Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-02-16

POUND Way OUT
OF COUNTY JAIL.
Only One, Held For Murder, Who
Couldn't Get Through Hole,
Remains

me lHey sang 10 drown tne NOISE
of their operations, and stiff breeze
was blowing up from the northwest,
carrying all sound away from the
living quarters of the county Jail,
five negro prisoners twisted, pried
and pounded their way to freedom ut
dusk last evening. Every man con-
fiped in the Jail, including one accus-
ed of murder, except one murderer
who was unable to get his body
through the small hole cut in cell wall
escaped.
They were Wade ,Munroe, charged
with murder; Badger Bird, held for
assault with intent to murder; Son
Dorsey, Ia years old, held for burg
lary Bill Savers, accused of cheat
ing and swindling and Jim Henry
Miner, confessed Americus store
burglar, who was wounded on the
night of January 19 by Policeman
Ross as he was fleeing after attempt
ling to start a car standing in front
OF the Rylander theater. he had
completely recovered from his wound.
The sole occupant Of the Jail re-
naming is Clyde Kemp, who killed
another negro on Calvin Carter's
place last December. None of them
had been tried.
Five of the six prisoners were con-
fined in the "bull pen'' on the lower
floor of the jail, Sheriff Harvey in
his kindness to them not consider
ing it necessary to keep them lock-
ed in cells. Son Dorsey, just boy,
was allowed the freedom of the OUT
side corridor to keep up fires. That
he employed his time also in assist
ing in the escape was indicated by
smoke and SCOT on the outside of the
steel cell bars which had been cut, fire
from. the stove evidently having been
employed to soften the steel for cut
ting. A saw evidently had been used
in the operation, but it was not
found.
Pound Out Bricks.
| After gaining the main corridor,
the prisoners pounded out section
of the brick wall about rear win
dow, breaking up several steel cots
and tearing a huge lever off the lock-
ling system.
The escape was not discovered un-
til about O'Clock when Sheriff
Harvey came into the Jail and Kemp
told him what had taken place. Kemp
insisted he had been calling for half
an hour but could make no one hear
him. Mrs Harvey was. about the
place all evening. At 80 she said
she MIXED the family COW in the rear
of the jail and heard nothing in the
Jail but loud singing. Later from
her kitchen she heard the dull thump-
ling against the brick wall, but be-
cause of the breeze thought nothing
Of it, supposing it to be loose fence
board .or something of the kind
lswinging in the wind.
This morning Sheriff Harvey ask
ed Harvey why he didn't escape also.
The negro replied he did not want to
go, because he was already in trou-
Bile enough. The sheriff told him he
ldidn't go because he couldn't get
through the hole, according to his be-
lief. The negro replied he thought
he could get through it, but when he
tried failed. Clerk H. E. Allen, who
was present, suggested that he try
| in different way, patting his hands
through first, and he was able to
squeeze through. Apparently, he had
been unable to make it with the 9TH
ers, as suspected.
Tells Two Stories.
Asked about how the others open
ed the. bars, he told conflicting.
istories To the, sheriff he said they
had done the job quickly last eve
lining To a reporter later he said
lthey had been "squatting around that
place" for a week or two, but that
he was in another part of the pen
and didn't see or know what they
Iwere doing.
The place where the cell bars We're
cut is located on the north side of
the Jail, near window. 1t is said
the prisoners often hang blankets up
on the, outside of the cells there to
keep the wind out, and this practice
/ is believed to have been responsible
for Sheriff Harvey not seeing the
evidence of their work as it progress.
/ ed He has heen assuctomed to visi1