Imperial Valley press., 1930-02-17
FOURTEEN
SKIP OUT
OF JAIL
Sheriff Says Crowded
Condition Responsible
For Delivery
HAD OUTSIDE HELP
Saws Struggled in to Cut
Small Hole Permitting g
Exit

OFcrpopulatlon at tie county jan
was materially reduced last night
when II prisoners sawed their way
TO freedom. This number is but a
rough estimate as officials at the
Jail are busily engaged today in
checking over the list of prisoners to
determine the exact numb who
succeeded in making their escape.
All except one were Mexicans. of
whom 10 were awaiting the arrival
of immigration authorities to deport
them to Mexico. and so it is assumed
that the entire group might possi-
bly, make its way into that country
where it will be difficult to appre-
bend them. The other prisoner who
escaped is Wayman Davenport,
negro, convicted in superior court re-
Gently of first degree robbery and
sentenced to from five years to life
IN Folsom prison. Davenport had
been tried for his crime with Issae
Farley on March 3.
Egress from the Jail, was made by
cutting through the bars and screen
at the west end of corridor be.
tween the two tanks in which the
men had been placed; there being no
room for them within the cells, or
tanks. Having made their way
through this openin, about a foot
square, the men emerged into a cage
like affair within the wall at the
rear of the jail. Here another foot
square aperture was sawed through
the bars at the south end and
through this opening about a foot
small yard with only IL foot wall
separating them from the outside
world. This they scaled without anv
dlffleulty, evidently assisting each
ether over the barrier. Once on the
outside they scattered in all direc.
tions.
Overcrowding of the Jail is blamed
ny the officials for this break. Or
lginally intended for less than 100
prisoners, the constant influx of
men sent up for various offenses es.
peclally during the past few weeks
las taxed its accommodations to
such degree that it has been neces.
Sary to place recent arrivals in the
corridor between the tiers of cells.
inns overcrowding and the resultant
lack of even comfortable quarters
for these men would naturally lead
TO some desperate break for freedom
being made. AS one official at the
jan stated this morning he is sur
prised, not that the break occurred
last night. but that it had not been
attempted long before this.
Jail officials are unable TO deter.
mine the exact time when the escape
was made. The night watchman
making his rounds through the iail
found everything in good order at
lV:5O last night and had absolutely
no lntimation that anything was
amiss. The escape was discovered
carly this morning when the first
che"kup of prisoners was made.
Easy of Access
Mystery surrounds the manner in
which the escaped prisoners obtain
ed their saws and other implements
used in getting through the bars.
From the very nature of the Job it
is evident that outside help had been
gwen the prisoners. The bars We're
sawed through eleanly indicating
real saws were used and not intsru-
ments manufactured by the prison
ers themselves. The iail is easy of
access from the outside and il would
be not at all difficult for friends of
inmates TO pass in the saws or other
tools to aid in the eSeape. One fea-
tnrc which has Jail officials com
pletely nonplusscd is how Daven-
port, who weighs in the neighbor-
hood Of 200 pounds. was able to
squeeze through the extremely small
aperture made by the men
The job was carrid through in
complete secrecy. Other prisoners
Questioned this morning bv the sher-
iff and other members of his office
have preserved a strict silence and
know nothing at all of the affair;
the time il occurred or the manner
in which it was effected
News of the escape has been sent
TO all exit points in the valley and
\ strict watch viii be maintained in
m effofrt TO reapprchend the es-
,apcd prisoners.