Evening star., 1948-06-24
.PrinceGeorges
Still Hunts Two
After JaiIbreak
3 of 5 Fueitives
Caught After Keeper
Is Overpowered

SOoSut UItSI NSSPSi
Is Overpowered
District police and Maryland
State and county police early today
Joined in a hunt for two men re-
manning at large after a five-man
break from the Prince Georges
County Jail at Upper Marlboro last
night.
The five men, all colored, escaped
from the Jail at pm. Three Of
them were captured As minutes later
after the jailer's car, in which they
made their escape, crashed and
they fed on foot
The recaptured men were taken
to the Hyattsville Jail, where they
face charges of escape. unauthorized
use of an automobile and numerous
other charges, according to Sheriff
r. Ward Martin.
Still at large today were Preston
Wallace, jr., 10, Of the $500 block
Of Gallatin street. Hyattsville, and
John T. Ford. %, of the 1400 block
OF Fifty-seventh place, Chapel
Oaks, Md.
| Wallace Was Held as Burglar.
| Wallace, blamed by police as engi-
neer Of the break, was being held
on two charges of housebreaking
and burglary in Hyattsville during
May and was awaiting action Of
the Prince Georges County grand
jury. Ford had been given 80 days
on June 10 in lieu of $50 fine for
assault involving the beating of a
woman. He also was being held on
a peace warrant.
Recaptured were Charles Nc
Manus. 25. WinSton-Salem, N. c.,
waiting grand jury action on a
forgery charge involving passing a
bad check: Maurice j. Irving, %,
of the 1900 block of Eastern avenue
NE, awaiting grand jury action on
store-breaking and larceny charges,
and Alfred Coleman, 10, of the 1900
block of Delaware avenue SW., who
had begun serving a 60-day sem
tence June 3 in lieu of a fine for
operating a car without a license,
speeding and unauthorized use Of
car.
Jailer Could Not Pursue.
t The jailer who said he was over
powered and then could not give
chase for fear other prisoners would
fee was William B. Richards, 81,
OF Westwood, Md.
The jailer gave this story of the
break:
He had permitted Wallace to come
out of the cellblock to call Hyatts-
vile from pay phone in a small
lobby just outside the cellblock.
Wallace was on the phone only
few minutes. Then he started
back for the cellblock with the
jailer behind him. Just as Wallace
entered the cellblock, he threw his
arm around Richards and pulled
the jailer toward him.
AS the jailer struggled to shut
the door, another prisoner pushed
1t open and came out with three
other prisoners behind him.
/ The five escapes than went to the
outer room. picked up a set OF jail
keys, the jailer's car keys and a
blackjack. They pulled the receiver
cord from the telephone so no calls
could be made.
The jail-breakers could not find
the keys to open the front door Of
the Jail so they left through base
ment door. Once outside, they sped
off in Richards new car.
/ County Police Notified.
| Within three minutes after the
escape, Richards was able to get a
message to the county police station
short distance away.
The remaining prisoners said WAL
lace had told them he had a pistol
at his Hyattsville home. Police raced
to the home and picked up the
weapon
Meanwhile. Corpl. Roland Sweitz-
er, Pvt. Emmett F. c. Gray and
Harry Gossman, desk clerk at the
Hyattsvnle police station. were on
their way to a dance at the Prince
Georges County Country Club
They picked up radio description
Of the stolen car a short time be-
fore they saw car speeding toward
them. Recognizing the automobile,
they started after it.
Police said six shots were fired at
the fleeing car by Pvt. Gray Two
of them hit the car. A mile after
the chase began, the car crashed
into a tree on Old River road near
Defense highway in Bladensburg.
Fugitives Take to Woods.
The men leaped out Of the car
and started through the thick un-
derbrush of the heavily wooded area.
Police, aided by volunteer firemen,
started combing the area.
The search was continued for the
two missing men behind the Fort
Lincoln Cemetery and the National
Training School for Boys.