Evening star., 1959-12-28

five days-nine in Virginia,
four in Ohio, three in Ken
lucky and one only 8 miles
from the prison. The 18th man
was seized December II near
Boone, N. C.
At First, PandemOnium
What happens when a score
Of desperate convicts. including
four,killers and four lifers, fight
their way to freedom?
At first there is pandemo-
mum - in the prison itself.
among the people who live
nearby and in the surrounding
States.
Tobacco farmers armed
themselves and began search
ing the countryside even as law
enforcement agencies launched
their own manhunt.
In Caswell County, N. c., the
jailbreak was a real thing and
a clear and present danger.
Vigilante bands, aided by bel
lowing hounds, searched the
frozen fields and the barns Of
the North Carolina country
side.
Everyone in the area was
tense. Home owners sat with
cooked guns in their dwellings.
But in remarkably short
time. society organizes itself to
erase such a threat. That's why
only two Of the escaped felons
are still free today.
Not a Happy Place
The story begins on Deem
ber Z, 1859, in Ivy Bluff, an
isolated area near the town of
Milton, 65 miles northwest of
Raleigh and only 7 miles from
the Virginia State line. g..
Ivy Bluff, run until the break
out by Prison Supt. j. D,
Meadows, under the general
supervision of Prisons Director
w. F. Bailey, is not a happy
place.
The prisoners work in a large
rock quarry about 500 yards
from the prison building. The
building itself was only COM
pleted in 1856. Until last week,
no prisoner had escaped there.
But if Ivy Bluff was consid-
cred escape proof, the inmates
were not. The 20 who got away
on December 7 had a total of
81 escapes in their records. In
the case of Ivy Bluff, it was
just a matter of time.
The day began calmly enough
The routine was on. Breakfast.
Rock quarry. Lunch. Rock
quarry. Dinner. Lock-in time
But while most of the prisoners
were taking their ease after
evening mealtime. there was
frantic activity in one isolation
cell.
Key to the Breakout
Charles w. "Yank" Stewart,
SO, of Wilmington, N. c., was
at work in his cell with a hack
saw. Prison officials don't know
how Stewart got the blade but
in his hands it was the key to
the breakout.
Stewart was serving Is years
for armed robbery and store
breaking. His father and brother
were put to death in 1925 fol
killing a prohibition officer. The
man they killed was the father
of H. M. Lilly. field director o1
the North Carolina Prison Sys-
tenn, who today is investigating
the mass escape.
OF Stewart, a psychiatrist'S
report says, He suffers from
bad associations, poor educa-
tion and low mentality. but has
leadership tendencies and is q
schemer."
He had previously made siz
other escapes from penal insti-
tutions.
Aside from his background
and his previous Houdini-lik
exploits, "Yank" Stewart spent
most Of December 7 saving
away at the bars in his cell
BY 9:15 pm, he was ready tC
act.
They Seize Guard
Guard John Case heard 6
commotion in Stewards eel
and came to check the trouble
Stewart told Case he wanted
some toilet paper. When the
guard returned, Stewart wa.
out Of his cell branishing al
iron bar.
With the help Of another
prisoner, James E. Christy
Stewart overpowered Case anC
forced him to call another
guard. Part of the security
system at Ivy Bluff is baseC
on the fact that it require
two guards with separate set.
OF keys to operate the doors.
The prisoners held Cas-,
until Sergeant of the Guar,
L. E. Phillips arrived from tn,
prison control room with an
other guard to relieve Case
Sergt. Phillips was struck dow
and the other guard wa
overpowered.
Then the prisoners forcet
one Of the guards to call tn
day sergeant at his home. The
made him say that Christy
26, serving 10 to Is years 70