The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-04-21
IS CAPTURED AT RlCHBURG
THREE HOURS AFTERWARDS
Found An Old Saw That Had Been
Hidden In Jail For Months-Makes
Escape at Dusk, While Streets Were
Filled With People-Deputy Sheriff
Frank Williams and Constable Brad
ley Catch Him.
ley Catch Him

now in the Forrest county jail await
ing the action of the grand jury Oh
five or six charges of highway rob-
berry, made a daring and successful
attempt to break from the county in
stitution last night.
His freedom was short lived. With
In three hours after he had broken
away and had descended by way OF
a blanket ladder from the third floor
of the brick and steel structure, he
was again in the hands Of the law.
Today he is occupying the small steel
cell in the county bastile, where pris-
oners of bad temperament are confin-
cd.
PAGES getaway was as daring as it
was "nervy." He sawed a defective
bar in the window on the third floor
OF the Jail during broad-day light, and
shortly after Z o'clock last night, be-
fore 1t was even more than dusky,
and while persons were passing to
and fro near the jail, he tied couple
of blankets together, fastener one
end to the bars. slid to the ground
and disappeared.
He had barely turned the corner,
however, until Jailer McInnis was
notified. Calling Sheriff HARRISON, the
pair conferred few minutes. In a
moment Deputy Sheriff Frank VIII
liams and Constable Bradley were
headed toward Richburg, Lamar coun-
ty, where it was believed that Pace
would land
The deductions of Mr.. williams
were correct. The first New Orleans
G. Northeastern freight train from
Hattiesburg passing through Rich
burg, brought the runaway.
There were but three prisoners in
the third-Hoor cells of the jail yester-
day afternoon. Pace. Stephen Reed.
charged with stealing an OK and try
ing to sell it, and w. D. Mckenzie.
held for murder in an adjoining coun-
ty, were the sole occupants. Nc
Kenzie had been placed In one of the
front rooms during the afternoon,
while Reed and Pace were allowed
the liberty Of the bull pen," while
their steel cells were being cleaned.
They had been in the pen but short
time when Pace, according to tn story
he told today, decided to make a dash
for liberty. An old saw which had
been in the cell-room for several
months, was obtained. Pace found one
of the window bars twothirds of the
way sawed through.
Easy to Saw.
SIT was easy work saving the re-
manning part of the soft iron," he ex-
planned to a representative of The
News this afternoon. 1T took me
only few minutes to finish the Job.
then placed my feet against the
window sill and pulled backwards.
The bar was bent in this way.
Il read in the papers how other
prisoners had gained freedom by tying
Blankets together, so ! got couple
and made rope of them. ! slid to
the ground after climbing through
the small hole made when the bar was
cut and bent. l then ran as fast as
could"
Pace said that he merely wanted to
get out of jail for day or two in or
der to fix his bond. Il went to .Ricn.
burg to get the necessary papers, and
intended returning to .Hattiesburg to
day. Even If Mr.. Williams had not
captured me, ! would have returned" !"
Reed. according to a number OF per-
sons. also tried to crawl through the
small space between bars. but lost
his nerve. Reed denied this today. II
knew nothing of PAGES escape for sew
eral minutes," he said. Il Wouldn't
break away from this jail i / could.
Continued on Page Two.