New Britain herald., 1925-02-06
CHAPMAN NO. ll6l7
 AT WATERSHED
Bandit Goes Through Routine as
 He Enters Prison
PLANNED TO MAKE ESCAPE

Fashioned Key With Which Tt
 Open Handcuffs-Informed Be.
 fore Leaving Atlanta. His Guard
 Would Shoot To Kill If He Bolted
 When captured at Muncie, Ind. Chapman held for the murder of Po- liceman James skelly in this city on Oct. 12, 1924, appeared reconciled tc his fate and expressed a belief that he would die behiEd the walls ot the prison. No sooner had the doors of the federal prison at Atlanta changed behind him than he was at work devising a way by which he would make an escape just as sen sational as the jump from second story hospital window that gave him his freedom two years ago.
 Ripping piece of wire from a part of the cell equipment, Chapman fashioned a key which, prison auth critics say, would not have opened the type of handcuffs they proposed to place on him, but would free him from the cuffs ordinarily used on prisoners when taking them from city to city. Chapman was surprised when ordered to remove his prison garb and substitute street attire. He was required to make the change in the presentes of a keeper and when his prison clothing was searched the key was located. It Is believed that he had planned 10 open the cufts and make a sensational dash for lib- erty through the moving train.
 Threatened With Death
 Before leaving the prison at At- lanta Wednesday morning, Chap man was advised by Dupty Warden George c. Hughes and Guard M. M' Leisel that would shoot to Kill at his first attempt to break for free- dom. Chapman appeared to nave been fully impressed with the ser iousness of their warning.
 Plans for taking Chapman 70 Hartford were made known to but few. The prisoner was not aware ol inc movement until ordered into street attire and a few hours later he was aboard train en route TOT i Connecticut. The party, consisting of the two federal officers and the bandit, arrived at Pennsylvania sta- ton and moved through crowds with no more than passing notice paid to them, At the Grand Central sta lion where they were taken in a taxi, they attracted no unusual in- i terest.
 At Hartford. the party found many curious eyes, but once Chap man was placed in a taxi and head ed for Wethersfield the party heaved sigh of relief. The afternoon was given over to putting the prisoner through the routine of history photo taking and fingerprint work. He spent the night In cell around which were the cells of hundreds or other convicts.
 States Attorney Hugh M. Alcorn will next move for a writ of habeas corpus in the United States courts since Chapman is still 8 federal prisoner although in custody of the state of Connecticut.
 Trial Early In March
 His trial on q first degree murder count will open in the early part or March, and Alcorn is confident he will secure a conviction and bring about the maximum penalty for the alleged murderer, who has already been indicted by grand jury.
 At the prison in Wethersfield he will drop, temporarily at least, the name known throughout the world of crime and become prisoner Mo- 11.61T.
 Walter J. Shean, Chapman's all leged accompIice will probably be visited today by Attorney Frederick ]. Groehl of New York city whom he has engaged as his counsel, It is understood that the defense will en- deavor to prove an alibi. Shean of Springfield, son of a wealthy hotel owner and himself a successful busi- ness man, Is in the Hartford jail, awaiting trial on murder count also arising out Of the death of Pc liceman Skelly. Ii is expected that he will be a material witness for the state. The police claim he admitted being an accompice in the Davidson & Leventhal department store rob- bery with the notorious bandit. At torney James r. Curry of New York city, counsel for Shean, promised the utmost cooperation on the part of his client during the prosecution Of Chapman.