Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-18
Fifteen men MAKE
FROM JAIL
Prison Guards and Police
Force in Futile AIl-Night
Man Hunt.
2 UNDER MURDER CHARGE

Two alleged murderers, four men
charged with robbery, three with as
offenses against females and one eacn
for receiving stolen goods. larceny and
assault to kill-ffteen in a1l-last night
about 1870 o'clock took French leave OF
the District Jail. Their absence was not
discovered until considerable time had
elapsed after their departure. and then
prison guards and the police got busy
in an effort to recapture them. An all
night search for the men failed to land
any of them behind the bars, however.
and at that time not the slightest in
formation was obtained of the direction
in which any of the fugitives had gone.
A prisoner in the Jail had previously
told of the plot the prisoners had
formed to effect the wholesale jail de-
livery, and the information he gave was
conveyed to Jail officials without de-
lay, but in spite of the warning the
men made their plans effective.
1t was Friday morning when numer-
Gus prisoners were in Criminal Court
for arraignment- that one of their num-
Der. a colored man, whose name is with
Albert Joyce, who has charge of Spris-
oners in the courthouse, of the plans
that had been made to accomplish what
was done last night
Informant Repeats His Story.
The prisoner was taken to the office
of Assistant United States Attorney
Gilchrist, where he repeated his state
ment of the plans that had been form
ulated. declaring one of the bars al
ready had been partly sawed, and that
Orville Harry Cook, who was awaiting
trial on a charge of robbery, did the
saving. Mr.. Gilchrist heard the pris-
oners story in detail and communicated
the information to Deputy Warden Ladd
at the prison, using the telephone in
stead of risking delay in a letter
through the mails.
Mr.. Ladd this morning told Star re-
porter that he had an investigation made
of the report he received from Mr.. Gill
christ Immediately after it was received.
Members of the force of guards in the
prison, he said, were unable to obtain
any information to substantiate the
statements made by the prisoner to Mr..
Gilchrist, nor did they find that any
of the bars had been sawed. The deputy
warden said it was suspected that Cook
was the only one Of the escaped prison.
ers who could have obtained saw. be
ing the only one who had received visits
from persons outside the prison. and
it is now believed that a visitor, handed
him the saw that was used.
Aside from the warning given Mr.. Gill
christ by the colored prisoner. Warden
zinkham and the police are satisfied that
the escape resulted from well laid plans.
and think 1t possible that Cook, and
perhaps some of the others, were
whisked away in automobiles. They are
50 ha n fsf fh0ry vxnf
vided with vehicles, however, for a po-
hceman saw three co1ored men crossing
the commons to the northeast of the
prison before prison officials knew of
their escape. and he is satisfied they
were three of the fugitives.
Chiefs in Charge of Search.
Maj Pullman and Inspector Grant
took personal charge of the investiga-
ton that was started last night Most
of the captains and detectives were
summoned from their homes and many
service in the biggest man hunt that.
has been made in this city in many
years. Chiefs Of the detectives of the
several railroad companies also took
a hand in the investigation and notified
their agents along the line as far as
Richmond. Va, to be on the lookout for
the fugitives.
Only two of the escaped prisoners
are white. One of them. the supposed
leader in the conspiracy to effect a
Jail delivery, is OrviIle Cook. who has
already been mentioned. He is twenty
three years old. and lived at % s street
He weighs 1852 pounds. has sandy hair.
blue eyes. smooth face and bullet
wound in his right chest The other
white fugitive is Joseph Melvin Car
roll, twenty years old. weighing 144
pounds. ard having brown hair and
eyes, dark complexion and tattoo
marks of an eagle on his right arm
His address is given as 1888 Kramer
street.
The two men are charged with having
robbed a messenger IN the employ of
the firm of Chandlee & Chandlee, pat
lent attorneys, several weeks ago, by
inveigling him into a room in the LIE
Droit building. binding and gagging
him and frightening him with a re-
vofver. They were arrested on the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. boulevard after
an exciting chase by Detectives Kelly
and O'Dea, during which several pistol
shots were fred.