Ivy Bluff Prisoner Captured in Caswell County 1859: Charles Edwards

 Caswell County Quiz Answer

Caswell County Quiz Answer

Question: How many of the twenty 1959 Ivy Bluff Prison escapees were captured in Caswell County?

Answer: One -- Charles Edwards, who did not leave with the main group, but decided to walk out some time after the initial break. He was on foot and made it about eight miles south of the prison. From Gastonia, North Carolina, he was serving a life sentence (for burglary and attempted rape).

He was spotted from a private airplane the owner of which had joined in the hunt. Edwards was lying in a field some three miles south of Yanceyville. A posse, following a bloodhound, captured Edwards, who provided no resistance. The escaped prisoner purportedly had been seen in Yanceyville earlier in the day. 

Edwards said he left the prison on foot about two hours after the others escaped. "I just wanted to make sure the coast was clear," he said.

Photograph: The Daily Times-News (Burlington, North Carolina) · Wed, Dec 9, 1959

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Charles Edwards, 28-year-old Negro convict, serving life for rape at Gastonia, mush have had fox blood in his veins, some of his pursuers decided. Edwards, clad in dungaree trousers and a white tee-shirt was spotted "three or four times" in Yanceyville. Bloodhounds were rushed to the scene and the chase began.

Edwards wore "wore out" three sets of bloodhounds before he was finally captured eight miles south of here. For 6.5 hours, the fleet-footed escapee led a posse through woods, creeks and swamps. Once during the hunt, he was spotted by Highway Patrolman D. B. King. King said he fired a warning shot and called on Edwards to halt. He never saw him again. Edwards went like a streak through the woods.

Searchers, aided by two airplanes borrowed from the Wildlife Resources Commission, finally found Edwards lying face down near a creek. "He was plumb tuckered out," said a member of the posse.

The News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina), 9 December 1959, Wednesday, Page 2

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Ivy Bluff Prisoner Captured in Caswell County

While I have no desire to be repetitive, several in Yanceyville after the 1959 Ivy Bluff prison break stated they saw one of the escaped prisoners. This probably was Charles Edwards. The others were long gone.

Edwards (28) did not leave with the main group, but decided to walk out some time after the initial break. He was on foot. From Gastonia, North Carolina, Edwards was serving a life sentence (for burglary and rape or attempted rape). He said "I just wanted to make sure the coast was clear."

He must have had fox blood in his veins, some of his pursuers decided. Edwards, clad in dungaree trousers and a white tee-shirt was spotted "three or four times" in Yanceyville. 

Bloodhounds were rushed to the scene and the chase began. Edwards "wore out" three sets of bloodhounds before he was finally captured eight miles south of Yanceyville. For 6.5 hours, the fleet-footed escapee led a posse through woods, creeks and swamps. Once during the hunt, he was spotted by Highway Patrolman D. B. King. King said he fired a warning shot and called on Edwards to halt. He never saw him again. Edwards went like a streak through the woods.

Searchers, aided by two airplanes borrowed from the Wildlife Resources Commission, finally found Edwards lying face down near a creek. "He was plumb tuckered out," said a member of the posse. He provided no resistance.

The News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina), 9 December 1959, Wednesday, Page 2