The Mankato free press., 1921-09-02
EVERY BONE BROKEN
Fate Is Melted Out to Ray
mond Douglas
ATTEMPT JAIL ESCAPE
He Was Being Held In Mime
apoIis On Charge of
Auto Stealing

GutONlODlle, was udSItu W. uSoll AA
. FIVE story fall to the pavement OF
the city hall court. Minneapolis,
when an improvised rope on which
ne was sliding to liberty, broke.
Alfred Oddyn, wanted on a charge
of assault il Vancouver. escaped.
He was the first to go down the rope
tc the fourth noor window. which he
opened, crawled inside and made his
way lo the street.
CHEZ of Police A. c. Jensen an
aourced that he had ordered Cap
tain John Calvin TO make thorough
investigation Of the jailbreak in an
effort 10 determine how the prison
ers managed to escape from their
cell block.
Although Oddyn and Douglas are
believed to have escaped shortly al
ter midnight, their absence was not
discovered until niEe o'clock yester-
day morning by Joseph Ryan. Jaller.
an hour after he had come on duty,
relieving A. B. Needkam, Ryan had
sent the mornings batch OF prison,
,ers who were to appear TOR trial
down to municipal court and was
checking over the others when he
discovered that two men were miss
ing. He notified Chief Jensen.
Bones Were Broken
Douglas body was discovered a
few minutes later. 1t was lying
about ten feet from the wall.
In his hands was still clutched a
section of the rope with which he
made his fatal break for freedom.
Every bone in his body was broken.
Following his escape Oddyn tele-
phoned his wife to obtain some
money and meet him at a certain
spot.
borrowed $50 from neighbor and
kpt the appointment an hour later.
AS she walked UP to her husband,
she said. an automobile swung into
sight.
said her husband cried as he snatch
ed the money from her hand and
fed.
Mrs. oddyn was taken to police
headquarters after the discovery OF
the jailbreak and told Of having re-
ceived the telephone call and meet
ing her husband.
Occupied Opposite Cells
Both Oddyn and Douglas, until a
few days ago, had occupied cells
across from each other in section
of the Jail known as "Duffy's flats"
These cells are nearest the Fourth
street side of the building and are
separate from the jail proper. 1t is
believed that while there they made
their plans for escape which were
carried out after they had been re-
moved to what is known as Section
E. Section e is composed of several
cells and includes an open space
where the prisoners can exercise.
The Individual cells are not locked
during the day and sometimes not
at night.
Leading to Section E is steel
bar door equipped with a double
lock. One of these locks operates
with a spring which snaps a bolt in
to place when the door is closed.
The second lock, which operates on
ly with a key, serves to prevent
manipulation of the bolt from the
inside.
Captain Calvin said he was un-
able to ascertain If the night jailer
had neglected to turn the second
lock, giving the two prisoners a
chance to move the bolt from the
inside, or If they had slipped out
while other prisoners were being
Rope Tied to the Radiator
From their cell block the pair made
their way to a bathroom adjoining
''Duffy's flats" They found two roll
er towels. which were used in fash
ioning the rope, which consisted of
sweater and another towel. The
prisoners then kicked loose heavy
steel screen from window opening
into the court. The rope was tied
to a radiator
From the fifth floor Oddyn climbed
down the rope to window leading
to the city chemists office. Marks
on the Jail window ledge showed
that his weight had caused the
1ln 4f or RI int
the towel Marks on the ledge of
of the window below indicated that
Douglas, who followed him down the
rope, had reached the window safely,
but that before he could climb in
side the weakened rope broke and
he fell.
Detectives from Vancouver were
expected to arrive late today for
Oddyn. who was wanted on a charge
toned by the police in connection
with recent Minneapolis robberles
which were marked by attacks upon
Douglas was charged with grand
larceny in connection with The theft
in Minneapolis of car belonging to
Arnold Hawkinson of Chanhassen.
Douglas home was in Amboy, MINI.
He was thirty years old. Oddyn is
.wenty six.
Douglas History In Mankato
Raymond Douglas, who fell to his
death when trying to escape from the
ciyt jail in Minneapolis, where he
was held on the charge Of stealing an
automobile at Mankate OF April 26,
1919 by Deputy Sheriff J. H. Macbeth
and Eli Kugherz, who was then city
detective under former Chief OF Po-
lice Jack Martin, on the charge of
attempting to steal Ford car be-
longing to Hans Erickson, living near
this city. Douglas was about to
drive away with the car when appre-
hended by the two officers. He was
brought to the police station. Soon
after being brought to police head
quarters, Douglas slipped two auto
license tags from his pocket and
placed them on top of the steel lock-
ers. Later he admitted to the police
that he intended to steal the car.
He was arraigned in the municipal
court on the same day, and bound
over to the June term of the district
court Of 1919 under bonds of $1,000.
The grand jury having received in
formation that the young mans
mother was then in an insane asy-
um, and that he had acted queerly at