Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-11-21

Concealed beneath the bunk OF
two fellow prisoners in a cell other
than the inc in which he had been
originally placed, William II. Och
lert, held for the fatal shooting Of
Henry Briscoe, which occurred in
Fairfax county October IS, was
found yesterday morning, although
wide search was in progress for
the prisoner who was supposed to
have escaped from the jail at Fair
fax Courthouse early Friday morn
ing.
The discovery of Oehlert was made
by Glennon Cross, the four year old
son of Jailor Harvey Cross.
At I O'Clock yesterday morning
Tailor Cross was serving breakfast
to the prisoners in the Jail. He
came to the cell occupied by two
young white men mad opened it and
handed them their breakfast. His
little son entered the cell and OBJ
served hand protruding from be-
meath the bunk and casually remark
ed to his father, Daddy Mr.. Och
lert is under there" Jailor Cross
told the child to pull the blanket up
which ran down the side of the bunk
to the floor The child failed to do
so, whereupon Jailor Cross pulled
up the blanket and found Oehlert
crouching beneath the bunk He had
Oehlert covered with his pistol. Och
lert was placed in another cell and
subsequently furnished breakfast
Oehert last night at $50 o'clock
made second attempt to escape and
his plans this time were frustrated
by a col0red prisoner who occupied
cell adjoining that of Oehlert. The
prisoners name is William Gregg and
when Gregg heard the noise made by
the hacks saw he Justify cried for
.JailOr Cross. His cries were res
pondcd to and when Jailor Cross ar
rived he found that Ochlcrt had sue
ceeded in completely saving off the
iron shackloS which had few hours
before been placed about the legs to
prevent any further attempt to cS-
cape The hack saw with which he
did the work had been concealed be-
meath the floor Of the cell, it is sta
ted. Ochlert from now on Will be
guarded both day and night and
there is little likelihood OF any fur
thcr efforts to escape.
According to Jailor Cross OehIcrt
was supplied with seven hack saws
and an improviscd wrench which he
had made out of piece Of iron pipe
which he sawed from an iron bunk Of
cell which he occupied. This
wrench he is supposed to have given
10 young white men who occupied
cell on the first floor OF the Jail.
With tbs implement they succeeded
in wrcnching the hasp holding the
bic lock of his cell. This being ac-
complshed Ochlcrt had freedom to
the corridor. He next attacked the
stout iron bar Of the window OF the
Jail. He succeeded in bending one
of the bars and twisting il out OF
shape. According to OehIert the
opening while sufficiently large to
protrude his head was not large
enough for his body to go through,
consequently ne decided to postDone
his efforts to escape. daylight about
that time having set in.
Accordingly he returned to the
cell occupied by the young men to
make believe that he had escaped.
He kept under cover and they pre-
tended the jailor says to have heard
no noise that night Since Friday
he had subsistcd on food furnished
him By these two prisoners, they
having divided with him at each
meal.
His idea Jai1or Cross thinks was
to make his escape this morning
when the two prisoners in question
would be taken over to the court
house for trial and no one would be
about the jail.
Ochlcrt had very little to say ac-
cordng to the Jailor afcr he was de-
tected and made no statement as to
how he got the hack saws.
After the iailer had discovered
Oehlcrt in jail instead of out Of jail
search was begun for his weapons.
Within short time Jailor Cross
says he found seven hack saws and
the improvised wrench. They nad
been concealed in vent pipe OF Och
lert's cell by the prisoner. These
saws the .Jailor says were furnished
him by someone on the outside ana
complete investigation Is being
made to trace their source.
No further chances are to be taken
with Ochlert declared Jal!or cross
this morning and every effort IS
possible to prevent his escape VIII
be taken till after his trial:
Oehlert was supposed to have fled
Continued on Page Two.)