Who’s ready to escape, Chicago?
Make no mistake — I’m not talking about spring break.
Based on the news last night of Jussie Smollett’s release from Cook County Jail — less than a week into his 150-day sentence — let’s revisit some thrilling stories of infamous inmates who didn’t just walk away from their incarceration through the front door.
Were these prisoners recaptured or are they still on the lam? Read on and enjoy the incredible photos freshly released from the Tribune archives, thanks to my colleague Marianne Mather.
As always, check out @vintagetribune on Instagram and give us a follow @vintagetribune on Twitter.
See you next week!
— Kori Rumore, visual reporter
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‘Blond Tigress’ Eleanor Jarman escapes from the state reformatory for women in Dwight, 1940
Donned a polka dot dress, scaled a prison wall and disappeared.
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Was she ever found? Here’s the spoiler story.
John Dillinger escapes from a Crown Point, Ind., jail, 1934
Used a wooden gun to break away from more than a dozen guards in a Crown Point, Ind., jail.
Was he ever found? Here’s the spoiler story.
‘Terrible’ Tommy O’Connor escapes from the old Cook County Jail, 1921
The convicted cop killer was saved from the gallows by orchestrating a brazen escape with fellow inmates, which helped inspire the play “The Front Page” by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.
Was he ever found? Here’s the spoiler story.
Roger ‘The Terrible’ Touhy escapes from Stateville Correctional Center, 1942
The bootlegger was framed — really — by none other than Chicago Outfit boss Al Capone. Touhy and three others were convicted of kidnapping John “Jake the Barber” Factor (brother of cosmetics entrepreneur Max Factor) and holding him for ransom, according to the FBI. He was nine years into his 99-year sentence when he and six others made a break for it.
Was he ever found? Here’s the spoiler story.
Bernard Welch escapes from the Metropolitan Correctional Center, 1985
Welch and an accomplice broke out by enlarging a sixth-floor window and shimmying down a 75-foot electrical cord attached to a floor buffer.
Was he ever found? Here’s the spoiler story.
Jeff Erickson escapes from the Dirksen Federal Building, 1992
The con man was convicted of robbing a string of Chicago-area banks with his wife, Jill Erickson. When the Hanover Park duo was caught in 1991, she was mortally wounded in a chase with FBI officers and he was arrested and taken to the Metropolitan Correctional Center. But as he was being led from the Dirksen Federal Building on July 20, 1992, Erickson uncuffed his hands with a handcuff key, disarmed a guard and fatally shot Deputy U.S. Marshal Roy “Bill” Frakes and court security officer Harry Belluomini, a retired Chicago police officer.
Was he ever found? Here’s the spoiler story.
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Six inmates escape from Cook County Jail, 2006
After plotting the scheme for months, six men — Tyrone Everhart of Markham; and Francisco Romero, Arnold Joyner, Michael McIntosh, Eric Bernard and David Earnest, all of Chicago — made their move on Feb. 11, 2006.
Were they ever found? Here’s the spoiler story.
Cesar (Juan) Sanchez escapes custody en route to Stateville Correctional Center, 2011
The convicted burglar was being transported from a court appearance when he fled his handlers near Lockport and hid in a rather unusual location.
Was he ever found? Here’s the spoiler story.
Joseph “Jose” Banks and Kenneth Conley escape from the Metropolitan Correctional Center, 2012
Authorities discovered them missing from their cell around 8:45 a.m.
Were they ever found? Two spoiler stories — one for Banks and the other for Conley.
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