Evening journal., 1920-01-12

the lever down In the usual closed pO'
si'iOn. Then il would have been equally
/ simp'c for him 10 have pushed the cell
/ dor open and he would have been IN
the steel corridor. We believe This con-
d'tiOn of the cell door lever and locking
device was unknown 10 the guards. the
Warden and the Trustees but Il is quito
probable that Price knew of &C. as ne is
said Ia have possessed some knowledge
OF machinery and some mechanical skill
'The Grard Jury next insDected the
s'OrerOOm. the central part OF the pris-
on. and the front corridor. the doors
from the center TO the corridor and the
front doors.
"The examination Of witnesses then
beGan at the WOrkhOuse. al testimony
being taken In shorthand by one Of the
court stenOgrapherS.
Liuhiing.
"The Grand Jurors returned 70 WI
mingt0n at one o'clock and continued
the examination Of Witnesses until
about four-thirty =. m. when another
Trip was made TO the workhouse for the
purpose Of inspecting the lighting con-
ditions at approximately i've o'clock,
that being the tine Of day when Price
escaped The electric light was found
10 be Of poor quality I'm the corridors
and central part Of the prison. There
were not sufficient lights IN number,
they were badly placed. and Of four
tungsten lights over the door leading
from tho center 90 The front corridor.
where Price should frst have been rec
4 faH hf I'm -
only one was burning. The other three
sockets had no 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 oiilcc and who saw Price pass
the open Office door. there was one light
which was not OF as high candle power
rs 20 should have been. 10 was stated by
The trustees that there was Insufficient
electrical power 10 do The work and
That additional lighting equipment had
been ordered but lad not yet been in
stalled.
"On the next day another visit was
made 20 the W0Thh0use and the entire
morning was devoted 20 examining the
warden. The prison physician. the clerk
and a number or The guards The after
noon was spent in Wilmington cXamln-
ing additional witnesses including the
trustees. \ statement on behalf OF The
BOARD Of Trustees was read by Mr..
lilies and "a copy OF it incorporated in
the minutes Of the Grand Jury. This
statement was afterwards given TO the
press by the Board OF Trustees and can
be found in The paper Of January 9.
q q
were examined and The entire day was
used for this purpose. In all about
twenty witnesses were examined. The
examination. was as exhaustive as the
lime 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 compen-
satlon. their working. hours, Their du-
ties. and the employment Of, and pay
mepts to certain Of the guards by pri-
vate contractors and corporations while
these guards were supposed 10 be work.
ing for the trustees in guarding prison
gangs employed in outside woorh.
The number Of escapes Of prisoners
from the Workhouse and the number
Of recaptures.
"The methods used 10 locate and ar
rest escaped prisoners.
The failure on the part of The Board |
OF Trustees 90 have oil Ions term or /
DANGEROUS criminals photographed and |
their finger prints taken for ready iden-
tncation.
"The allowing Of long term prisoners
and especially Of those convicted OF /
10 90 at large, sometimes in |
the city Of Wilmington, other times az
The Workhouse farm.
The prison system, and the rules and
p, gulatiOns thereof.
The Method by Which Price ESCAPED.
price escaped from the workhouse
about o'clock on the afternoon Of De-
ccmbcr %. 1919.
From the time Of his sentence on
December ,, to the day OF his escape,
ne was kept continuously in his cell OK
cept az stated times in the mornings and
afternoons when he was allowed out
in the corridor adjoining his cell for
the purpose OF exercise. His meals
were brought 10 him in his cell or in
the corridor. The corridor door was
TO be locked at all times eX-
cept when prisoners were passing in |
II out OF the corridor or meals were
being served. Tie guard whose duty 81
was % guard Price and the other pris-
oners In the west wing. had also 10
guard the cast wing and the center