The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-06
WARD BAGBY AGAIN
MUCH IN LInEl|GHl
Makes Near Successful Attempt &
Break Jail, But Discovered In
Nick of Time.
HIS STORY OF HIS CRIME
Declares Men He Held Up Took Him
TO Their Room To Skin Him, hut
We're Themselves Decently skim"

Roanoke. Va, Aug. 5.--Ward A.
Bagby, a prisoner in the city pail
with punishment fixed at fourteen
years In the penitenuary by a jury
In the Corporation Court at the June
term, on a charge OF holding up ana
robbing three men here last spring. at
HAS O'Clock last night had praoti-
cally accomplished means TO escape
from his cell on the third floor, when
detected by Jaiier w, A. Allen.
The prisoner sawed through an iron
bar and was in the corridor tearing
the bricks away from the outer wall
OF the Jail and would have descended
70 freedo forty feet. below bv means
OF four wooden blankets tied to-
gether The jailer called for assist
ance and Bagby was surrouned and
captured by Motorcycleman George
Kefauver.
Was Out of His Cell.
Ragby had gotten out OF hts cell
by cutting through a bar five-eighthe
Of an inch in diameter. He had tied
the four blankets together and wet
the knots and secured an end TO q
water pipe. Two layers of brick had
been torn from a wall of three widths
thick. A letter was found In Bagby's
cell addressed to Mr.. Allen, and tell
ing OF incidents connected with the
hold-up of the three Roanoke men
The jailer, who had gone 10 bed
for the night, was awakened by two
TRUSTEES Newt Alcorn and w. II. Har-
rieon. One of these, men, hearing
N fha r0rTfd0f.
which was dark. knocked on the irons
OF the cells. This signal awakened
Mr. Allen. who Immediately went into
tha third floor TO learn what the trusty
wapted When he found prisoner
had escaped and was In the corrioor'
he called to Officers kefanver, watson
ara schwinEer. The prisoner was
surrounded by the four and captured
by Officer Kefauver.
Letter to Jailer.
The letter Bagby addressed TO Mr.
Allen was written IN naif-hies'oiS
hand, and read as follows:
wednesday. 1880 p "a.
Aug. 4. 1918.
Mr. Allen, DeaT Sir; -
Please don't think this piece Oh
vovk III gratitude or unappreciation'
for more than appreciate your KIND
rens and humanity shown towards me-
hut the only way that / can receive
Justice In to escape, get some money
roma hack and give myself up 10
Won nohody else but ". c. Allen
get myself a good lawyer, and snow
the ra nblers and scoundrels VINO TOOK
me 10 their room TO skin me- tney
thought they had picked up fisn' nu.
sk,~s got beat at their own game. Ano
Enowing I was a stranger and dope
n hAf0rH them,
th.t would stand for them to take
what had won away from me. HOW
ever I held them up. They nad
chance to use their guns before | left
the room. He got his gun haIf way
ont of his pocket (BangaD, but
heat him TO II and got mine out frst.
told him I played that game well. too.
when pushed on me, and walked out
Then when got TO the steps wltn
my back turned to them. they opened
a crack in the door and opened IRE
like which he is tdog) at heart ana
soul. ,
The police have never investi-
~ated to see II he didn't himself
1Hingle) take me to his room. 1t could
he found out because he spoke 10
several fellows out in front and, be-
Iieye me, Mr.. Allen, they were satis-
fled as the matter stood and didn I
want to identity me.
Mr.. Allen, it's a shame and dis
grace Of the State of Virginia to
give a man fourteen years for gamo-
ling and another twelve years TOT
murder. They shall all know ! am
rot ga black as panied and know
that my accussrs twho are three
friends lots blackier than Baghy Is.
All the harm ever done man was to
NV own self, deGenerating myself
with drugs. Now. don't think l am
treating YOU wrong, for | am not. ]
shall come up to this Jail and return
TO YOU In short time. l hope IL you
can. in the meantime, do me any
good, / shall never forget 1t.
Chief Moore knows what ] stated
when arrested, and ought to. II he
IL just, look into my case and see II
/ should be dealt with SO cruelty as
I have been.
beg 10 remain. respectfully,
WARD A. BAGBY.
City Jail.
Friend on Outside.
An examination OF the cell showed
that after Bagby removed the bars,
he had ample room to get his body
through. The aperture la twelve by
fourteen inches. The prisoner was
searched, and a small knife, with
teeth, bunch OF Keys, anu paii W
string were found. The police are of
the opinion that the prisoner used the
string to throw to the outside of the
Jail, where a friend could, with ease.
tie a pocket knife or other accessories
similar TO those Bagby had In his
possession. The point where Bagby
removed the bricks from the wall
In under a window. ten feet from the
place where the bar was removed.
How long the prisoner worked on his
plan In not known. hTe bar is five
Fights OF an inch thick. The metal
seems to be more or less susceptible
10 any tools that might be used to
cut IL.
Bagby's Crime.
Bagby was arrested in Washington
April ls and placed in Jail here April
II. He was held until the June term
of court when he was tried and con-
victed of the hold-up of three men
in Bittermans apartments. corner OF
Salem Avenue and Commercial
Street. A Jury fixed his punishment
at fourteen years in the penitentiary.
Sentence was suspended, and Bagby
was being held as witness in the
trial of Fred Page. accused of being
implicated in the hold-up. Pages trial
Is set for the September term of the
Corporation Court.
Bagby was removed late last night
from the third floor of the Jail and
-. 80. -