Year: 1871

Escape of Notorious Criminals from the


Memphis Jail-A Cleverly Put-up job


We condense a narrative in the Memphis AUd
ldnehe of the 9Th inst. as tollows:-


Another Jail delivery came off Thursday night
at our county jail the second within two months,
but this time q much more serious matter In
point of the importance of the prisoners eseap-
ing than was the other. IL has been the custom
of the Jail to allow the prisoners to leave their
cells at certain hours and take a little exercise
through the corridors. Thursday the prisoners
were as usual let out to take their exercise, and
about o'clock all, 1T was supposed, were locked
up except Forrest Powell, who for some reason
has been allowed to remain free until the change
of the day and night watches. About z o'clock
Powell called to the assistant turnkey and told
him to come and lock him up, as he wanted to
go to bed and did not want to be disturbed. The
officer said all right" and started to the Office to
get his keys, while Powell turned and walked
back in the direction of mis- cell, which the turn
key supposed he had entered


Getting the key, the officer went back to
Powell's cell, and looking in saw man with his
back turned to the door. He merely said us
that you, Forrest?" to which the man replied
YES" and locking the door he went off. Every
thing passed off quietly during the night, no
unusual noises being heard or anything seen to
cause suspicion until the day-guard made their
rounds yesterday morning, and found man
named Flynn in Powells CELL and that Barney
Whelan was missing from his The alarm was
at once given, and in few moments it was
found that both Powell and Barney had effected
their escape by


CUTTING THROUGH THE WALL


of the dungeon, small room, only used for the
confinement of refractory prisoners. Upon
making inquiries as to how the men could have
got in this dungeon, it was found that the day
previous Mr.. Aleck McCulloch, the turnkey,
had shown party of visitors through the jail.
and, among other sights, had shown them this
dungeon, unlocking it SO as to allow them to
enter and examine it. 1t is supposed that Mr..
McCulloch after showing them the dungeon
alx, al fho md nfaIf 10
an occurrence which must have been noticed by
Powell or Barney, or more likely both. Barney
is supposed to have watched his chance and
slipped into the dungeon unnoticed by
any person except Powell. The latter to
accomplish his escape was obliged to get
some one of the prisoners to agree to lay out,
and when the proper time arrived to enter his
cell and personate him, as he had no room mate
He picked up Flynn, who has but short time
to stay in jail, as the person to assist him, and
that worthy, seeing that no harm could come to
him for his share in the transaction, readily as
sented. After calling the officer Powell slipped
down stairs and entered the dungeon in which
Barney was hid, while the officer proceeded to
his cell and, as he supposed, locked him up.
The two men who had so adroitly eluded the
vigilance of the officers went Immediately to
work upon the wall with


PIECE OF OLD IRON,


which one of them had broken from his bunk,
and a case-knife which they had concealed about
them. Their labor was crowned with complete
SUCCESS, lOr IHey uaue d large enough DTeah III
the wall for them to crawl out at, after which
il took but few minutes to climb upon the
wash house, which adjoins the jail, and from
| there to scale the wall, and once more be free
| men, without hindrance from any source. They
had


TORN OUT BRICK AND MORTAR
| for about two feet square and had carefully
| pulled all the bricks back in the dungeon, sc
an alarm. The wall through which they cut il
the length of two and half bricks in thickness
or about twenty-five inches, and the bricks had
the appearance of being the hard, blue, kiln
| burnt brick, and must have required great force
and patience to break through, working in the
| black darkness as they had to do.