Milford chronicle., 1930-08-08
SIX MEN ESCAPE
FROM JAIL; ARE
STILL AT LARGE
[Continned from First Paael

The men reached the ground by
means of rope made of bed sheets
and blankets.
Others who escaped are Thomas
Kelley, of Philadelphia, sentenced on
May %, 1926, to fifteen years i'm
prisonment and forty lashes for as
sault with intent to rob.
James J. Fee, of Philadelphia, SEN
fenced May 28, 1926, to fifteen years
and forty lashes for assault with in
tent to rob.
Daniel Fitzpatrick, of Philadel-
phia, sentenced on June l, 1928, to
ten years on a charge of breaking
and entering.
John Walen, alias John Wales, of
Philadelphia, sentenced to ten years
Imprisonment on June l, 1928, on a
charge of breaking and entering.
Robert Martin, Philadelphia, SEN
fenced to seven years Imprisonment
on June z, 1928, on charge of con-
spiracy to break and enter.
Attendance at the movies is not
compulsory and owing to the hot
weather some of the prisoners did
not attend, but remained in the
recreation yard or in their cells.
Warden Elmer J. Leach said that
this was the first planned escape
that had occurred at the institution
since the Inauguration of the honor
system ten years ago.
81 do not feel that this is a re-
Election on the system" said the
warden. when one considers that
we have had an average of 600 men
here and the time that the system
has been in force, think our record
is as good, if not better, than any
other prison in the country.
There is at least as much Oppor-
tunity for the smuggling of arms
and ammunition to the men in this
penetentiary as in any of those in
which the inmates, tried to shoot
their way out. r sre is no indication
that any of + Sc men had arms or
that they tried to get any.
Il feel that the whole escape
shows the men waited and planned
this escape rather than put the priv
ileges of the other men in jeopardy
by trying force in their quest for
freedom"
The men secured the tools used
through Walen, whose right name is
Wales, who had access to the ma
chine shop as a helper TO the
machinist.
Mckinney was working as a guard |
in the east wing from 6 o'clock at |
night until 6 in the morning. A
guard in the center discovered him |
from his post and notified
the warden.
Warden Leach, when Mckinney
was still missing at the finish of the
motion picture show, ordered d
checkup of the 600 prisoners to as
certain if others were missing. The
checkup showed the others missing.
Mckinney obtained a conditional
pardon about four years ago, but
was at liberty only week when he
the conditions and was re-
turned.
Both State Highway Police and the
Bureau of Police of Wilmington are
cooperating with WorkhOuse au-
thorities in an effort to apprehend
the fugitiVes.
Police believe that five of the sex
tette are desperate characters and
fear trouble before their capture.
They feel that the men will obtain
arms and that any attempt to ap-
Drehend them will be attended by a
1attle on their part.
From the records of the men, it
appears that none of the five will
hesitate to shoot, if cornered. The h
police are working on the theory
hat the men will endeavor to travel ]
ogether, rather than risk the chance {
# being caught singly.
Some apprehension for the life of '
francis Mckinney is felt by police. ]
The opinion is that the other five l
.onvicts might attempt to put him l
tut of the way for fear of him
squealing." /
Soon after the news of the escape
f the men was received at the pO-
Ice stations, their pictures and rec
rds were shown to members of the
elective bureau and the police force
D aid in their recapture.
Shortly after the alarm was {
pread, two members of the State l
Highway Police, Privates Mcconnell l
nd Burlington, spent three hours l
the territory around Hoe +
essin. i
While working near the district c
round the Creek road, the police /
len saw a touring car speeding t
long containing six. men and gave t
base. f
Although both policemen were t
lrown during the chase they over d
auled the machine only to find that v
was party of six men returning ]
ON a fishing trip.
The two officers also found a car
/ the ditch without any license
lates. Thinking that the escaped
en- had perhaps stolen the machine
nd then abandoned it, they investi-
ated and found that the machine
i'd been in an accident few days
20 and had been abandoned by its