The herald., 1913-08-28
An Escape
By LUCY K. WYNKOOP

thrown out upon the world at an age
when he should have been subject TO
the necessary training to direct him
in an honorable career.
Joe was a bright boy and fitted for
better life than robbery and passing
the principal part of his life in Jail and
the rest Of it undergoing the risk OF
| Jail or something else. But the time
| had not come for him TO show
strength Of character enough to en-
J able him to break away from the path
in which fate had placed him. When
| he was fifteen be and some other
Youngsters attempted to rob man
who defended himself till policeman
arrived. and the boys were all caught
! in the act.
Joe, who was the youngest of the lot
was sent to reformatory. 1t was one
Of those prisons where boys are taught
some trade by which to earn an non
orable living. There was power
house, with an engine 10 drive the ma
chinery in the other buildings. Joe
was interested in this engine as soon
as he saw It and succeeded in getting
himself assigned as helper to the en-
gineer. He began by shOveling coal
into the furnace, but showed such APP
titude for mechanics that he was ad-
vanced to the post of assistant engl-
neer.
To be more explicit about Joe's apu-
tude, he was full of resource. Where
another person would take an ordinary
way to accomplish mechanical re-
suit he would take a short way. The
first notice that was taken of this fac
ulty was one day when a machine
broke. piece of work that was due
TO be finished at a certain time was
dependent upon it. 1t would require
some time to procure the broken part,
and it seemed that the work it was
doing must stop. Joe suggested way
by which it might be temporarily re-
paired and the work go on. His sug-
gestion was acted upon and the work
finished in time.
Joe became so infatuated with ma
chinery that he was anxious to get
out into the world and become a ma
chiniSt. He was not a patient boy
few persons whose abilities are Of the
kind called genius are-so his inventive
brain turned toward a method of es-
: cape from the reformatory that he
might go to some place where his past
would not be known and enter upon
career connected with machinery. He
thought over a number Of plans by
which he might get out Of the prison.
but none Of them were practicable.
But at last He hit upon an original
conception, one that was allied to the
t science of mechanics. Some mathe-
NAUTICAL knowledge was required to
put it into practice. but there was a
school in the reformatory which the
boys were required to attend, and Joe
J showed a considerable aptitude in a
mathematical way.
l The suggestion came in this way:
[ The power house was built against the
prison wall. Besides the engine, II
: contained broad leather belt turned
:, by the shaft. the upper end running
over gearing attached to the ceiling.
Beside this gearing was q window,
which was usually kept open in order
to let out the heated air Of the engine
= and furnace room.
One morning it occurred to Joe that
the belt might possibly be used as a
conveyance to carry one to the win
dow. whence he might lower himself
to the ground outside the prison wall.
e But no one could jump from the belt
v to the window without running the
n risk of being dashed against it or fall
Q ing to a brick yard pavement below
, 1t, or both. There was but one time
when such a ride could be taken.
That was when the steam had been
u shut Off and the belt was slowing up
= previous to stopping its revolution.
d This was attended to by the engineer
s himself at 6 o'clock every workday
q evening. and there were usually other
persons. prisoners or officials. about
- during the closing hour: therefore the
ii feat must be performed in presence OF
d others
d Joe found time when he was sup
g posed to be studying to calculate a
n point where he could jump on to the
c DelI, De CdTTleu 10 lHe WlHuO" anu
:, stop there. though the basis Of these
calculations was obtained by watch
. ing the belt revolve previous to stop
D. ping. noting especially the position OF
e the lacing with reference to the point
l. at which the belt must be boarded.
he was months making these nota
- tons and calculations and at last was
{ enabled to fix point which many no
E. tations at the closing hour showed al
d ways stopped at the window.
% One evening when there was no one
IS but the engineer and Joe In the engine
20 room the former saw the boy SEIZE
coiled rope that he had kept ready
" for his purpose. jump on the belt, holt
on to each edge. ride to the window
and disappear The engineer was tot
astonished to give an alarm, an6
whether he gave one at all was no
settled at the investigation that fol
lowed the daring feat.
1t was midwinter when Joe Greer
" made his experiment. and 1t was no
le only dark without. but a snowstorn
N was raging. Joe was never heard o.
lp again. but much respected ant
e. wealthy contractor for machinery
"a named Joseph Greer is living in Rio d,
Janeiro He never talks about hi.