The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-01-12
|CONv|CTS ESCAPE
VIRGINIA PRISON
GUARD AND WATCHMAN
oVERPoWERED AND TIED
HAND AND FOOT
SLIDE DOWN ROPE
FROM 4TH STORY
Four Long-Termed Prisoners, Up
for Forgery, Murder and Rob
berry, EFeak For Liberty.
tBy Associated Presa.1

niChmDND, VA, Jan. 1l.-After
oVerpowering and tying hand and foot,
successfully an armed guard, and arm
ed nightwal Gilman and shop fore
man, four long-term convicts, serving
terms for forgery, murder and rob-
berry. slid down on q rope from q
fourth story window of the State pen-
ltentiary here tonight and after seal
Ing 30-foot wall, made q clean break
for liberty.
The men were II. L. Hamilton, sent
up for forgery, who had about seven
years yet to serve; Siler Atkins, for
second degree murder. with 10 years
yet to serve; AL Burton. second degree
murder. whose term would have ex-
pired in 1882. and E. 3. Hanley, rob-
berry, who had five years yet to serve.
The escape was sensational and
evidences point TO carefully laid plan.
The men left behind them q signed
note, attesting mutual agreement to
make break for liberty as the only
recourse left to them to obtain JUS
tice. The men possessed good voices
and sang regularly as the quarfette in
the penitentiary choir. They were all,
skilled workmen employed as cutters
in the shirt and overall shops, which
is located on the fourth floor of the
pepftentiary building.
AT a late hour tonight the men were
still at large
The men were at work in the siop
with one guard over them. One step
ped behind the guard ostensibly to
get bolt OF cloth and the others ap-
preached as IL to assist In carrying it.
In a moment the men.seized the guard.
dfsarmed him. tied him securely with
ropes taken from bales Of cloth and
gagged him to prevent outcry. In few
moments the night watchman on his
round of the building was confronted
by the pistol taken from the guard,
aimed point blank at his heart, in the
hands OF one OF the convicte. He, too,
was bound and gagged and his feyol.
yer taken away. The mcn then await
ed the return Of the foreman, who
had left the shop for q few minutes.
When he arrived he was confronted
with two revolvers, tne artillery fllch-
ed srom the men or the floor. He was
unarmed. The binding and gagging of
the foreman tock only bare two or
three minutes and has was Laid to rest
with his fwo companions.
From tLeir positions on TIE floor the
hound men watched the convicts work
at the preparation for escape with
helpless interest. the men patched to-
gsther q long rope from the binding
az sne ssse.S7s 3Fers.: ala shirt MATER
iaf ana tied one end OF Il to q metal
support in the shop. Then one after
the other, they swung cut of the win
dow and made their way, hand under
hand, to the ground SIS feet below.
Before leaving the building they dis
robed. leaving their spriped outer,
garments behind them. They dressed
emselEes in the shirts and overaIls
which were scattered about In pro-
fusion In the shop.
The escape was discovered through
William Bailey "a trnsty, whose duty
required him to be at work in the
yard Of the overall fatcory. He be-
came uneasy when tho night watch
nan failed y nut In appearance ct the
regular time. When more than half
sn hour had passed and the wstchman
had not appeared. Bailey sfsnci out
on q tour OF investigations. In the cut
ting room OF the overall department
on the fourth floor he discovered the
watchman and his two companions.
He lost no time In cutting The bonds
which held them and removing the
gags from their mouths. S
Leaving the men TO regain the use
fof .taeir cranned llaks. Bailey rush.
ed down to the yard to raise the
alarm.
superintendent j. Is. Wood, OF the
penitentiary was .at once notified and,
the alarm became general.
+ The tying AL gngeing or the guards
was not without touches OF snrdonte,
hunor. When ail three had been se-,
curely tied ana disposed OF, Haniiton.
the boy forger, surveyed tie hand.s
work Of she qnartette and inquired OF
the bband men If they were. perfectly
comfortable. Noticing a. negative
Gesfnfe hF esa OF the men. ne aIlts All nis1 +
companions gathered some loose oy-
ereli natsriai lying on the tables.
aud forming Them Into imprompfu pil-l
lows, laid them under the hnnna
This done. Hamilton approached the
guard lying fat on his back on the
floor.
srnrn over on your SIDE 2 he COM
inanded. The guard complied. Hans
iItcn bent down ana kissed him On his-
eheek. g. g ~ y
Bye-bye. old j. =. =, :, - : ne said, aani
good 9rcig. a
- esaora isaviHE the cutting room the
convicts rffled che poeiiata of their
Victims taking with them. tho small.
amount OF money thAir pockets eon-I
tained. Nothing else besides the re-l
|xplyefa Of the guard snd forenaan waa
taken IS NJ
Iislian Trtops I7pssne.