The Jailer’s Mysterious Absence
A police inquiry into the escape of a prisoner who slipped away while his guard was supposedly busy with locksmiths.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The police commissioners met at City Hall to investigate charges of neglect of duty against Jailer L. W. Evans, regarding the escape of prisoner John Connors on January 17th. Attorney John Wiley represented Evans. Evidence revealed that Bailiff John Roberts had arrived at the jail to transport seven prisoners to court, but couldn't find Evans, who claimed he had briefly stepped away to hire a locksmith for jail hinges. Jailer Benjamin Stretch testified he had warned Evans that Connors was a dangerous man who had assaulted an officer, but Evans claimed he thought the warning was a joke. Chief Monroe stated that jailers are personally responsible for their prisoners. The board reserved its decision.
“I did not think that he was an important prisoner.”
Public accountability for municipal services—whether it's jail security or modern infrastructure—remains a core civic friction in Seattle. This inquiry reflects a 19th-century struggle to establish professional standards in a rapidly growing police department.
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