Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-02-16
FIVE PRISONERS
POUND Way OUT
OF COUNTY JAIL.
Only One, Held For Murder. Who
Couldn't Get Through Hole,
Remains

Whlle they san to drown the 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 at
dusk last evening. Every man con-
fined in the Jail, including one accus-
ed of murder, except one murder who
was unable to get his body through
the small hole cut 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
larry; Bill Savers, accused of cheat
ing and swindling and Jim Henry
Miner, confessed Americus store
burglar, who was wounded on the
might of January Is by Policeman.
Ross as he was fleeing after attempt
ing 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 Decexlber. 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,
4gas 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 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-
ing 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-
| ing against the brick wall, but be-
cause of the breeze thought nothing
Of it, suppoging it to be a loose fence
Eboard or something of the kind
swinging 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-
bic enough, The sheriff told he
didn'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, putting his hands
through first, and he was able to
| squeeze through. Apparently, he had
been unable to make it the others,
as suspected.
Tells Two Stories.
Asked about how the others open
stories To the sheriff he said they
| had done the job quickly last eve
ming. To.a reporter later he said
they had been "squatting around that
place" for week or two, but that
he was in another part of tire pen
and didn't see or know what they
were doing.
The place where the cell bars were
cut is located on the north side of
the Jail, near a 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 been assuctomed to visit
the cell room three times daily.