The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-08-29
An Escape
By LUCY K. wYNkooP

III 6y LUZ ~ "1JNAO" IL
Joe Green. a boy ten years old. lost
his father, then his mother, and was
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 a
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-
able him to break away from the path
in which fate had placed him. When
he was fifteen he and some other
youngsters attempted to rob a man
who defended himself till a policeman
arrived. and the boys were all caught
in the act.
Joe, who was the youngest of the lot.
was cent to a reformatory. 1t was m
Of those prisons where boys are taught
some trade by which to earn an hon
orable living. There was a power
house. with an engine to 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 al a helper to the en-
gineer. He began by shoveling coal
into the furnace. but showed such ap-
titude for mechanics that he was ad-
vanced to the post Of assistant engi-
neer.
To be more explicit about Joe's apH-
tude. he was full Of resource. Where
another person would take an ordinary
way to accomplish a 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. A 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 1t was
doing must stop. Joe suggested a 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 q 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 q
career connected with machinery. BE
thought over a number Of plans by
which he might get out Of the prison.
but non Of them were practicable.
But at last he hit upon an original
conception. one that was allied to the
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
showed a considerable aptitude in a
mathematical way.
The suggestion came In this way:
The power house was built against the
prison wall. Besides the engine. It
contained a broad leather belt turned
by the shaft. the upper end running
over gearing attached to the ceiling.
Beside this gearing was a 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 al q
conveyance to carry one to the WIN
dow. whence he might lower himself
to the ground outside the prison wall.
But no one could jump from the belt
to the window without running the
risk Of being dashed against It or fall
ing to a brick yard pavement below
it. or both. There was but one time
when such a ride could be taken
That was when the steam had been
shut Oh and the belt was slowing up
previous to stopping its revolution
This was attended to by the engineer
himself at 6 o'clock every workday
evening. and there were usually other
persons. prisoners or omcials. about
during the closing hour: therefore the
feat must be performed In presence Of
others.
Joe found time when he was sup
posed to be studying to calculate Q
point where he could jump on to the
belt. be carried to the window and
stop there. though the basis Of these
calculations was obtained by watch
ing the belt revolve previous to stop
ping. noting especially the position Of
the lacing with reference to the point
at which the belt must be boarded.
He was months making these nota-
lions and calculations and at last was
enabled to fx a point which many no
tations at the closing hour showed al
ways stopped at the window.
One evening when there wa no one
but the engineer and Joe In the engine
room the former saw the boy seize
q coiled rope that he had kept ready
for his purpose. jump on the belt. hold
on to each edge. ride to the window
and disappear. The engineer was too
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