Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-06-09
Another Jack Sheppard.
! From the Portage CITY Ragister.

4AhOSktCt teiSFe tSkAt pAtaAAu
From the Portage City Register
John Hays alias Barger, having ained
considerable notoriety by his expIits in
the Columbia County jail, another capter
may not be uninteresting:
On Saturday last, Hays was trid and
convicted of horse-stealing in the ircuit
court now in session in this city was
upon this charge that he hts been cofned
in jail for the past year. Previous 10 the
trial, Sheriff Sorrenson deemed it roper
to remove the heavy irons whicl have
adorned the prisoner for the past six Ionths
and allow him to Eface the music before
the court and jury free from everything
tending to prejudice his case. Tie trial
over Hays was conveyed to his old qarters
to await his sentence. prior to taking
lodgings III the State Prison. The inter-
val between the conviction and satence
proving to be short, the Sheriff d1 not
deem it essential to call to his assstance
the entire blacksmith fraternity in rider to
hold him, and he was accordingly llowed
the freedom of his celia seyersy-nine
pigeon-hole, lined throughout wit heavy
boiler-iron riyeted and spiked ina thor
ough manner. This was precisely be pro-.
gramme which Hays had been anticipating
for two months past, and for whiohhe had
laid his plans and applied alih igenuity
and energy to meet. Tho sequel EXPLAINS
his desire for postponement Of MS trial
for day or two longer, on accOut of the
absence ofan important witness. As we
said before, for two months he hasworked
diligently TO make his escape. During
that time, with q common wrouht iron
nail he succeededin drawing 12 thee-quar-
ter by four inch bolts that held .b0nr plate
to the 2x4 inch stuff, set up dgewise,
which forms the floor. The platTamoved
he improvised chisel from 8. slall two
inch bolt, and applied himself, lay after
day, to cutting through the solid our-inch
floor, and succeeded in making IN aper-
ture or 10 Inches wide by 2 feet IA length.
His tools, and the rubbish, were secreted
under the floor and the iron late and
bolts were of course always IN ther places
on the approach of the officers & the jail
All things being ready ,On MoGlay night
last Hays concluded to eight nut, He
carefully removed the lath and laster'ing.
lowered himself through the vent and
landed squarely an a bunk occnied by an
other prisoner in the cell belof. With n
small wire he pOiseIessly unloced the cell
door, without waking the inmte- passed
to the ward door, unlocked thatGlso in the
same way crossed to the Oppoite side Of
the jail and picked the lock Of another
door admitting him to the wal in which
the outside door is located. This door
proved too much of barrier, lbwever and
Hays after all his labor, wasdoomed to
disappointment. In vain did he labor to
unlock, rnhinge and pry opel until day
light appeared and the inmabs ofthe Jail
began to move about the prmises. Dis
gusted and detected, heprocoded upstairs
and, unlocking another door With his wire,
laid down with a fellow prisner, where he
was found by Sheriff Sorrensn, who greet
ed him in a most welcome manner. But
Hays couldn't see it, " and reused to return
the compliment volts .v5
On beng found Us abovestated, he was
heavily ironed, thoroughly searched, and
confined IN an adjoining Gil from his old
quarters, excluded, of courR. from all the
other prisoners in the jail. On Wednes-
day morning soon after tie Sheriff and
Deputy~Sheriff K0Tner hat left the Jail, tC
attend to their duties in tie Court room
Hays took it into his head to 90 on 8 pros
{1nntie- tour, anu 90 SeG5i51 re tiA pressed IL
'Swhat the devil allied that outside door.
/ Accordingly III somo mysterious unac
| countabie manner, he Unlocked the eel
door, opened the adjoining one.s pas sei
down through the rat-hol' again, rnloc7ZeC
! twom doors, and WAS making his pill
grimage to the opposite ,ide, when Mrs
! Koerner heard somebody scratching rount
/ in there, and mistrustilp it to be Hays
made an alarm and sent for the officers
who found the young man playing ''seven
up''with a fellow-prisone1 - ''cool as
cucumber, or words to that effect.
A heavy log chain was that day place.
npon the prisoner and, as fan as heard from
he is still in durance vile yet the Sherit
fexpects nothing but to wake up some fin
morning and find the jail outdoors ':intire
ly."' 5.- &.
1t is proper to state that the locks in th'
Jail were supposed to be perfect in all res
poets. They are large AID strong, and i
requires great strength TO reverse the ward
with the keys. The Sheriff and other
have practieed with the wire used, and Cal
make no headway whatever, yet Hays cal
open them at viii.
Hays is yet less than q years OF age
] During his Incarceration in the Jail in thi
city, he has displayed ARE genius, and
properly applied, he would undoubtedl
take high rank among the Inventors of til
age,