The San Francisco call., 1913-07-21
James Cumerford, Crook,
Works Quick Change on
Eugene Stachler in
Oakland
ACCOMPLICES WALK
OUT WITH PRISONER
Girl Dressed in White Calls
as Visitor; Exchanges Fin
cry With Pickpocket

J.
ford. alias Frank White. awaiting trial
on a charge OF grand larceny. escaped
from the Alameda county jail at 4
o'clock dressed as girl wearing a
white dress and white hat with big
ostrich plume. which had been worn
into the jail by. an accomplice. who
himself escaped By mingling with
other visitors TO the prisoners
coolly walked past Jailer Eugene Sta
chler to liberty. holding the arm of an
other accomplice of the prisoner.
Just a few minutes later Stachler
discovered the escape But Cumerford
and his friends had completely van
ished.
stachler's story of the escape is as
follows:
Owing to JaiIer Samuel Wander
wort being called out on Office busi-
ness. I was alone in the jail from .
o'clock to nearly 4:so. About s:45
o'clock, couple came to the Jail and
asked to see Cpmerford. AS we know
questioningly. The fellow corrected him
self and said they wanted to see Frank
White.
II nrticeds tina .sie fsgirl appeared
rather stout for her height and was
coarse OF feature I let them into the
inner corridor. where several persons
were talking. to prisoners. and let out
White or Cumerford to see them. The
upstairs bell rang and went to
answer it. I was gone possibly FIVE
minutes.
VISITORS WERE WAITING
when I went down again. this girl
and her escort. with several other per-
sons were waiting to be let out. The
prisoners were grouped at the other
end. I noticed a young fellow among
the group. whom I could . not place.
But he was we'll dressed and thought
he must have come in with an earlier
batch of visitors. I let them out and
then went back to lock up the prison
ers. Then it was I discovered Gunner
ford was gone. I ran out into the
street. but they had vanished.
"The girl of the couple who came
to see him was evidently young man
wearing the white dress and hat.
While I was gone. the three evidently
there made the quick change. 1t is
possible some OF the other visitors were
also friends of the prisoner and aided
in the escape"
CUMERFORD HAS RECORD
Cumerford was arrested on June 20
by Inspectors Barry Green and Thomas
Gallagher and Patrolman O. S. White
on charge of picking the pocket OF
X. Ito, 2209 Telegraph avenue, as the
latter was boarding street car at
baby in his arms. With Cumerford
was arrested James Hoye, alias Burns,
alias Riley, who had served time in
San Francisco for attempted grand
larceny. The third man, who had jos
tied Ito. escaped
Cumerford served two years in Fol-
sum penitentiary for assault with a
deadly weapon. He Is SO years of age,
feet inches in height, Weighing 1877
pounds. with medium complexion
and brown hair and eyes. He has a
scar on the lower lip and two tattoo
marks, one of rosebud and snake on
the lower right arm. and the other of
the letters u. A. c." on the lower left
arm.
As soon as he heard of his escape,
Inspector Thomas Gallagher of the po-
lice department.. though he was OF
duty. Immediately started out to find
Cumerford. as he is we'll acquainted
with his haunts. The police are con-
fident 1t will only be a question of
days until the escaped prisoner is re-
captured.