Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-26
His Third Desperate Attempt to
Break Jail.
THE DEFEAT OF THE SCHEME.
THE co N

We take from the Portage County Demo-
crat the following account of Jack Cooper's
desperate attempt to break Jail:
Cooper demeaned himself in his usual
"gentlemanly' manner, until Sunday night.
During the week he received his spiritual
adviser, in the humble and p~enitent man
ner which he can so well assume, when that
! sort of style will serve him. In fact it
| seems as if he delights in the capacity of
being saint and sinner at pleasure. During
the week Cooper received a letter from his
sister, in which she babe him farewell. 1t
was to allow his sister TO visit him, that
| Cooper applied for and received a respite.
During the latter part Of the week it was
noticeable that Cooper was in good spirits.
He manifested no sort of depression and
was the gayest of the worthy gang around
him. To those who know him this was q
suspicious circumstance. A scheme to
break Jail, was the fountain of the unusual
flow Of spirits and the iattering prospect of
success elated the mnrderer-though he
meditated other murders, if necessary to
procure his escape.
All things were orderly until about six
Sunday afternoon. At that hOur Sheriff
Jennings and the Doctor entered the prison,
having the outer door looked behind them.
Coming to the second grated door the Sheriff
unlocked it, admitted the physician, and
enteredsthe prison himself, standing at the
unlocked door. Seeing this imprudeuce on
the part of the Sheriff, Cooper at once
walked up to him and seized him, calling
at the same time to the other prisoners to
" draw that bar" meaning a bar Of iron
-iehipg fifty or sixty pounds, used as a
support 70 Tue platform &c the upper tier Of
cells. Lyman Berry, Eek and DAVIS drew
the bar. The Sheriff azd Cooper struggled
together, for a little time, DR.. Graham in a
moment realized something of the peril of
the situation and called for help. As the
contest commenced, Cooper demanded of
the Sheriff his pistol, but getting no re-
Spouse he changed his demand to q threat
to kill the Sheriff unless he gave up the
pistol. Fortunately he was able to tell
Cooper that he had no pistol, and having
satisfied himself that such was the case
Cooper released the Sheriff, seized his bar
aud rushed to the outer grated door, and
commenced bsttering at the lock, with a
purpose of bursting it off. DR.. Granam's
cry for help was heard by Mrs. Jennings
who sounded the alarm at the outer door of
the jail, and such men as were on the street.
hurried to the rescue. The Court house bell
was rung and a crowd of some two hundred
men were soon on the spot. The first men
that entered the jail, closed the wooden
door which shut close upon the one from
which Cooper was attempting to batter the
lock. With Just as much force as they
were able to hold the wooden door upon the
other, Just so much was the force Of Cooper's
blows fruitless. Deputy Sheriff Buck ar
irving at the jail, loudly called for s pistol
and Cooper hearing and recognizing his
voice, slipped back into the prison, throw
ing his bar with wlathiul vengeance at the
door. Cooper was in a terrible rage at his
defeat and cursed his cowardly contederates
in the most blasphemous manner, His face
was white with passion and his eyes be-
came bloodshot with defeated rage. The
mildly hammered man." was transformed
into g hideous lend and several of the pris-
oners skunk into their cells, covered by the
demoniac department Of the bafled muir
derer. When Cooper withdrew and gave
up his attempt to escape, the Sheriff and
DR.. Graham retired from the prison and the
great door was once more bolted on Jack
Cooper.
1t was found upon examining the lock
which Cooper had battered, that two of the
bolts by which it was fastened to the door
were broken loose, but two others land they
the most ~valuable) were scarcely loosened,
and the leek was not in any other respect
harmed. Had the other prisoners Joined
Cooper with the vigor and desperation he
manifested, the result of the attempt would
doubtless have been different. Had Cooper
succeeded in forcing the door, the man who
stood in his way would have paid the for
felt of his life for his temerity. After the
damaged lock had been repaired and the
jail was all in order again, Cooper demur-
red to being put in his cell and acted a lit
tie as If he wss "spoling for a fight" Sher-
if .lannfnnz hnvnvar 0a1nad-h him dcurn
and locked him up for the night. Before
doing SO he searched him and found upon
him two knives, with two blades each.
Cooper refused to tell how he came in pos
session of them, but it is thought probable
they had at SOM time been given him by
some Of those who have expressed sympa-
thy for him. Language hardly affords cen
sure strong enough to condemn such an act
GA~riE Jennings will, not, wo tru=t, be
called upon to go through another scene
similar to that of Sunday night. ANY
measures that can be devised or are neees-
sary for the safe keeping of the prisoner
are entirely ~justiiable and should be freely
used.
THE EXECUTION.
As before stated is to take place upon April
27th, being Friday of the present week.
The gallows is to be erected in the southeast
corner of the Jail. Before being put up
SOM repairs were required upon it which
are now about completed. The rope used
in the execution of DR.. Hughes is expected
to do service on this occasion. As the
gallows has been heretofore described in
these columns it is unnecessary to restate
details. We are assured that every az
rangement necessary to ensure the fulfil
ment of he sentence Of the law is in pro-
gress, and that the %strictest official vigil
ance will be exercised to the lest.
Sheriff Jennings, as allowed by law, has
made his requisition upon Captain Mason,
Of Company A, 14th Battalion, 0. Y. G,
who will be present and on duty during
the day. No persons will be admitted to
the jail save those having passes from the
Sheriff, and such passes will be issued only
to such persons as are required or allowed by
We again repeat the suggestion made
last week, that there be no gathering in of
There will be nothing to be seen
to crafty public curiosity and the public
peace and dignity viii be greatly conserved
by the absence of a crowd