee nnotiiied by Chief OF Police Wer-
ncr to keep II sharp lookout for him.
Numerous complaints have been made
against the condition of the Jail, from
which many prisoners have escaped in
recent years.