The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-25
COLEMAN At
LARGE; GETS
OUT OF JAIL
Former Police Sergeant Es-
capes from His Cell Between
Midnight and 4 O'clock Fri
day Morning.
SENTENCED TO PRISON


geant escaped from the Wayne
county Jail between midnight and
o'clock Friday morning.
Sheriff Wadman found the prisoner
gone when he went to tho cell TO
take Coleman to the state prison at
Michigan City.
Coleman was in his cell at mid
night, according to the sheriff. who
had been in another cell, and who
looked in the cell at that time. Cole
man was confined in one of the cells
usually reserved for insane patients.
Cells for insane patients are sep
arated from the rest of the Jail by
a heavy iron door. set into q steel
framework, which extends across the
| corridor This door is locked with d
spring lock. except at night when
turn of the key will hold the bolts
; from releasing. Sheriff Wadman
/ locked the door Thursday evening.
Theory OF Escape.
One theory is that Coleman was
given an iron bar, which was handed
to him through the steel wire mesh
which covers the window of his cell.
Once in possession of this bar, 1t
would be an easy matter for him to
spring tho door.
Leaving this part of the Jail, Cole
man went downstairs into the base
ment, where a window had been lefs
unprotected in order to allow coal 10
1o ~, F,1,- A iva
sceen in this window had been torn
out There was no evidence of metal
scratches on the cell door or the
/ framework Of the window.
! Sheriff Wadman said Coleman had
| been given the freedom of the insane
ward of about six cells An iron door
separates the ward from the jail
! proper, and is the door through which
| he escaped.
Wadnan's Statement
| Sheriff Wadman said Friday: mo
! one will work harder than / to recap
ture Coleman. If spending money will
get him, am ready to spend it. Cole
man was put in one of the cells for
/ the insane patients because it was
more convenient to care for him there.
/ as in the case of one or two other
| prisoners that have been confined
there. There is no better chance Tor
| escape from one of these cells than
| from the regular Jail cells.
! There is somewhat better light in
these cells than in the ordinary cell,
/ and we put prisoners in there because
| We do not want to inflict unnecessary
| hardship on them. Coleman was not
shown special favor in this respect"
One visitor. Guy Robie visited Cole
man Thursday, the sheriff said, Robie
/ brought Coleman a Thanksgiving
dinner.
He evidently was planning to leave
for the penitentiary when | saw him
! yesterday" said Guy Robie, Friday.
For he left all of his old clothes with
me to keep until he had served his
/ sentence"
Was Under Sentence
Coleman was indicted by the grand
jury for passing bad checks about a
month ago. He was caught in Phoenix,
Ariz., brought to Richmond, tried and
convicted. Judge Bond sentenced him
to one to five years in the state prison
1t was the intention of the sheriff
to take Coleman to prison Friday. He
was sentenced last Monday.
i Police at Hamilton, Dayton, Indian
apolis and Cincinnati were notified
Posters setting a reward of 500 for
Coleman's return have been printed
and will be sent out from the sheriff S
office.
Coleman is described as being 81
years old, five feet 10 inches tall
: weighing IT'S pounds, with light com
plexion. He is bald and has a number
8 of scars caused by operations. on his
|, body.
Charles E. Morgan, turnkey at the
: county Jail. refused to talk Friday
, morning. IF you want any informa
: ton you must go to the sheriff.
have nothing to say" he said.
Prosecutor Paul A Beckett in dis
/ cussing the case Friday said: Many
: people called me up and wanted me tc
j make an effort to get Coleman a sus
| pended sentence. | couldn't see where
/ Coleman was a bit better than any
: other criminal"
A total of s62150 was expended b.
/ the county in Coleman's arrest, tria
: and conviction. OF this amount
$240.45 was court costs, and 1891 0!
2 was expended in a trip to Phoenix
5 Ariz., to return the prisoner to thil
t county.