The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-04-24
ESCAPED.
The Warrington County Jail De
Iivery-Some Additional Facts.

|
which we find in the Rsvie,0 and Era.
miner the following additional particu-
lars concerning the escape OF the
Washington County prisoners
The most intense excitement was
created 10 our community on Saturday
evening last by the announcement that
seven OF the prisoners confined in our
county jail had effected their eseape,
and in q very few minutes attervard
large crowd OF citizens had collected In
front OF the Court House and the i'm
mediate vicinity. An examination OF
the Jail showed the absel lce OF tue fol-
loving named prisoners:
Henry Briceiaui. under sentence OF
death for the murder Of John Afllng.
ham.
John T. Edwards, awaiting trial on
charges OF abusing his wileand mali
ciously manning horses and cows be-
longing 10 his tather.in law, a Mr..
Bailey, residing in the vIoiulty OF Cal
iiornia. borough. ...
John NJ. Henrie, awaiting trial for
stealing q set OF harness from Alexan-
der Henderson, OF Buffalo township.
John Davis, muIaIto, awaiting trial
tor stealing railroad tickets from the
office OF the Charters road III this
place.
James Null, mula,to, awaiting trial
for stealing wool from Israel B Halnes,
OF North Slrabane township.
John B. Mckinley. serving sem
teuce Tor vagrancy. Ten days nnexplr-
ed.
William Lonkert, serving sentence
for vsgrancy. Ten days unexpred.
Ouly two persons remained IN the
male department: Alexander Blair, a
crippled colored man, serving United
States Court sentence Tor Illegal selling
Of liquor. aid Samuel KELLEY, a lad de
tained by United States Marshal Hall
as q witness in q counterfe'ting case
from the oil region. These were either
not taken into the confidence OF the
Others or refused to JON in the conspI-
racy.
Ii was found that the cells ofthe sew
en- named were unlocked, as also were
the TWO grated doors lesding from the
jall TO the Sherif's office, and That one
of the two windows in the west end of
the office was hoisted. The hall door
OF the office remained locked Sheriff
Ramsey at once offered rewards Tor
the recapture o. FIVE OF the seven, and
in comparatively briet period \ num-
Der OF persons started in different d.
rections, some on hon eback and others
on loot. Notwithstanding clo-e ex-
animation OF the cells and other por-
tons OF the interior OF the jail Vas
made by the Sheriff and others nothing
OF a satisfactory character was obtained
during The night tending to eIucidste
the 'inystery attending the escape. At
the time OF its occurrence Sheriff Ram
-ey was at the Office OF his counsel at
tending TO some business pertaining TO
hrs office, and his brother George b s
assistant, was az barber shop. The
escape Irsnspired at abou! seven o clock.
About an hour previously, Davis, Null,
Mckinley, and Lnnkert had been let
into the main Apartment 10 exercise,
and were thus engaged when the otfi-
cisis lie t the office.
No reliable clue Was obtained OF any
one OF the seven until sbont two
O'Clock SUNDAY morning. when. Lonkrrt
went 10 the Sherf's residence and sur"
rendered himself, saying be wished
sleeping place. Although closely ques-
toned, he at that time denied any
knowledge OF the prisoners prepara"
tions, subsequently, he made state
ments winch partially unraveIed the
mystery. There are various eOntl citing
theories and surmises, hut we think the
following will lurD out to be q nearly
correct epitome OF the facts:
Ed wards, who il Liverpool English
man, and evidently tam lar with pris~
on Ire in his native country, had de-
term ned to make bod effort 10 OBJ
tain his freedom. and q ter the senIenc.
ing OF BricelaDd April ~ the two, to-
gether with John ". Herrie. combined
Their wits Tor mutual benefit. During
two or three recent occasions, when al
mitted 10 the bath room To obtain wa
ter TO cleanse their cells, they cut oil
the lead pipe used for conveying water
from the cistern 10 the bath'tub
aud concealed it in their bedding
when not working with it. By
means OF soap they made impressions
OF cell lock Zone key unlOcks all the
cell-) and the lock OF tie inner grated
door, which anv one OF them could ess
ilv do while exercising. 10 addition TO
these impressions, the two more iDge-
NOUS ones (Bricelsnd and Elward-) !
could retain recollection Of the char
acter Of the KEYS by seeing them 10 the |
hands o. the officials while usDg them |
in the, iAil. MoGids tor two Of the
KEYS were cut in the uiter part Of the
seat OF a bsckless chair tound in Brice-
lands cell. both filled with soap 80 die
colored az 10 have the appearance o
the other wood. A mould was found |
cut in the G ror OF EdTsrfs cell, filed
and coIored in the same manner -lm'laI
10 the other two. The lead was melt
ed bv one of hem, when let Cu' for ex-
ereise, in q shovel used at one OF the
stoves and passed into the cells con-
tsining the moulds through the small
openips at the top OF the doors After
having made and perfected the cell key.
the balance otthe work wa- cOmpara- /
tivelv easy. ss long arped peraon
could resch through the email opening,
nsert the key and let himself out, anu
then il desired. unlock his cOn'ederates
The per'ecting OF ihese arrangements
had been i'd progress for full Two weeks
The greatest difficulty. experienced Ws-
in making key tor The grated door
Iesding into the Office. Having pre-
| -,,,sIv manu,actursd these tor the cplls