About twenty‐five years ago a prisoner, Frank Landis by name, made as
successful an escape as was ever made from any institution. He sawed the
bars on one of the cell house windows, squeezed himself through and has
never been heard from since. Landis had arrived in St. Paul one day and
victimized business men out of nearly twenty‐five thousand dollars. He
represented himself to be the son of a rich merchant of La Crosse, Wis.,
and, to allay suspicion, invited one of the merchants to telegraph at his
expense as to his credentials. He evidently had a confederate at the other
end of the line, as word came back that he was O. K. After getting this
merchant to cash his checks he next induced him to introduce the generous
buyer to other merchants, the aforesaid merchant vouching for his standing
in each instance. One man became suspicious, and early the next morning
communicated with La Crosse and received immediate advice that the name
was unknown. Then the hunt for Landis began, but he had departed for parts
unknown, was later captured and received twenty years in the Stillwater
penitentiary. Here his stay was of short duration, as he soon made his
escape.
On a previous page we stated that there had been but one escape from the
Minnesota State Prison since Mr. Wolfer has been warden. Recently,
however, a “trusty,” who had been acting as coachman, took advantage of
the freedom allowed him and disappeared. This is not considered by the
officials as an escape in the true sense of the word. Below we give the
“trusty’s” picture with the Bertillon Measurements.
[Allus Petwray]
Height, 1 m 75 1
Height 5 ft. 9 in.
Outs A 1 m 82
Trunk 90
Head Length 19.8
Head Width 15.3
Cheek Width 13.6
R. Ear 7.2
L. Foot 27.4d1
L. Mid F. 11.6
L. Lit. F. 9.2
L Forearm 48.1
Name, Allus Petwray, No. 2654. Nationality, African; age, 30; color,
Negro; build, muscular; complexion, M. brown; hair, black; eyes, Mar.
deep; weight. 161.
Sentenced March 1, 1909; term, 2½ years. From Polk county, for the crime
of grand larceny, second degree.
Marks and scars: 1 cut:‐ hor. rec. 1.5 c at 3 d ph. R. III‐Cut:‐ rec. hor.
4c at on & sr. of cen. sr. brw. III‐Cic;‐ rec. ob. 1c at slt. over & sr.
out. pt. sr. eye. III‐cut:‐rec. ver. sit. ob. 3c at 2.5 to front dx.
tragus. III‐Cut:‐rec. ob. 8c at 3 over dx. ear.
Occupation, coachman.
This photograph and record of Bertillon Measurements has been sent
broadcast to all the police departments in the United States and Canada,
and his recapture will probably be “only a question of time.”