Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-19
PRISONER HELD AT JAIL ON
LARCENY CHARGE MAKES CLEVER
GETAWAY THURSDAY FORENOON

| Using the end Of the handle on a
| nickei silver teaspoon as an impro-
| vised screwdriver, George Blake
alias Harry Colby. who claimed his
residence as Portland, took of the
| neavy frame of wire netting over
the transom Of the women's lockup
at the City hall and climbing over
escaped sometime between the time
ne was given his breakfast and
$3.50, when Maurice O'Donnell. the
City hall janitor. opened the door to
1ne lookup to show Judge Charles w
Atchley the prisoner.
Joseph Wood was arrested with
BAKE at l0.l5 Wednesday night back
| of Simpson & Hardings hardware
| store on Silver street. on charges OF
. breaking. entering and larceny in the
nighttime OF tewelry and money val
ued at over $500 in the dwelling
house OF Edwin NJ. Foster.S32 Pleas
ant street. Wood was locked up in
the mems jail and was unable to es-
cape. He appeared before Judge
Atchley for trial yesterday afternoon
! at o'clock and the judge after hear
ing the evidence found probable
cause and bound over the respondent
to the January term OF the superior
court In Augusta. Bond required in
the sum of $4,000 could not he fur
nished and Chief Of Police William Fl.
Murray and Officer Louis Rancourt
carried the prisoner to the county Jail
at Augusta to await trial
Mr.. and Mrs. Edwin NJ. Foster left
their home Wednesday morning to
attend the Pennington Fair. Their
house was vacant during their alb
sence as the housekeeper was away.
They returned home about $50 We'd
nesday evening and going into the
Kitchen found pane Of glass on the
Kitchen table and saw that the door
leading from the cellar had been
smashed. Later it was found that
the glass came from one of the cellar
windows and that the entrance was
made through the doors to the run
way leading into the cellar. The
house had evidently been ransa cked
and Mr.. and Mrs. Foster Immediately
began to look about to see IL any
thing was missing. They found very
shortly that much of their personal
iewelry had been taken and Mr.. Fos-
ter at once communicated with Dep
uty Marshal George II. Simpson
who notified his officers to be on the
lookout.
A few hours earlier, the hardware
dealers had telephOned for an Off
Ger. saying that men were lettering
about their store. Deputy Marshal
Simpson answered the call and went
down to Investigate. AS soon as the
men sighted the police uniform they
hurried away but the deputy had
chance to observe their appearance.
He gave the particulars to the night
officers. telling them to watch for the
lOiterers
Entering the alley which passes
back of the hardware store about
1918. Officer George Beckett saw
two men behind the store. He ar
rested them and brought them to the
police station where Deputy Marshal
Simpson identified them as two OF
the men he had seen earlier in the
day. The men were searched and n
miscellaney of articles were found
among them being a gold watch with
n hunting case. which Mr.. Foster
positively identified. This was found
on Woods person.
The men claimed that they had
rented room in the city. but Wood
when questioned by the Judge could
rot name the owner CT the room or
the street on which the house was
located. Wood Is about five feen ten
inches tall. dark in complexion and
weighs lao pounds. He gave his age
at "a. Blake is about five feet five
inches tall. blonde with n sandy
mustache. He was evidently some
what older. Both men were wearing
khaki shirts and gray caps. Blake
wore two shirts and no coat when
he escaped. They gave their address
as els Cumberland Avenue. Portland.
tn p@v ,I t,,fn oil
the Waterville department that moi
men OF the names given had ever
been at the Cumberland avenue ad-
dress.
, The two men were placed in sep
atte lockups to prevent their con-
versinC together. Wood was locked
in a cell in the mems loom and Blake
iE a cell in the women's room. Blake ,
was allowed to come out of the cell
into the space in front Of the row OF
cells to eat his breakfast. He used
an old chair to climb upon top OF
the cells and from there he evidently !
used the spoon handle as screw
driver although 1t Is possible that an ,
occomplice had aided him by bring
Ing in a screwdriver. for It Is be-
|ieved that there was third party,
who now has in his possession the
greater part Of the loot.
The escape was considered a clever
piece Of work by all who viewed 1t.
Taking out several screws the pris-
,ner pulled off the wire frame and
climbed out through the transom
which opened outward. 1t was a
mail hole to squeeze through but he
lid Il without breaking the large
,ane Of glass in the uansom al
hough his footprints showed on the
.lass due to the dust.
When Judge Achley and Janitor
)'Donnell entered the women's lock-
~ It was not at first evident that the
prisoner had escaped. but quick in
pection showed that he was NOT
here A moment later they found
he wire frame. bent spoon ana
crews on top of the cells and then;
aw how the prisoner had gained his
reedom.
Chief of Police Murray and Deputy
Iarshal Simpson. as soon as word had
cen received by them. started on
base in separate cars. 1t is believed
nat the prisoner had only about 10
linutes start, but with innumeraoie
,ads leading from the city he had
lenty Of chance to escape in that
myth Of time due to the many pass
.g trains and automobiles. The on-
ira searched the roads leading out of
yaterville for over two hours put
,und no traces. =.