Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-25
|EscapeeUsed
'NonchaIdnce'
To Fool Police

Washington police today con-
fessed that a prisoner who
escaped mysteriously from head
quarters last Tuesday relied
mainly on nonchalance to make
his getaway from under the
noses of more than so assembled
detectives. They ordered an i'm
mediate tightening of security
procedures.
The prisoner, Edward Van
Lear Phillips. 30, colored, of the
HOO block of Irving street NV,
had been picked up on narcotics
charges and jailed overnight for
the morning lineup.
The 81 prisoners due to be
looked over by the detectives
were taken in groups of seven
or eight from the first-f1oor cell
block by elevator to the third
floor lineup room.
Arrested in Baltimore
When all had been viewed and
returned to the cellblock, it was
found that Phillips was missing,
police didn't know how.
A 13-State lookout brought his
arrest in Baltimore on Friday.
Capt. John B. Layton of the
1st precinct went there to
question him and reported today
on what he learned.
Phillips told him that he was
in the small "bullpen" behind
the lineup room, waiting to be
called in. when he noticed an I'M
latched door. If closed, the door
would have been locked auto
matically. Going quietly through
the door. he entered a small hall
on which the cellblock elevator
opens.
| Meeting no challenge, he went
through another door and found
himself in the identification
bureaus f1ngerprint room. 1t
was full of policemen. Phillips
decided to play it cool.
Watched for Chance
He stood at a washbasin and
washed his hands nonchalantly
until he saw no one was looking.
Then he continued through the
identification bureau, past two
more policemen and a woman
secretary, through another door
into the third-fioor elevator
lobby.
He took the elevator down to
the street floor, left the building
by the front door, hailed a cab
and went to a friends home in
+ the 1900 block of Thirteenth
street NV. There he borrowed
a car and drove to his mothers
home in Baltimore, where he
changed his clothes.
When picked up Friday, he
had one-half ounce of heroin in
his possession, enough to make
200 capsules and worth about
$500. Capt. Layton said. He was
charged with violation of the
Harrison Narcotics Act.
Capt. Layton said Pvt. Theo-
dore E. Marquis of the LIST pre-
Icinct has accepted responsibility
for the escape. Deputy Chief
William j. Cunningham, said
Pvt Marquis, SO, on the force
since 1924, is "a good, reliable,
conscientious policeman" He
cited his Single-handed arrest in
l949 of two armed men fleeing
the scene of a shooting.
Extra Guard in Future
Capt. Layton said the LIST pre-
cinct, which has custody of over
night prisoners being transport
ed from headquarters, will from
now on station an extra guard
in the "bullpen' from which
Phillips escaped unnoticed.
AS for Phillips. himself, he
said, I'VE won't get him back
Immediately and it's possible wei
won't get him back at ALL
Washington police have filed a
detainer on Phillips in case he
should be released in Baltimore.
II he enters a plea in the
Washington narcotics case, how
ever, it may be disposed of in
Federal Court there along with
the Baltimore charges. That
would be up to Phillips.