The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-09-28
Escape Of aEBOrse Thief from
JaiI-A Mysterious Affair.
An Investigation Demanded

An Investigation Demanded
Sears, the coIored man who has
been confined in our county Jail for
some months past, awaiting his trial
for horse stealing at the October term
of Court, succeeded in effecting his
escape on Friday night last. The
iron hasp which fastened the inner
door of his cell on the outside. was
found broken of, and his BEDFORD
and an oak stick about three #. long
and two inches thick, lying on the
floor. It is supposed he used the
stick to pass the cord through The
grating of his door and under the
hasp, and then got a sufficient pur-
chase with the ropo and stick tc
break the hasp, which was of iron,
about third Of an inch thick, anc
apparently rather weak and britt
at the point of fracture.
The jailor, Mr.. Ferguson, says tn"
neither he nor his family heard an!
noise during the night, and were
greatly astonished in the morning to
find that their prisoner was missing.
He had frequently declared that he
would escape, and had previously
made two unsuccessful attempts by.
burning holes through the partition
of his cell. In one of these attempts
it will be remembered he set the Jail
on fire and came near being smoth-
cred by the smoke.
A few days before he escaped, the
iaiIor had put hobbies Zonhis ancles,
and fastened them to the floor with
a heavy chain. BY some means he
got the chain loose, bat took the
hobbies away with him. 1t seems
certain that he must have had assis-
tance, as the jaiIor is confident that
the stick found in his cell was not
there the day before, and must have
been passed to him through the gra-
ting of his cell window or door.
Outside the iron door of the ceH.
there is a hea4y wooden door, open
ing into the hall, But it is always left
open for ventilation except in cold
weather; the inner door being sup
posed sufficient for safety.
Mr.. Waddle, the night watchman,
says, that a little before i 1o'clock he
was at Haynes & VESTS corner, half
a square from the Jail, and distinctly
heard a hoise in that direction, like
a piece of iron falling on a floor. He
walked down past the Jail, to the
Kramer House, saw what time it
was, and then returned to near the
fence in front of the jail. He says
there was a light in the jailor's front
room, which suddenly disappeared,
aud directly afterwards the hall door
was opened and a man came out
and stood on the steps for several
minutes, after which he walked thro'
the Court House yard and disap-
peared. Mr.. W. says supposed it
was the jaiIor, as it was too dark to
see plainly, and therefore he did not
follow the man.
It is reported that Sears wife was
in town a few weeks ago, and said
that she had $500 to give any one
who would get him out of jail, and
that size showed large roll of bank
notes to several persons.
There is certainly a good deal of
mystery about the affair, and public
opinion is decidedly in favor of an
investigation, with a view to ascer-
tain if possible who aided in the
escape, and thus set at large des-
perate and hardened criminal to prey
upon society. r..,.'.7-.--.. ra
Z We understand the Commissioners
have authorized the Sheriff to offer
a reward of $50 for the recapture Of
Sears. ss4s