Man ‘nearly suffocated’ after setting fire to Paso Robles jail, then escaped hospital
No one wants to be in jail.
During the coronavirus outbreak, jails across California are releasing non-violent offenders on $0 bail in an emergency effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Looking at the long sweep of jail stories in the newspaper, public views of incarceration strike an uneasy balance between correction and punishment.
Jails also go through cycles. Facilities are built, then ignored by the public for decades before being upgraded again.
In the early 20th century, many cities in San Luis Obispo County had jails in addition to the main county jail, but maintaining and staffing them were an ongoing issue.
Paso Robles had a brick jail built in 1889 that served the city for 25 years until it was replaced in 1914.
This Oct. 3, 1911, Tribune story details a thrilling escape from the Paso Robles jail. The weekly paper republished stories that appeared in the daily and sometimes added postscripts to the story, as in this case.
Note to readers: The text is from the optical character recognition from the California Digital Newspaper Collection. At the moment the image of the page is unavailable, typos have been corrected to the best of my ability.
Prisoner nearly suffocated at Paso Robles
Constable Gano of Paso Robles made a capture Thursday night at the neighboring town of a man for whom the sheriff of Ventura County has been trying to find for several days.
Gano had received a description of the man and unexpectedly found him in the Spring City at an early hour of the evening.
The officer had intended to bring the man to the county jail on a late train, but the prisoner foiled his intentions in a manner that had not been anticipated.
Gano locked the man up temporarily in the little jail, and just before train time went down to get him but before reaching the place he smelled the smoke from burning rags and as he reached the jail door found the place afire and with difficulty located the prisoner in the smoke and smudge and quickly brought him out, nearly suffocated.
Martin was fortunate that the officer arrived when he did or the man would have met death in the narrow jail.
Investigation showed that George Martin, the prisoner, had deliberately placed the bedding and other articles in the jail against the door and deliberately set fire to the pile anticipating the place would burn down and he would secure his freedom in the excitement that would follow the fire.
The prisoner, more dead than alive, was taken to town and remained in an unconscious condition and doctors were summoned to revive him.
Yesterday Martin was somewhat better after his experience of trying to make a smoked herring of himself, and the officer brought him to this city late in the afternoon and conveyed him to the county hospital for treatment, and the hospital attendants have been instructed to keep a close watch on the prisoner who may attempt to make his get away from there when he recovers from the effects of the smoking he went through.
Only a few months ago Geo. Martin was arrested in this county with another man and taken to San Francisco where they were wanted for burglary In due course of time, it being shown they were first offenders.
Martin was released on probation and soon after was taken into custody by Sheriff McMartin at Ventura for an affair he was mixed in down there.
Soon after his arrest at Ventura he managed to make his escape, and since then the sheriff has been trying to get him again.
So soon as Martin is able to leave the hospital, he will be taken to the southern town to answer for his crime. (From Sunday’s Daily.)
George Martin, who was nearly suffocated to death at Paso Robles jail and “brought to the county hospital in this city has been making business for the sheriff’s office since that time.
After Martin was taken to the hospital he feigned illness until 4 o’clock yesterday morning, when he found the coast was clear and the attendant of the hospital ward had gone to some other part of the building and quietly slipping on his clothes made his escape.
After slipping out of the ward he discovered a stray overcoat, a new hat, and a pair of shoes and appropriated them to his use.
Soon afterwards it was discovered he had escaped and the sheriff’s office notified and the chase was on to get him again.
During the day officers searched the country on horseback but with no success.
At 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon Under Sheriff Van Gordon learned that a man answering Martin’s description had been seen following the railroad track at Edna and he wired Constable Haskin at Arroyo Grande to get busy.
Haskin went over to Pismo siding and after patiently waiting Martin hove in sight and was arrested without trouble.
Haskin has the prisoner in jail at the Arroyo and will bring him to this city today.
Martin is wanted at Ventura where he recently escaped from the jail and for whom Sheriff McMartin of that county has been wanting for some time.
As Martin has proven his ability to make himself scarce a close watch will be kept on him until he is landed into the charge of the Ventura sheriff.
