Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-11
SEVEN PRISONERS
ESCAPE FROM JAIL
Overpower Deputy Sheriff Hech-
lcr and Get Away From
Hcnrico Prison.
NEGRO INMATE GIVES ALARM
Runs to Fire Engine House,
Then Voluntarily Returns
to His Cell

Two desperate negro prisoners carly
last might attacked and ovcrpowcrcd
Dcpu,y Sheriff Harry 6. uIcchIer. nigh,
1ailcr 81 Ii"nrIco County Jail. and
then liberated eight companions con q.
fined in tho same tier OF cells Zack
Phillips. one Of the thra. who refused
a chanc" fer liberty. ran ."o blocks
10 spread tho alarm. which i'm thirty
minutes had forty city and county
officers actively on the trail. and the
police Of ali neigh boring towns on
the watch for the seven escaped pris-
oncrS.
The jail delivery +; ono of tho Iarc
est and boidest in the annals of tho
city or county police. I; occurred
shorty before $50 o'clock. and tho
escaping prisoners walked out OF tn.
Jail INTO Main Street and calmly ,nadc
on Forced to 20 with The others
fhii!ips brok" away and ran frs, 10
confectionery store and then To n
nearby nre-engine house. from whore
Il riot call *as sent in. lie returned
TO the fail io lend assistance to Mr..
H"chler. vino was attempting; TO call
aic by emp'ying his revolver into III.
air. Two other prisoners had crert
back TO their cells where they ver.
later found hidden beneath the cots. too
frightened to come out when called.
nINGIEtDERS ARR:
NERITABLE; GIANTS
The rinr!eaders OF the delivery plot
were reritablc giants. They are listed
as Eugen" Rcuff and Percy Gady. both
haEinr several aliases. Rcun is six
rect four inches in height. and Gadv is
W." inches shorter. In tn" escape III.
former secured a heavy oaliber rcvol
Nef owned by Deputy Sheriff - C.
'tHdrick, day jail.r. with which he. is
armed Two repeating Winchester
rifles and shotgun were overlook c,!
in the hasty tight
Heuh and Gsdy, as far as III. story
o' Mr.. Iiechlcr goes. had hidden I'm
AN cnpty cell, the door OF which xa
not fastened when the prisoners were
locke" in tho cells last night. Mr
Hech'er was asked to get loaf of
bread for ono Of the other me-, Hc
took 10 cents and bought thc broad
returning TO tho Jail he opencd tho
corridor door and stepped un to ,t.
c"i: TO give it TO the purchaser, when
hc"n and Gady leaped on him from
tn" rear.
MY tie"hicr was hurled to the floor
nF MS hur'y assailants In the fall his
head struck cell door and n nasty
cur was inflicted. lie was dozed by
IN" h!ow and. while powerless was
''uSsed up with All improvised rome
A!though unable 10 use his hands. IN.
managed 70 keep his revolver beneath
ms body. and when his clothing was
searched. the negroes did no, find !,
o'hefw'se his life might have paid
the penalty for his carelessncss The
JAN KEYS were taken by Gady. who
hrsi unlocked the remaining cell doors
iiperatins the other prisoners and
thrh ran downstairs To the Office where
ne secured the revolver which had
been left in the desk by Mr. iedricJ,
when he went off duty. With this
weapon. Gady controlled the situation
until ReuT took /, away from him and
ordered everybody out
RIOT CALL BRINGS
HELP OF CITY POLICE
In response to the riot call. Chauffeur
W. IL. Metcalf, of the First Police Dis
trict. made record time in driving 10
the county jail with five officers
Nithin few minutes Captain X H.
Sowcll reached the scene and ,ooi;
charSe until the arrival of sheriff
"ehb w. Sydnor. who was at home
whcn the delivery took place Major
Louis Werner, Chief Of Police also
aided IN the disposition OF the nolica
VINO were dispatched to every Mace
II Was thought possible that the men
would make for. Railroad detectives
We're also called into service and all
'rhihS are being carefully watched
fFerE avenue Of escape from the c;tv
Is being guarded by Richmond nolica
more than thirty having been put ON
'hc case within half An hour can
tam Alexander = Wright. OF tho Third
i'is'r!ct. dispatched two men. each
armed with riot guns, to the soutb
ENDS OF the Mayo and Free Brid-.s
All nearby cities were notified ANA
the ponce express confidence that tncy
VIII fecapture several of the men
Sherih Sydn"r. Of lienrico. last night
oHered reward of S25 for the. cantur.
oi any one OF the ESCAPED men
fhi!lips. who gave the alarm. told :,
story substantially the same ms th,,
given by Mr.. Elechlcr. lie was sicJ,
all day yesterday and was under the
care OF physician. lie was sleeping
when the men made the attack nm Al,
liechler and was aroused bv The noise
Although not desiring TO escape. Ne
WAS forced to leave the Jail with the
others. but when the band separated.
he took the opportunity to get away
from his captors. At the confectionery
store he was unable to get tho use of
the telephone, but had better success
at the engine house. AS he ran back
TO tho Jail. Mr. Iechlcr, who had
broken his slight bonds. came out OF
the door and fired to attract attention.
George Pryor. coiorcd. who lives Jus,
across tho street from the Jail. was
the first to reach Mr.. Hechlcr. and
aided him In getting back to the office.
from where he communicated with
Sheriff Sydnor.
OPENING OF CORRIDOR
DOORS is Forbidden
Sheriff SSdnor took office on January
1. succeeding l.. II. Kemp. who WAS
elected treasurer of Henrico County.
He placed Mr.. IIechler in the position
Of night iailer five months ago. and
Continued on Filth Page.)