Evening star., 1945-11-29
Medley, MaeFar|an
Revealed as PLANNING
To Join Jail Break

To Join Jail Break
Joseph D. Medley and Earl
Mcfarland, sentenced to die
early next year as murderers,
planned to escape from the Dis
trict Jail during last Saturday.
flight of five prisoners, but were
thwarted by the vigilance of jail
guards, Howard B. Gill, District
superintendent of penal institu-
tions, revealed today.
Mr.. Gill also said that Raymond
Connors, 80, awaiting trial in con-
nection with a double Staying, was
included in the plot along with two
other prisoners, and that the plot
had been Matching for month
before the dash for freedom.
He said all evidence pointed to
Paul A. Nicewander, 38, alias Clyde
j. Clements, and John Mansour, 80,
as the ringleaders of the break, with
Michael j. Quinn, convicted payroll
robber, in the background. These
three and William A. Reed, 26, are
still at large after slipping through
window Saturday afternoon.
Guard Howard Criticized.
The superintendent took occasion
to criticize Lawrence A. Howard,
suspended guard charged with at
tempted extortion, for what he said
was Howard's refusal to appear
voluntarily before a board of in
ouiry investigating the break.
Mr.. Gill said Howard was sched-
uled to appear before the board
of inquiry yesterday, but that there
was no way of compelling him to
testify if he declined. Howard is
under suspension, along with B. E,
Samples and H. F. Robinson, two
other guards assigned to cell block
No. l where the break occurred.
Howard is to be arraigned before
United States Commissioner Need
nam C. Turnage next Wednesday on
two charges of attempting to take
money from two women in return
for special favors" to be granted
their prisoner friend. The prisoner
was not one of those involved in the
break, police said,
Commencing ''98 per cent" of the
guards as loyal and conscientious,
Mr.. Gill said they had the situation
well in hand after it was learned
week before the break that an
escape attempt would be made.
Sees Guards Betrayed.
THAT is, these guards had the
situation well IN hand except for
one thing" Mr.. Gill said. That
was treachery or studied negligence
on the part of a fellow officer"
When an officer puts himself
under obligations to prisoners, as
was admitted in the Howard case,
according to the police, anything
can happen.
1T should not be forgotten that
Howard was assigned to duty on the
side of the cellhouse where the
escape occurred and that the es-
capes occurred after he went on duty
at 1:30 pm. Saturday, November "a.
Questions Howard's Absence.
Mr.. Howard did not show up for
the hearing yesterday, If he has
nothing to hide, why does he not
come forward and tell what he
knows about the situation in cell
house No. /? He has not yet been
charged with completely in the
break, only with attempted extor-
ton. We should like to have his
help in clearing up the many ru-
mors which have come to us about
this affair."
Before the inquiry is concluded
probably tomorrow evening, it is ex-
pected that some 80 prisoners and
10 guards will be called.
Had Earlier Plan.
Discussing his own investigation
''as freely as it is possible at this
time," Mr. Gill said there was
evidence the break was attempted a
week before it actually occurred.
Instead of saving out a window
of the west gallery, where the break
actually took place, the conspirators
planned to saw through a window
in the east gallery, where both
Medley and MacFarland are con-
fined.
THE plan was to attract to the
first tier of cells one of the two
guards standing on the guard walk,
overpower him and seize his keys
Mr.. Gill said.
With this guard out of the way
1t would be a simple procedure to
knock out the second guard. 1t
would be some 80 minutes before
the captain of the guard would
make his half-hour rounds to in
spect the cells, and by that time
Medley and MacFarland would be
freed.
The doomed killers did not have
the run of the recreation room be-
tween and pm, as did the
other prisoners, but were dead
locked" in their immediate cell area.
I1oWCNCl, SOlulOto, Sllll W Uc
tried for the trailer murders last
February % of Edward F. Barker
and Pany Casbarian, had access to
the recreation room. So did Charles
j. Skiskowski who was convicted
with Quinn in the $4,000 S. Kann
Sons department store payroll rob-
berry last March.
Skiskowski was one of the 10 men
Who plotted the break, but like
Medley, MacFarland and Connors
he was left behind when the escape
exit was, through necessity, changed
to the west gallery, Mr. Gill said.
When jail officials learned of the
plot, November II, they Immediately
shuffled prisoners around in theil
cells, changing some from one gal
lery to the other. In the process
some of the conspirators were sep.
arated, since doors between the east
and west gallery are always locked
Saw Still Unexplained.
When and how the saw used ir
separating the one-inch bar wa!
smuggled into the jail also is yet tx