The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-02-15
JAIL BREAKER
STEVE MS NOT A
LONG AT LARGE
Captured on 'eThe Flats" Fri.
day Evening
DRIVEN FROM HIDING
Chased Across Fields by Four Men
and Run Down Under Rutland
DRIVEN FROM HIDING
Chased Across Fields by Four Men
and Run Down Under Rutland
Railroad cuvert.

Efford Stevens, tr.,i who escaped
from the county Jail Tuesday after
noon, did not remain long at liberty.
He is once more in Sheriff p. y.
Gardner's charge and It is safe to
state that he will not be given an
opportunity to Change his environ
ment IN the near future.
Stevens was captured about Is
o'clock Friday evening under q Rut-
land railroad culvert on 'eThe Flats"
He had been in hiding at the home
OF Charles Jepson but was frightened
away by officers and made break
for liberty His pursuers proved tho
botter runners, however, and the
fugitive was soon captured.
Ever since Stevens escaped from
the county jail by the way OF ven.
tilatUr shaft suspicion has been di.
rected against the Jepson house for
the reason that Mrs. Jepson Is the
young mans aunt. Sheriff Gardner
had visited the house and had In
formed the inmates Of the nature or
his visit. Friday afternoon the shef
iff sent two OF his deputies, Patrick
Brazil and Edward Shanahan to tho
Jepson house TO investigate. As sfhc
deputies approached the front door
Stevens left by the back door and
ran across the fields in the directions
Of the railroad. There were mum
Der of young men about. presumably
tracted by curiosity. and they were
requisitioned By the deputies TO as.
sist in the capture -Four OF these
Young men, Edward Pratt, Alexander
Young. Robert Watson and Howard
Cook. took after Stevens who made
for the culvert
When Stevens was seen TO leave
the house Deputy Shanshan at once
called Sheriff Gardner by telephone.
The sheriff hustled himself into his
lntpmobiic and hurried over tho
Northo7 bennington road. AL the
RICHARDSON place he took the turn
aver, the town farm road and wasaon
hand 10 take. charge OF the prisoner
when he had been dragged. nom mn
der lihe clilyertsah ~ Iass1s uodu ~
slSteyens TaH arrested In Northk ADJ,
anus some days ago by Officer Rich
ard Hurley, for3a q burglary commit
ed at The home Of Burt la Allen on
county street He has an additional,
charge of forgery hanging over Aim
and heai is also a paroled man from
The state prison at Windsor Follow
ing his arrest he was given hearing
before Municipal Judge William J.
Meagher and was held on the bur
ylary charge under bonds Of $500. He
made his escape between | and z
o'clock Tuesday afternoon through a
yentilator shaft that passeJ through
| me of the cells This shaft had
been previously used by a prisoner
as a way to liberty. Eugene Allen,
now serving term at Windsor for
stealing a horse in Peru, escaped
attracted by curiosity, and they were
he heads of bolts with which the
steel sheeting OF the shaft is made.
| The damage to the shaft WIS not re-
paired and the opening was discover
ID by Stevens who took occasion
when the other prisoners were not
present to escape. nl. 4a8 = IA
After his capture Friday evening
stevens was thoroughly searched BY
Sheriff Gardner and officer Hurley
lie had $25 in his pockets and the
| )illciers are wondering how he ac-
luired the money during the short
period that he has been at liberty.
| Z is possible that he had been pro
yided with FUNDS by friends to assist
1im in getting out Of the country