New Britain herald., 1925-09-03
Mcdonnell, Lifer, Held
 For Madden Killing,
 And Land, Drill Holes In Cells To Get Away.
CHAPMAN SAFE
 IN ANOTHER SECTION

Hartford, Sept. 3 R-Michael J. Mcdonnell a lifer and one of the Madden murderers and Frank Land of New London, escaped from the state prison at Wethersfield some- time during the night by cutting holes through the tops of their cells They then made their way through ventilators to the roof and dropped to the ground.
 The two prisoners occupied cells On opposite sides of the top tier Each had bored 8 hole in the top of his cell with a small drill The holes had been covered with paper when the men were not drilling. The cells are of pale yellow color and the guards had not noticed that [ the paper had been stuck over the opening, When the men craWled through the holes into the passage above the topmost tier of cells they reached a ventiator shaft and pulled , themselves up through 1t to the roof Following along the roof they reach- ed the edge and dropped to 1ne sround by means of an improVised S rope It is not known where they surured the cloth and other materlal for inc rope or how they Kept the drills from sight. Prison authorizes are investigating this phase of the v ' affair, as we'll as trying to oe'ernlih. the more accurately the hour al which the escape took place.
 Land whose alias was Harry John' son. began on June 2, 1920, a sen +ence of from eight to ten years 1ol n previous escape from the hs'l.u' lion in 1919. He is 2s years old weighs 152 pounds and is fiVe lee 81-2 inches in height. lie mas piu' eyes. blond hair and a isnt oo''i pleXion. He is single.
 Mcdonnell is 45 years old' welsh 127 pounds, is five feet l"4 llciIe +or and has gray hair and plu eyes. He is married. ,u
 With the use of small drliilh' |, instruments both Mcdonnell an land cut triangular holes throus' inc sheet steel ceiling of thelr cell and made their way into sma sn,ca way which runs between tn cnilinp of one tier and the noor . the cells on the tier above. Worh Ing their way through this space +bc ventilators the prisoners then gc out to the roof. 1mprovlsed rope of bits of cloth and other material were made by which they let them sci, ,es down to the ground. Wher the two men got instruments [ drill through the solid steel wh,c is three-sixteenths of an inch tnlcl or where they secuted the pieces cloth for the improvised ropes tn prison officials do not know. me have notified all police department throughout the east.
 First Escapade
 The first sensational escapade which Mcdonnell participated aft being sent to the state prison 1919 was on July 29, when Pa' Danshire 21 years old eX-convlc broke into the prison and left
 loaded revolver on McDonald's wof bench to assist him in a previous planned jail delivery. Two Weel before that time Danshire complete q three years term at the prison II burglary in North Haven. Durlr his time at the prison he became il . innate with Mcdonnell when u latter saved his life after he had a tempted to commit suicide.
 Danshire apparently lost heart ar went back after the revolver. Wh' he was going toward the prist wall over which he had climbed use of & ladder and rope, he " captured by the guards He " z recommitted to the prison for fterm of four years, expiring Janua %, 1928. The priosn authorities
 not, however, think he is implicat in McDonncll's escape this time,
 Shortly after he went to [ prison Mcdonnell openly boast that he would some day try T only to escape himself, but to q tliver all of his pals to freedom.
 Land Has Tried Before
 Frank Land, from New Lond county, committed to the sta nprison on September II, 191I Theft and attempted escape fire Jail, escaped from the Wethersfit prison on the night of Decent 2S, 1919. with three other prisone <1e in some way secured a hack s and, using chewing gum to dead the oise eawed three bars in cell. He went to the other me cells and helped pry the lock ba Hhs men broke into the store-rot and secured a bolt of colth to
 over the wall Three of the m
 rynong them Land, were captured NGeriden the following day. I fourth man is now serving in NJ
 sschusettE, where he was Ia
 caught,