The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-06-17
Five Prisoners Escape

Five men four colored and one white,
took, leave without notice from the
county Jail sometime between O'Clock
and daylight Tuesday morning. After
the men gained their freedom, they
are believed to have stolen a Ford
sedan and Hudson touring car and
departed from town.
The delivery came about thru the
prisoners stuffing the locks Of their
Individual cells with paper, thus
when the turnkey threw the master
lock which automatically fastens the
doors of the individual cells, their
cells remained unlocked. This gave
the men access to an outside enclos-
urs, which was also locked for the
night;
Here the prisoners used a spoon
which they had made into a key and
managed to unlock this door. Once
on the outside, the rest was easy, for
they made their way to the attic,
which is over the last tier of cells on
the third floor, and then to window
in the peak of the roof.
The men had blankets and sheets,
evidently to make into rope but
they left them behind apparently
leaving the building by sliding down
ION electric conduit ON the outside of
the structure.
Tuesday morning two cars were re
ported by the Freehold authorities as
stolen and it was thought by county
officials that the men took the cars to
make their getaway from town.
The men missing are Harold Fields,
Frank Brown, Clarence Tomlin and
Edward Walker, all colored and John
Jervis,' white, who was sentenced TO
three months in the county jail only
Monday by Judge Steinbach on a
charge of assault and battery. He
was arrested In Bradley Beach.
Fields and Frank Brown were held
for the grand jury, being sent to Free
hold, by Judge Tumen of Asbury Park
on charge Of breaking and entering.
Brown was in poor health and his
plea was taken last week when
charged with carrying concealed
weapons and the court sentenced him
to the State Reformatory at Railway.
He was being held her with Fields
to answer charges of being in posses
sion OF burglar tools and also with
robbing a clothing store at the
shore. Both are believed to have been
residents of Philadelphia.
Tomlin and Walker were being
held on charges of highway robbery
at Abury Park, both being sent here
By Judge Tumen of Asbury Park in
default of $50, 900 bail each.
Investigations Tuesday showed that
the wires at the top of the outside
enclosure had never been fastened
and it was a simple operation for
the prisoners to stuff paper into the
locks, holding back the springs so
that they would not fasten secure
ly.
No one discovered the absence Of
the men until early Tuesday morning
when Sheriff Barkalow was noSified.
He declared it was the first time in
years that prisoners, have escaped
from the county institution but adj
nIitted that there had been several
attempts during his term as sheriff.
Police thruout the county, were
notified as we'll as the authorities
in Philadelphia, where it is believed
the men might go. Sheriff Barkalow
declared he did not retire until after
midnight himself and that everything
at that time apparently was all right.
One of the autos reported stolen is
the property of Theodore Skidmore Of
Manalapan avenue, Ford sedan,
while the Hudson touring car belongs TO
Josep Levy of Brinckerhoff avenue
Two of the escaped prisoners were
accounted for ON Tuesday. Edward
Walker, alias Charles Williams, color
ed. %, was takeh in Washington, d. c.,
Harold Fields, 80, also colored, went
home and his mother brought hun
back to jail.