The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-11
Negroes Tie Up Harry C. Hech-
Ter and Make Getaway From
Henrico County Jail
ONE NEGRO PRISONER
GIVES POLICE ALARM
lack Phillips Refuses to Es-
cape and Calls Sheriff Webb
Sydnor-Reward 10 Offered
for Capture of Men

Binding the hands and arms OF
Night Jailer Harry G.. Hechler with
rope. and leaving him lying in the
corridor i'll dazed state, after cut
ting deep cash in his head by
thrusting 1t against the heavy steel
bars, seven prisoners, all of whom
are negroes, made their escape from
Henrico County jail shortly after $50
O'Clock last night.
The seven who made their get
away are: Robert jackson, Percy
Gaddy, George Eppes. George Bell.
Euegene Ruef, Walter BennyfieId and
Robert Barr. Zack Phillips. another
negro was also liberated, but he re-
fused to leave with the other prison.
ers, and was the first to give an alarm.
Despite the fact that Sheriff Webb
W. Sydnor, Chief of Henrico Police
T, Wilson Seay. members of the
Henrico constabulary, and members
of the Richmond police force. who
were on duty at the time the escape
was made, secured the county and city
last night. up to a late hour none Of
the negroes had been apprehended.
AT an early hour this morning a dili-
gent search was still being made, and
it is thought that several of them will
Carried Bread to Prisoners.
Just before shutting up last night.
one OF the negroes on the second floor
of the Jail asked the jailer to get
him a loaf OF bread. 1t having been
the custom to buy bread and pies for
the prisoners JaiIer Hechler sent one
OF the TRUSTEES" across the street to
make the purchase. When he arr
rived with the bread the jailer start
a.
the prisoner.
All of the cell doors are supposed
to the locked by a. lever at the end of
the corridor but it appears that in
some way one of the doors was left
open. Thinking that all OF them were
locked. Jailer Hechler felt perfect
ly safe In carrying the bread to the
prisoner. However. just as he ap-
preached the door that had been left
unlocked, Percy Gaddy and Euegene
Ruef. alias Susan" jumped out OF
the cell and grabbed him. Jailer
Hechler tried to reach his gun, but
the negroes proved too quick for him
and grabbed his arm before he had
time to draw the firearm from his
pocket. The Jailer made every effort
10 release himself from the clutches
OF the prisoners. and 1t was not until
they thrust his head against the steel
bars that he submitted to being tied
with the rope. A cash about three
inches long was cut In the back OF his
head when 1t was thrown against the
cell door.
The negroes had secreted a piece
OF rope in their cell in some way. and
within Il few minutes they had tied
both arms and feet After this had
been accomplished, he was thrown to
the floor and left there in a SEMI
conscious condition. Gaddy and Ruef
then. proceeded to relieve the jasler
of his keys and liberated six of the
other eight prisoners on the second
floor. In their haste they neglected
opening the door of one of the cells,
leaving two of the prisoners locked
in.
Steal Pistol From Office.
Leaving the jailer lying on the floor,
the negroes made their way down.
stairs unlocked the door that leads
into the jail and made their way into
Sheriff Sydnor's office. They locked
the door behind them, but opened Il
shortly before they left the hutldin4
In ransacking the sherifrs once one
of the negroes found .3s-calibre re-
volver. and Ruef. who was apparently
the ring-leAder. Immediately took 4
charge Of the weapon. Several Win
chester rifles and shotguns were In =
closet between the sherifrs once ana
the Jailer's sleeping quarters, but they
failed to enter this place. Taking the u
revolver. a pair Of the jailers shoes
and the keys to the Jail. the negroes
made their way into the street. going
in various directions.
Phillips, the negro who refused to
escape, tried to remain in the Jail ana
offer some assistance. but he declares n
that when he found himself looking
I~xr- =. AA~s 20 49,
revolver he was forced to leave tho y
Jail. However. he ran to the fire en-
CINE house at Twenty first and Main
Streets and gave the alarm. After
calling Sheriff Sydnor on the tele-
phone. all OF the police stations III
the city were notified OF the escape.
After the police had been notified, {
Phillips waited on the corner Of Twen-
ty-first and Main Streets until An ofIl-
Ger arrived. and then he went back
TO the Jail. In the meantime Jaiscr
Hechler had managed to work hi9
way out OF the ropes. having partly u
accomplished this while the negroes Y
were ransacking the Office. He came 4
into the Office just after tho negroes
had left. The jailer went out into
the courthouse yard and fred ibis re-
volver in the air twice to give the
alarm. and it brought several onlcsr4 "
to the scene
sheriff Sydnor Arrives Quickly.
Within ten minutes after 6herio
Sydnor was notified he had arrived "a N
the courthouse In his automobile an1#S
all OF the officers in the county .we4Q Oh
notihed. Chief OF Police Seay also aSx4
rived a short while later. The call 2az
for the city police brought Major Lnml
Werner and something like twane$
nve police officers. besides four dAteGS
tives and plain clothes men. Arr IN
rstting the nauss and desoript1sna