National Republican., 1873-03-24
FOR LIFE AND LIBERTY.
TWO PLOTS To ESCAPE FROM JAIL

Charlie. O'Brien aud Tom wright fuily 4
Prepared for the vcnturr--Thc Second y
Floor Lcft n Unit for tho Attempt d
How the rIot wns Discov"red-r"e {
Tools 20 be Used.
For the past four or 1--WE days rumor mas per
yaded the entire city thata plot had oeeh u,s-
covered by the iail olcials TO secure the escape
n, opTicn and wright and that It had been |
frustrated This much was stated posluVely'
ana 10 II were added q thousand and one addl-
tIonaI stories as TO the plan adopted and the I'M
nlemcnts 10 be used one person knew that a
pair Of pistols and knife had been foundi
another, that the iron bars had been sawed
through; still another, that hole hanp rhaue
I'm the wall, and the strangest part OF the Story
was that the detective oficers had FIRST became
aware Of the fact and communicated II to the
warden Of the jail.
OF course REPUBLICAN reporter at once nauc
inquiry Of the detectives as to the truth OF lhc
rumor, but they were mute; didn't kno" hnS
thing. In fact 40 mute that It was apparent lney
knew ali but wouldn't tell. From them nc Wen' |
TO the Ian ofNcIals, but for the secohu tihc was
,,bluffcd." Satisfied that there was goou
foundation for the story, that II had been gwen
awayrby somebody who was acquainted win al
the facts and determined that the reaueIs VI
this journal should be posted he applied hllnssll
industriousy 10 the task, and after following tne
thread from person to person he Is enabled ths
morning 10 give the following correct version OF
the AFFAIR:
About a week ago Detective McDeyitt, In some
ingenious manner, became informed that there
was a plot brewing in jail for the escape oi Tom
Wright and o'Brlen. At lrst he laughed at the
idea, but on being subsequently furnished WIN
anumber Of the minute details, even as 10 the
location OF the tools to be used and their charae-
klVNN Nha ma a
consultation was at once held with Chiei Clar-
voe and Il was agreed that, even II there WI"
no Truth In the rumor, II would be better 10 no
tify the warden, and have him make seatch'
Accordingly the two gentlemen named called on
General Crocker and briefly informed him OF
what they had heard, and suggested the pro
priety Of a search. The General laughed az lhe
idea, and thought II a matter OF lmposslolly thA'
such thing could occur, but told the detectives
II they saw nt they could make the search. This
was not what they had gone there for, but
rather than leave without being satlsneu they
Informed the warden that II he would nave the
prisoners taken out they would with Nun MAKE
the search. This was satisfactory and the uio
proceeded TO the cell Of Wright where MI. NC
Dewitt soon discovered large creyicc IN INC
wall, Just as had been previously Indicated ahu
on examining II q large brass key was found
which on trial Jntted the cell door. Tho kel
had been altered to something the style OF
skeleton" one half the barrel being hled dow
and the nange also altered to suit the lock
where or by whom It was done could not no as
certalned, but II was evidently the work oi q
expert further look was taken, but nothin
additional found. After the discovery OF tn
key one Of the guards remembered that severn
nights ago, as he was making his rounds, tn
door OF Toms cell was found unlocked, an
although It was q remarkable circumstance h
concluded that by some accident the jailer ha
failed TO lock II, and repairing the negligence n
passed on.
by this time General Crocker evidently bega
to suspect that there was something OF plo
and tho entire row Of cells was searched, br
without any more articles being found. tn
prisoners were again locked up, and the matt
talked over. The information was that thci
were some exceedingly nne saws, and as the kC
story had proven true, there was good groun
for believing the balance. After lapse OF
few days the saws were found, but by whom
where could not be ascertAincd, except that Il
wife Of O'Bren was accused Of having them
her possession, and on Saturday she return
one to the warden. How the escape was TO
made Is unknown, but a plausible theory Is II
the night having been selected, both the III
wOuld saw the irons on their hands. WriG
would unlock his cell, and then release O'Bri'
anl the two would oyerpower the guard, (bt
being strong men, take his keys and arms fr
peratc effort for liberty.
ATTEMFT on TIE SECOND FLOOR LETT.
BY a strange coincidence, while the two cr
inalS above named were making lhelr aEan
ments US detailed, those confined Ter less cTn
on the left corridor were also at WORK, hay
the same object IN view but the carly dlscoy
OF the key caused the guards to look Garrett
about them, and the result was that on Frit
they discovered that some Of the prisoners
been working at the bars Of the window IN
corridor, and had already lOOscncd one OF lne
making an aperture large enough Tor small
TO crawl through. The cells were then clos
examined and II was found that they had bt
at work there also, as ln one or tWooI thei
number of bricks had been removed from
wall by the rules OF the jail the prison
cells at night so that fuch work as was dt
must have been accomplished IN the diner
places at the times namCd
After having cut through the cell wall II '
doubtless their Intention to escape from
window by means OF rope made from I
clothing. once IN the yard the wall would HI
to be scaled, but how they Intended 10 do q
cannot he Surmised unless they expected outs
aid. one thing IL certain. Among the Gro
were several desperate charaCtcrs, and u
yard had been gained they would have heslta
ut nothing to complete the Job.
After the discovery the entire party "
searched, and the only tool found was tue nan
Of a tooth brush, and they asserted posltlN
that II was all they had, and that the work
been done with II, II Is not known who "
the Tngleaders In the movement but thre
the worst Of them were Immediately foned
will continue to be for some tlmo TO come.
The following are the names OF all the prii
ers who were IN this corridor: Adolf Oberdo
Frank W. Beuner, Henry Miller, Patrick Sn
Daniel IIill, Charles Delaney q, ". Leid
Hamilton Ballnger, James Brady, Harry
roe, John CullInan, Pat Mulloy AMI kO
BransOn.