Evening journal., 1920-01-12


Court OF general Sessions Of the state
Of Delaware, in and for New Castle
County:
In pursuance Of a report and sus-
gestion made TO 70 by the Attorney
General, and with the approval Of the
judges Of the Court Of General Sessions
and the Board Of Trustees Of the New
Castle County Workhouse. the Grand
Jury OF this county has made an inves-
iigation OF the circumstances surround
ing the escape Of Lemuel Price, colored,
Who, while under sentence Of death for
murder. escaped from the New Castle
County WOrkhCuse on December %, 4.
d.. 1919.
THE Grand Jury first wen, 70 the
wockhouse on the morning OF January
seventh.
Description Of Cell.
"a thorough inspection was made o.,
cen No. 4, riCht hand tier in the west
wing cf The Institution whore Price had
been confined. This cell and a number
0f others open into d steel corridor
about one hundred fec. l0ng and five
fe.t wide. which corridor IS used for
exercise 40 stated intervals by the prls-
one1- This steel corridor has a door
OF steel bars az the end nearest 10 the
center part Of the prison, and access %
the corridor and cells can only be had
through this door. The corridor is so
constructed Of bars and grating that
prisoners within 10 can readily be seen
it al. times By the guards
The levers which are used 20 open
and close the cell doors and the lever
used TO open and close the corridor
door are contained in an iron box out
side OF. and about three feet distant
from the corridor. This box Is called
the locker box There is no access 90
the box from the cells or the corridor.
The box was provided with q lock and
key and also with a combination safe
lock. i was always kept locked from
%. m. until : q. In., but the box was
,cft unlocked. all day. Many % the
prisoners know how 10 throw the va
rious levers and have access 90 them,
and do operate them. This is in direc.
violation Of a rule OF the prison pr0vid-
ing that no prisoner shall ever at any
time have access 90 the locker box.
This .lagrant breach OF the rule has
continued for several years last past
and In all probability was one Of the
contributing causes OF The escape -
Price.
"Thc Grand Jury made exhaustive
tests of the levers and the other ma
chinery used to open ard close the cell
dorS and the corridor doors Attached
10 the lever used 10 open and ciose the
corridor door i spring which is pro-
vided for the purpose Of pushing the
bolts automatically back into place
when the door i being closed with the
lever This spring was found TO be very
weak and OF no use for the purpose for
which il was intended. The result OF
This was that the guard in closing the
corridor door. had not only 10 throw
the lever with his left hand. hut also
ai the same time had 10 push the door
shut with his right hand in order To-,
make the bOl'S lock the door. we were
told by the guards that this had con-
diiion Of the spring had continued and
had heen known for possibly nine
months last past and that no report OF
lis bad condition had ever been made
10 the Warden or Trustees We were
also told that many Of the prisoners
knew of this weak spring. and indeed
the very slightest exam nation or cas-
nal Inspection Of the corridor door lever
must inevitably have disclosed this de-
feet
Tho guard who last attempted to-
close the corridor door on the day OF
tho escape may well have failed TO ac-
tual'y close end lock il ON account oil
the wea, spring.
'The Grand Jury next tested the lever
which was used 10 cpen the cell door
of Prices cell. This door slides open
and shut and when il was opeu a small
paper pamphlet was placed e'Wccn tie 4
door iamb aud the door aud the lever /.
then pulled 10 close the door. In most /
Of these attempts the door could not be I
closed and locked while the pamphlet I
was there ard. as a consequence, The 4
lever remained somewhat out OF 'hc pO- /
Sition which u assumed when the door |
did close ard lock. But in at least one /
trial out OF possibly dozen. the lever I
assumed the position which IL ought 10 4
take when the door j. c'0Sed and lock- /
I'd. but The door only closed and did not I
lock. and was easily pulled Open bv
hand from within the cell. If Price had 4
used some such small ObstrIsct'On--as.
for instance. part of the paper from any |
book which he might have had In his |
cell-it is quite possible he cOu'd have /
prevented the locking of the cell door,
IhoUgh il might have been closed and