Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-11-20
Two Guileless Youths Innocent
Accessories to Escape of
Willy Childs-Suave Prison
er Exchanges Clothing With
10 Years Old Youth And
Passes Guard Room, Wed.
nesday Morning

pants Of the cell room at the Augusta
police station over Tuesday night, j.
Albert Childs, q Federal prisoner
who was detained pending arraign-
ment before U. 8. Commissioner s.
L. Fogg. Wednesday morning on
serious charges. working a cunning
ruse and unsuspectingly aided by the
two country boys walked out Of the
police station shortly after O'Clock
yesterday morning and made good
his escape.
Childa, whom Robert H. Jack, chief
Of the Federal enforcement force, and
officers of his department character
ize as one of the slyest and most sub
tie and willy individuals with whom
they have ever had to deal. was
brought to the Augusta Police sta
ton from Waterville late Tuesday
evening on a warrant charging him
with stealing government records
from the office of Federal Prohibi-
ton Director. Seth May. in Auburn
cell room and directed to use the
cot in the second cell from the door.
About 1880 Wednesday morning.
two boys, Donald Kilbreth, aged 10
and his. brother. Bernard, aged 10.
applied at the police station for a
nights lodging as they were without
funds and had become stranded
with their automobile on the Au-
gusta Winthrop highway about three
miles from this city. The boys ask
ed to be called at 6 A. NJ, and were
admitted to the cell room and di-
| rected to occupy two cells on the far
end Of the tier.
At o'clock In the morning Dep
uty Marshall Charles F. Witham be-
fore going off duty went into the cell
| room and awakened, as he supposed.
the Kilbreth brothers. at the same
time pointing out the man In the cell
where Childs had been placed. to City
| Marshal Skehan. as the man detain-
ed for the Federal officers. The two
dodgers were checked out and left
| the station and the building and
| Deputy Witham started for his home.
! About ten minutes after the de-
! parture of the two, Marshal Skehan
In response to an insistent knocking
on the cell room door, answered.
and Donald Kilbreth, told him that
! the wrong man had been released
! with his brother and that his own
| overcoat and cap had been taken.
Deputy Witham was at once recalled
to headquarters. and in the mean
time the younger Kilbreth had re-
turned to the station. The officers
| went with the lad while he took them
| over the route he had gone with the
much wanted Childs. but no trace
OF him could be found and though
! the police of surrounding cities were
, furnished with the mans description
| he had been successful up to last
night in evading CaDture
Investigation and questioning of
| tho two Kilbreth boys revealed how
the Federal prisoner had been able
to hoodwink Deputy Marshal With
am and make his getaway from the
lookup. During the night he had
| snapped suits and shoes with Donald
Kilbreth, giving the boy $40 in mon
ey boot" he had later craftily
changed cells with the lad, and in
the morning had donued his over
| coat and cap and walked boldly out
| with the IL years old Bernard. as if
he were the brother. Meanwhile the
boy wearing the escaped mans
clothing slept peacefully in Child's
cell.
Their unwilling completely in the
| escape nearly landed the two broth
ers behind prison bars for a long
| Wednesday forenoon, they were ar
| raigned before Judge Robert A. Cony
| charged with wilfully and knowing
| ly aiding a prisoner to escape. The
lads were so obviously honest and
| uusophisticated. and told their
| stories in such straightforward
! manner that they won their acquittal
| and were discharged after the SER
| iousness of the affair had been made
understandable to them.
When arraigned in municipal
court the boys told Of their move
ments and disclosed how Childs had
taken advantage of their suscepti-
hility and used them to make good
his escape. Donald Kilbreth, the old
| err of the brothers. has been working
at Norway. and on Tuesday with his
brother. Bernard, who lives at home
| with his parents in Turner, and
| mar named Shields started for Gar
diner by way of this city. About three
miles out on the Winthrop road their
| automobile developed mechanical
trouble and they found 1t necessary
| to have the machine towed in.
In the meantime Shields had left
them and had gone to the Augusta
House for the night. The boys ar
rived in the city with their car some
time after . o'clock Wednesday
morning. and after leaving it at
garage went to the police station for
lodging as they had no money and
their companion had made no pro-
vision for them.
Some time after they had been In
The cell room. Donald became rest
less and went to the cell where his