FORT MADISON PROCEEDS WITH CAUTION

Fort Madison schools were locked down Tuesday, closing their doors to
strangers as city and state authorities searched for two violent
prison fugitives from the city's maximum security prison.

The break Monday evening spilled over into a Tuesday filled with
safety warnings and anxious door-bolting by residents who were home alone.

Business continued in the city's restaurants, hair salons and other
shops. But not before residents looked over their shoulders and
double-checked the locks on their cars and homes.

"People are pretty worried," said Barb Johnston, a waitress at the
Fort diner. "Especially people who have children in school. . . .
It's a big thing."

Fort Madison schools Superintendent Kenneth Marang said that recesses
were canceled Tuesday and that high school seniors were forbidden to
leave once they arrived for the day. Anyone seeking entry to a school
building was stopped at a main door and required to show identification.

"We're going to continue that for the foreseeable future, until I
hear from the police that they have these characters in custody or
know that they're not here," Marang said late Tuesday afternoon.
"They don't know where they are."

Tabitha Higgins said business was still fairly active at Alpha's on
the Riverfront restaurant, despite some butterflies in the stomach
among Fort Madison residents. Authorities were announcing news over
speakers normally used for tornado sirens, she said.

"I only caught a little of it, because my TV was on," Higgins said.
"I know I was home by myself last night, and I called my boyfriend
and said, 'Get home now!' "

"I think everybody's being cautious, as they should be," said Robin
Reu, a longtime employee of Captain Kirk's Marina. "But everybody's
going about their business. I haven't really noticed anybody doing
anything different - except everybody's making sure they're locking
their car doors."

Diners at the Fort theorized that the fugitives will want to leave
the prison behind as soon as possible.

"They would be stupid if they stayed here," said Marylee Merschbrock.

"I'd think they'd want to get as far away from here as they could,"
said truck driver Robert Rhoer. "I know I would."

Marang, the school superintendent, said his students were
extraordinarily understanding about their unusual restrictions.

"The high school kids usually blow things off, but they've been
fairly serious about this," Marang said. "If you err on the side of
safety for children, you can never go wrong."