Arizona republican., 1920-02-20
ARREST OSCAR
 PRICE ON CHARGE
 AIDING ESCAPE
Corner Jailer Said to Have Been Means of Joe Banks, U. s. Prisoner, Gaining Liberty - Woman Also Charged

Oscar Price, former county jailer las been placed under arrest on the 'harge of conspirarcy to aid federal prisoner to escape. Charged jointly with Price is Mabel Shaw, said to be he affinity of Joe Banks, alias Joe Phillips, whom the two are alleged to lave aided in escaping from the county ail on September 30, the day after Prices resignation as a deputy sheriff ,ecame effective.
 The arrest of Price was made in Buckeye Wednesday by Fred Weage, deputy United States marshal. Price was held at the city jail until his ar- raignment before John F. Henke, United States commissioner, yester- lay. So quietly did the federal author ities work on the case that the news pf the sensational arrest was not known to any save the officers until the arraignment, when Price entered a plea of not guilty. His preliminary hearing was set for Friday morning, February 27, and his bond placed at S5,o00. Bail was furnished by his orother-in law, John Nelson, a pioneer Falley rancher, and F.. M. Conger.
 The Shaw woman, who was arraigned later in the day, asked for time in which to plead. Bond in her case was fixed at s1,00o which. it is understood, will be furnished this morning.
 Stories Are Conflicting
 There are conflicting stories as to the method by which Banks, who was charged with opera ting a distillery, es- caped- Although the investigation has been carried on by the department of Justice since october. the department is practically mum on the subject, all though it was common gossip yesterday that certain of the federal officials believe that Banks gained his way to freedom by means of an unlocked door. There is another story to the effect that Banks was permitted the use of the runway and that it was a simple matter for him to make his getaway through the hole in the corrugated iron roof and with the aid of blanket rope drop to the ground below.
 It is said that Banks had visitors the day of his escape, one of them being the Shaw girl, who is alleged to have met him with an automobile and to have transported him out of the city. Although officers have worked dih- gently on the case, Banks has never been apprehended and it is believed that he is now in Mexico. Banks, it is said, had a large sum of money on his person his last day in jail, accord ing to his fellow prisoners.
 Resigned in September
 Price resigned as jailer in Septenb ber pleading ill-health. He stated that his hours were too long and the work too confining and that he intended turn ing his attention to ranch1ng.
 It was while Price was still on duty that Banks was denied the privilege of the corridor by federal officials, ai- though it is alleged that the order was not observed It is stated that while the jailers were being changed al that time, Price was virtually in charge, but that he was responsible for the fact that Banks was given too much liberty It is said, too, that Price was aware of the fact that Banks was wanted in Texas on the charge of highway robbery.
 It is alleged that Banks put in the early evening hours before his escape in game of cards with other fed eral prisoners The game, it is said was played in the corridor.