Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-17
LOPER, ARRESTED
HERE, SUSPECTED
Of AIDING IN THE
FOUNTAIN ESCAPE
Local Negro Believed to Have
Passed File to Condemned
Man.
ENABLED LATTER TO
BOLT FROM PRISON
Search for Fugitive Led to Will
mington Soon After He
Got Away.
ENABLED LATTER TO
BOLT FROM PRISON
GOOD WORK BY
WILMINGTON POLICE

In to carly this afternoon the local
police had not received any word oi the
capture of Isaiah Fountain, who early TINS
morning was reported surrounded by
sheriff $ posse in a cabin IN the woods near
Easton. Md. Fountain, awaiting eXccu-
tion. according TO the report, was DIS
covered in an abandoned hut IN dense
woods
Ralph I.oper, the Negro youth. arrest
ed last night III connection with tho escape
of Fountain. was ordered released thus
afternoon, according TO the ponce
The most important Developments N
the Isaiah Fountain escape from the lai
AZ Faston. Md. are looked for IN thus
section Ralph Loper. colored who IS
charged with having aided Fountain IN
his plans and actual escape, was arrested
in this city last night From information
secured. it is thought probable that foun-
tain may he hiding somewhere IN this
CITY or near here
i,opcr who IS believed to have passed the
filc on to Fountain by which the latter
sawed his wav out, was arrested IN this
city following search last night Of
house n lOl5 East Thirteenth street,
in which Fountain was thought to have
hccn concealed also. The prisoner caught
last night is but L years old and was re-
leased from the Easton prison on Satur-
dav, after serving a short sentence Tor
bootlegging
Information that the Wilmington Ne
gro Youth was implicated IN the getaway
was given hv the two mon arrested IN
MARYLAND According to tho story as
picccd together by tho detectives. trustN,
still at the prison. brought the file from
the workhouse and gave II to Loper, who
IS supposed to have gwen II to Fountain.
J,oDer acknowledged that he knew Foun-
tain possessed file but denied that he
had given II to him.
For a time IL was thought that the
prisoner here NAV have been one Of those
who accompanied Fountain IN his fight
Ioper stoutly denied this and nelghhors
questioned declared the youth had not
been away from the house since has re-
lease from prison.
SEEK FOUNTAIN HERE.
Chief Of Police G. A Stoops. q Easton:
Chief of State Police r II Williams and
Lieutenant Of Police NJ A. Eppersack all
Of MARYLAND, sought the fugitive here
Yesterday. On the raid on the Thirteenth
street house thev were accompanied by
Detectives Riley. kcmpski and Johnson.
The sextct surrounded the house ex-
pecting resistance, but none was offered
HEADED FOR WILMINGTON.
Clues secured Yesterday by the authori
ties at Easton indicate that Fountain,
in event he got out OF Talbot county,
intended to make for this city An cn1-
nlovc AT the Faston jail, Lee Nixon, color
ed. saws he heard loper tell Fountain
that If the latter came 10 Wilmington he
could get him safely concealed
The most likely trail now Is believed
70 lead to this city According to mes
sare- from Chief OF Police Charles
Stoops, Of Easton, information has
been obtained there which has led to the
spreading OF an extensive dragnet with
in the city Just what the information
was. was kept secret.
The theory that Fountain has made
his wav to Wilmington by automobile IS
borne out strongly hy the story told by
Lee Nixon, the former Negro trustyr
who has shed much light upon the es-
cane Nixon, who now Is employed by
Sheriff Soulsby, Is the man who ad-
njtted obtaining the file with which
Fountain cut his way 10 freedom.
CELL MATE URGED FLIGHT.
According to Nixon's story, Fountain
Continued on page 10