New Britain herald., 1928-01-24
z ESCAPE FROM
 JAIL IN DETROIT Federal Prisoners Tunnel Through s Inch Brick Wall WORK DONE IN RELAYS
Were In Little Used Prison Due to OveNrowdling of Regular JaiH2O Faced Charges Of Narcotic vi0- latiO0.

Detroit, Jan. s4 REWorking speedily in relay groups with crude tools they fashioned from a plumb ing fixture and fattened out buckets, 22 prisoners, 20 of them awaiting trial on federal charges of narcotic law violations, dug their way to liberty through brick wall at the Old Elmwood avenue county jail here early today.
 Four other prisoners refused to leave. although the way was open to them.
 1h Hour Start Three deputy sheriffs and a turn key, in charge of the prisoners, were i'll one large cell. did not discover the escape until an hour and . half after 1t is believed 10 have been ef- fccted.
 Within a few minutes after the escape was discovered a general city and state wide alarm had been given and a widespread search was begun. The border and all highways were being watched and @ dragnet was spread to search all known hang outs of drug addicts in the city.
 Were Drug Addicts
 All of the escaped prisoners, state and federal authorities said, were drug addicts and had been removed a few days ago to the old abandoned jail because of overcrowded condi- tions in other jails and also to segre- gate from other prisoners. The escape was effected between 5 and G:3o a. m.. shortly after deputy sher- ifs in charge of the prisoners had made their rounds at , q. m., when all was reported well. The escape was discovered at S:So o'clock and an alarm was sounded immediately.
 The wall through which the pris- oners dug fronted on an alley. Off, ticers said they believe the pris- oners had outside assistance.
 Three deputy sheriffs were at the jail at the time of the escape. The prisoners scattered after running through the jail garage and down all alley.
 Peter Schaefer, turnkey. said h." learned from the prisoners who re- fused to escape that the digging through the wall began about q. m A plumbing fixture and pieces of buckets t1attened out were used to dig the bricks loose out of the wall Of small room in the big cell used as a shower bath room.
 3,, Io after placing dummies O, clothing in their cell hunks to mislead guards making their regular rounds.
 After digging through, the pris- oners discovered their way still was blocked by pile of lumber against the wall. The dragged the lumber through the hole into the jail and then fled through the garage.
 The jail. an old one. has been abandoned as 8 city jail because is vas regarded as unsafe, and was used only in cases of emergency.
 Detroit. Jan. e4 R-Robert J White, one Of twenty-one prisoners who early today tunneled their way out Of the Elm wood avenue branch of the county jail. was recaptured this afternoon in brick yard where. he said. he was waiting for q peddler to bring him some mar cotics.
 White was the first Of the fugi- lives to be recaptured. The search has extended into Canadian border cities as result Of information given authorities that the prisoners had planned to cross the Detroit river into Canada
 Authorities announced after checking records that nineteen of the escaped prisoners were held on charges of violating federation mar cotic laws. one vas held on a charge of counterfeiting and the other was