Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-05-28
A JACK SHEPARD EXPLOIT.

After RlI the expenses ana trouble our
county has endured 10 provide a safe Jail
Us seem to be worse off than any county
in the state. Although built Of solid
stone, and apparently impregnable to
force or ingenunity, there have been more
escapes from the new Jail. in the short
time since its construction, than from the
old wooden Jail during its whole exist
ence. The most remarkable and daring
OF these efforts was executed on Sunday
morning, when nine prisoners escaped,
including some Of the most dangerous
seoundrels that ever infested any com.
munity. J. B. Shears, the counterfeiIer,
was the protector aud leader of the oper
alton. With him escaped Henry Brook
locker, indicted for the murder Of McFall;
Micheal Gallagher. the murder Of Costil-
10: J. Wood. J. McRoy, Geo. Wagner.
James Vanness. ]. A. Tay lor. who were
confined for counterfeiting. We believe;
and Leo OVcrman. a negro, had been ar
rested on Saturday night for a buglarly
committed at ShelbyviIle.
The manner in which their escape
Was effected was singular. AS we'll IS
We can learn it was as follows:-Shears,
either from his wife, who visited him a
day or two before. or by the assistance
of Lakiu. another counterfeiter, who is
out on bail, obtained key with which he
could unlock his cell. This key he had
to use outside while he was inside of the
grated iron door. The way he did it
was ingenious. He got a poplar stick
about three feet long. and about the
middle of it made morIice. in which
al. of 81, l,nu
through the m0rIice. and of course
throug Oh the ring or bulge of the key. he
drove n peg. so as 10 keep the key from
falling out. This stick he put through
the grazing. and slipped up and down
till he got the key Inlo the hold. Then
he pulled il az far rs it needed 10 go.
Now the puzzle was to turn the key
This he accomplished as ingenou ly as
he did the other process. He fastened
. string TO the upper end of the stick
drew il threw the grating. and pulled
it down az far as the hole in the grating
would allow. and then he passed it
through another hole lower down, and
again pulled, and go on till he got the
key turned around and the ouur unlocked.
He then went to all the other cells. uu-
locked them. and set all tho prisoners
loose.
Before doing this. he planned why to
to get out Of jail. He aud the prisoners
in the cell with him had managed, prob
ably by using the timber of their hunks
to pry up the stone covering of the cell
far enough to allow the body Of man "a
pass. This is the most extraordinary
part Of the whole feat. as it would appear
impossible to remove TIE huge block BY
any means, much less by su1N contrl'
vances as could be manufactured in a
iail cell. was moved, however, and
propped up. The way into the garret o
the Jail (Shear's cell being in the. upper
tier, next to the roof. twas now open
From the garret a small chimney rises
and ther afforded the only means Of exit
to to the Jail roof except by cutting righ
through. BY some means Shears forced
himself far enough up this chimney TO be
able to pick out some Of the bricks above
the roof, and finally to make hole
through which a man could crawl. 1r
fact, as it appears from the street, the
chimney was nearly cut off at the roof
The road out was open now, and 1t IL
probable that at this time the other cells
were Unlocked. While this was going OF
the prisoners were singing as they ire
puently do. vociferously probably tc
drown the nUise Of their operations
When all was ready, about three o'clcl
they erawled out upon the roof. and
thence let themselves down into the yard
by means of rope Of their bed clothes
which they tore up and tied together
This rope was in the yard when we were
there yesterday. By means Of plank
they scacaIed the wall and were safe
It is believed that Shears was provided
with key he used by Lakin. who. it viii
be remembered, was arrested at the same
time as the Lafayette gang. at Rensselaer,
in Jasper county. He Is blacksmith anc
was in the habit of making tools for hi
associates. He was put in Jail here ate
his arrest. aud propably obtained a mode
for the key at that time. The prisoners
have probably concealed themselves il
the woods, aud will travel by night, anc
in, "out-of>the>way" roads. There wer
probably eontederates in waiting 70
them, as there were marks of carriage
wheels near the Jail. No suspicious wer'
entertained by the Sheriff at all, and h
neither saw nor heard anything which
could excite them. Everything appear.
ed to be going on in the usual way q
bedtime. There arc but six prisoner
left now.-Lndianapolis Journal.
~