The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-09
BOYCE RESIGNS
SECRETLY AS
CHIEF JA|LER
Quit Several Days Before
Break, Times Probe
Reveals.
CONTINUED From Page One)

OhCI
its original container. Mr.. Marley
declared it was possible the coffee
sack containing the contraband had
not been emptied according to Gus
tom.
Failure of the jail's parcel inspec-
ton system to disclose the pumice
also may account for the compare
tive ease with which the escaping
prisoners obtained two hack saw
blades, penal investigators insisted.
Another section Of hack saw
blade was discovered in the waist
band of Red" Giberson's trousers
after his escape had been thWarted,
Mr.. Markey admitted.
The jail system also was found
faulty in checking spoons issued to
prisoners for their meals.
A crude key, capable Of opening
the locks on the barred doors lead
ing from the prisoners runs" to
the corridor of the Jail, had been
manufactured by the Giberson gang
from Jail spoon.
Mr.. Marley declared that the pie
tins, used by prisoners during their
meals, as we'll as the spoons, are
checked by civilian employees of the
Jail as the prisoners file from the
Jail mess hall on the third floor Of
the Jail.
Prison experts informed The
Times that the practice in we'll or
ganized prisons and jails is to count
the dishes and spoons as they are
issued and again after the prisoners
have dumped them in boxes as they
leaving the dining rooms.
Failure of the final count in such
jails to tally exactly with the num-
Der of spoons or dishes originally
issued always results in "friSk" OF
the entire prison or Jail and the
solitary confinement of every priS-
oner until the missing articles are
found penal authorities said.
A "Shake-down of the entire
Marion county Jail is conducted ev-
cry week, Mr.. Markey said, for the
purpose of discovering weapons
drugs or other contraband that
might have been smuggled into the
jail.
The malleable metal of the jail
spoon was carefully tempered by
the escaping prisoners to harden the
metal of the crude key.
How the hack saws we're struggled
into the Jail probably never will be
known, Mr.. Markey declared.
Screen Mesh Too Large
Because of a shortage of super
visory personnel it could have been
possible for visitor to have passed
the blades through the screen sep
arating the visiting room from the
enclosures in which prisoners are
placed.
The mesh of the protective screen
is too large to be effective in pre-
venting the passing of such an arti-
Gle as a hack saw blade.
A similar size mesh covers the ex
terror barred windows of the Jail.
BY dropping a weighted thread
through this protective mesh to a
confederate below, prisoners plotting
escape might easily haul one or
more hacksaw blades into the jail
without discovery.
Illustration of Saturday nights
jail break can be attributed wholly
to a bunch by Buster Lee, Negro
night jaller, he has. said.
The plotters carefully had OBJ
served the custom of the night
jailer in making his rounds.
The dash for liberty was made
at time when the plotters had no
reason to believe Mr.. Lee would not
follow his usual customs.
This would have given them a
whole hour to saw away the cor
ridor bars and lower themselves to
the ground below.
Lee, however, altered his usual
schedule.
He made his rounds on the third
tier at TAO Saturday night instead
of at 8.
The prisoners, saving the re-
straining bars, heard his approach
Using their crude key they opened
the doors at the head of the cor
ridor, thus keeping ahead of the
night jailer as he walked down the
enclosure.
Weapons Are Exposed