Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-02-03

Of Escaped Convict-Manner Be.
trays Him, AZ He Becomes Wary OF
Everyone He Meets-Average Num-
Der Of Escapes Year 10 600.
Prison escapes seem to be unusually
numerous Of late. One man miracu-
lousy departs from Jail with three fei'
low prisoners. and no clew Is found.
Al reformatory several desertiohs
lead TO the suspicion that key is be-
ing circulated among the Inmates. And
there are similar stories In the pa
pers almost every day. They sug'
gest that Jail breaking is a frequent
occurrence, writes Frederic J. liaskln
IN the Chicago Daily News.
We put the question up to Earl bud
ding. head of the Prisoners Relief So
ciety, aud got this reassurlng answer:
"rhere Is no great menace from eS-
capped cOnvlctS. There are 4.WWWW
inmates In penal institutions in This
country. Half q million men, women,
boys aud girls are convicted OF solne
offense every year, and us many more
are freed from prisons. Compare
these big figures with the average
number of escapes year, which IL al
most 500"
Hard to Dodge Law Now.
Five hundred convlcts break away,
but Doctor budding explains That
where even 50 years ago they might
have stood 2 fair chance OF permanent
freedom. today they are often retaken
Immediately. A comparatively few
years ago q refugee had chance to
cover his tracks and lose his identity
In the time II took to notify sherif1S
and spread word OF the escape. Now
cables. the telephone, railroads. even
airplanes. " necessary, can i~ called
on to speed In pursuit..
If he is not taken ut once, the con
vict's manner betrayS him. Publicity
may have gone ahead of him. he fears,
and so he Is wary Of every on" he
meets. The man across the lunch
room table who inquiries. between
bites OF sandwich. where he works.
may he q detective. A policeman looks
Al him and he Is thrown into II panic.
Eventually he gives himself away in
his efforts to bc lnconspicuous.
Getting Back In.
Nearly every day" says Doctor
budding. zone or more men OF his
type come to me for help because the
situation Is too much for them. There
was typical case just few days
ago. The man came In ana asked
to talk with me. He kept looking NJ
me. trying TO decide whether he could
trust me with his secret.
"'Well.' said 10 him. when did you
escapeT
1.-The blow nearly knocked him over.
lie had no Idea he aa.nwpd his fear so
plainly. Then he looked relieved We
talked the matter over and ! showed
him that the only hing to do was TO
20 back and finish his term. Then
he could walk the streets free man.
You aren't free now ! told him. You
don't dare talk to any one
""That's true he said. I'ut II go
back I'll he put In irons, and I was
rusty
"'NO. not If you give yourself up l
tendent and explain that you are com
ing back voluntarily and ask him TO
give you POUR Old place"
The mnn agreed, and here is the sur
prisinK part OF the story, to one who
does not understand prisons and pris-
nrIItnn
SIsced on His Honor.
The .,an was not put under guard or
handcufYed. Doctor budding told him
to- cciae back at d certain time. When
he cu:ne he was given Il ticket to the
Jail town and q letter which had been
Obtained from the superintendent OF
the prison. saying that he was travel
ing by permission OF the prison au-
thOrit;es. The convict was TO carry
this letter with him. for he was want
ed by the police and might have been
arrested ON his way. This man did
the letter or the ticket to escape. The
adventure was over for him.
Something like this happens about
a hundred times a year. Escaped pris-
opers from all parts Of the country
come into an Office of the Prisoners
Relief society or write to Doctor Dud-
ding to know what to do. He tells
them, as he told the man just men,
toned, that they cannot expect to live
hOnorably or In peace until they have
been freed by the state, and then,
when he has their permission he does
what he can to make the return to
prison easy for them. He says that
he has never failed to convince any
one who appealed to him of the wis
dom Of this course-even In cases Of
escapes from life Imprisonment.
He Lost His Nerve.
Such an instance occurred when Doc.
tor budding was on western trip some
time ago. A man read In the newspa.
per Of the work of this Doctor Dud-
ding. who had been prisoner him
self, and came to see him. The man
explained that 10 years before he had,
In a at of anger, killed girl who
refused to marry him. He was
given life imprisonment, but served
only few months, when friends,
who were indignant at what they felt
was an unjust sentence, helped him to
escape. He went West and built up
q business and name for himself. But
The shadow Of fear was always worry.
Ing him. After consulting Doctor Dud-
ding. Le went back to the prison. He
served four years and was pardoned.
A. Doctor budding says. escapes Of
any kind are rare, and the romantic