Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-12
GRAND JURY CRITICISES
Continued from paRo 1

globes in them. At the front door, where
Price also should have been recognized
both by Clerk Suddard and by Warden
Cross, who was then in his Office and who
saw Price pass the open office door, there
was one light which was not of rs high
candle power as it should have been. IL
was stated by the trustees that there was
insufficient electrical power to do the work
and that additional lighting equipment
had been ordered but had not yet been
installed.
On the next day another visit was made
to the workhouse and the entire morning
was devoted to examining the warden
the prison physician, the clerk and num-
Der of the guards. The afternoon was
spent in Wilmington examining additional
witnesses including the trustees state
mcnt on behalf of the Board of Trustees
was read by Mr.. Hilles and copy of II
Incorporated in the minutes OF the grand
jury. This statement was afterward
given to the press by the board of trustees
and can be found in the papers of January
20.
On the next day numerous witnesses
were examined and the entire day was
used for this purpose. In all about twenty
witnesses were examined. The examlna-
tion was as exhaustive rs the time would
permit Of and the following are some OF
the matters considered:
The method by which Price escaped.
The cells and locking devices.
The lighting system.
The number OF guards, their compcnsa-
tion. their working hours, their duties.
and the employment of, and payment to
certain of the guards 10y private CON
tractors and corporations while these
guards were supposed 10 be workin z FOR
the. trustees in guarding prison gangs
cmplovpd III outside work.
The number of escapes of prisoners
from the workholsc and the number Of
recaptures.
The methods used to locate and arrest
escaped prisoners.
The failure on the part of the board of
trustees to have all long term or danger
ous criminals photographed and their
finger prints taken for ready idcntitca
tion.
The allowing Of ling term prisoners
and especially OF those convicted OF
homicide to 70 at large, sometimes IN the
city Of Wilmington, other times at the
workholIsc farm.
The prison system and the rules and
regulations thereof
METHOD M WHICH PRICE ESCAPED.
Price escaped from tho workhouse about
five o'clock on tho afternoon Of December
20 1919
From the time Of his sentence on De
ccmher 2 to the iay of his escape, he WAS
kept continuously in his cell except at
stated times in the mornings and after
moons when he was allowed ont in the
corridor adjoining his cell for the purpose
II Ti. vY1noIg hrf,ryu1f IN
him IN his cell or in the corridor The
corridor door was supposed TO bc locked
al all times except when prisoners were
passing ii or ont of the corridor or meals
were hcing served The guard whose
duty il was to guard Price and the other
prisoners in the west wing, had also %
guard the east wing and the center
This was too much work for ono guard
and the result was that no sufficient
watch was kept over the condemned
prisoner ~ about 5 clock III tho aitTr-
noon az December % this guard went 20
tho west wing 10 release the prisoners for
supper lie went 10 the top or fourth ter
OF cells first, then 10 the third the second,
and the first tiers III succession ] hc
released prisoners, some SIX or seven
in number camc down ahead Of the guard
and passed out Of the west wing 70 center
and then on down stairs 10 the dining room
followed bv the guard In passing from
1 the west wing thcs, prisoners had 10 pass
7 withln four or five feet of the locker boy
/ containing the levers for Price cell
4 door and the corridor door The guard
/ was still UP stairs releasing prisoners and
4 could not then soc the locker box and II
/ would have ocen very easy matter for 8
4 prisoner 70 have stepped out Of the line
and thrown the levers opening Price 5
/ cell door and the corridor door. because
at that precise time. this locker box vas
unlocked and entirely unguar!ed In
+ deed, one prisoner was seen slightly oat oi
line and lotering near the door from the
west wing TO center while the other
+ prisoners were passing on down to supper
/ This door is about fifteen feet from the
/ locker box Price may have been released
/ by prisoner, or the cell and corridor
doors may have been left unlocked II
anv of the wavs above designated
/ Once out OF the corridor ii was easy
/ for Price 10 20 out OF the west wing into
center because II that time some Of the
guards were eating their suppes. anc
j Others were down stars III the dining
room with the prisoners and there seemed
: TO be shortage Of guards both ~ center
and at the door leading from center into
1 the front corridor and 1T the front door
/ OF the wOrkhouse.
Price went from center through a narrow
/ hall about fifty feet to the storcroom
I passing on his way the open dining room
/ door In which dining room some oI til,
! guards were then IT supper and also pass
ing an open door INTO the guard kitchen
/ Price had obtained the hat and coat Of :
/ trusty al the front part Of the hall while
/ the guard was IL the rear of center going
/ from one wing to the other The stoIt
1 room door was open and there was nc
guard in charge Of the store room. Prict
/ picked UP a bag OF -four weighing ninety
/ eight pounds placed It on his shoulder
/ and passed IN Il stooplng position Will
+ his head down along the hall into center
and to the door leading into the front
] corridor. This door Is 50 constructed IL
i to enable anyone 10 see clearly through
/ it. into al parts OF center. Here Price
/ pushed the bell which signals TO the Office
/ that some one wants TO get out Of center
into the front corridor The clerk IN til,
office, who at this time was dong b0tf
clerical duties and front guard duties
came from lis Office IA the ring of the bell
and saw Price inside the door, standing
in STOPPING position with the hat and
coat Of trusty on him, and the bag oI
flour over his shoulder The clerk asked
him where he was going and Price re-
piled "BunkhOuse, which was the name
of the building out on the farm where the
TRUSTEES were confined Although the
clerk knew Price well he failed to recognize
him By the side Of Price at this time and