|
Old Porter County Jail no
match for escape artist
By Phil Wieland | Sunday, June 14, 2009
VALPARAISO | The old jail cells in the Porter County
Historical Society Museum had an unusual
prisoner Saturday, but he didn't stay inside
for long.
It took escape artist Anthony Martin just
eight minutes to free himself of his
shackles, the jail cell door and two more
locked iron gates before appearing
triumphantly in the public area of the
museum. About 20 people were on hand to
witness his appearance, including Porter
County Sheriff David Lain
"I am befuddled," Lain confessed.
The stunt began with a phone call from
Martin to Museum Director Kevin Pazour. The
43-year-old Martin is a Wisconsin native and
has been featured on television. The area's
connection to Depression-era bank robber
John Dillinger is what attracted him to try
his talents on the historic Porter County
slammer.
"He called out of the blue saying he was
an escape artist who goes around the country
escaping from old jails," Pazour said. "We
decided to turn it into an event with the
Valparaiso Holiday Inn Express, which
provided rooms for Martin during his two-day
stay. He wanted a half-hour to escape, but I
told him 13 minutes because it is June 13,
and 13 is an unlucky number. I thought 15
minutes would be too much."
According to a Ripley's "Believe It Or
Not" cartoon, Martin escaped from the
Wautoma, Wis., jail in four minutes and 45
seconds. "I always emphasize it's an
attempt," Martin told the crowd before being
shackled and locked in the cell, which
hadn't been used since 1973. "Things can
happen, and I can't practice for this." Lain
searched Martin before wrapping him in
chains, padlocks, three sets of handcuffs,
and a ball and chain. The jail cell door was
in good working order, and Pazour said he
had the only keys to the cell door and the
other two security doors Martin had to
negotiate to reach the visitors area in the
old sheriff's house portion of the jail
building. While visitors waited and
watched videos of some of Martin's past
televised escapes, Pazour kept a countdown
going on the 13-minute time limit. Seconds
after Pazour announced eight minutes had
elapsed, Martin appeared through the
unlocked door to the museum. "I've
been doing this for 30 years, and the longer
I do it the more I have to lose if I fail,"
he said. "I try to take my time and not
panic." Martin did make one special
request of Lain. He asked to see the
Thompson submachine gun the Sheriff's
Department now has that was once in
Dillinger's possession. |
