The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-31
OF testiu1onY produced..is almost hoping against
hope"
BOYD,s ATTEMPTED ESCAPE.


Tho sweetwater Defnuitfng Government
Pension Agent uncomfortable i'm Jail
Another Effort 60 Avoid the Judgment
OF tho United states Courts--The sherin
"Removcs" Boyd and His Com pa n IONS.
KsOxvILLE. Tenn, Jan. IT. 1873.
Yesterday afternoon. about one O'Clock, a con-
spiracy to escape was discovered among the prs.
oners confined in Jail in this city. which was for
tunateiy discovered In time to prevent its accom-
plishment. or the OF 'The United States va
Thomas q. Boyd" now pending In the Federal
Court. would necessarily have been continued"
az he aud his counsel so earnestly desired a few
days ago.
Al the hour mentioned the iailer. II. T. DAT
mond. heard unusually loud singing among the
prisoners, and past experience having taught him
that when his "bOarders" made extraordinary n-
dications OF a religious nature it was generally
with view Ofconccaling some rascality, he thought
1t not amiss to investigate the matter and. sta
tionng himself outside the jail walls. bctween
the resOunding chOruses he distinguished
the sound OF blows deadened an by the
tntcrpOsiti0n OF some soft substance. Commu-
ncating his suspicious to Sheriff " r. Gosse5t that
officer placed himself at the prison door and Iii
reCto1 the jaier to examine the cells. Proceeding
with caation and CELEBRITY to the second door no
saw one Of the pr .soncrs. John ID. Mangrum 10y
name, who Is
leap to the floor from the shoulders OF another
| prisoner. This satisfied him that the attcn,nt
whatever it was, was being made there. and enter
ing he asked Boyd II he had any tools, who replied
| in the negative. The iaiIer then asked Mangrum
| II he had any, and he made a similar answer; but
as the latter seemed averse to leave a corner OF
the cell to which he had rctreated the officer pro-
ceeded to search him. and found under one arm
small, finely tempered steel saw. and under tho
other chisel. Pursuing his Investigations lur-
ther he found under their blankets two bottles
filed with sand aud water encased
IN A PAIR OF SOCKS.
The idea doubtless, was to use the dilutiOn to
assist in saving the stone walls il they succeeded
said they had intended using them az offensive
weapons il the necessity was forced them.
However, as the jaiiOr has penchant for shoot
ing and Is passable marksman they probably
thought 1t advisable not to get into light with
him then. The cell is anassve stone vault, celied
with heavy boiler iron, and an examination
showed that they had succeeded in cutting or
small piece OF the corner OF sheet and l0osened q
plate in place The prisoners evidently intended
to make an opening in the top OF the cell, which, II
they had done. would have rendered It an easy
matter Tor them to cut through the root, when
they could easily have escaped without assistance
by making rope OF their blankets and towering
except plank fence would have remained between
CONCEALED WEAPONS DISCOVERED.
To-day further search was made ON animation
from a reliable source that the prisoners---whO, In
the meantime. had been removed TO more secure
cell on the first dO0r-had been furnished with
weapons which involved another search, when two
large knives were found. They were OF WOstea-
holm's well ,knOwn X L cutlery, and had blades
between three and four inches long One Of them
had only single blade, which was maze into q
saw while the other had two blades, with keen
edges. The saw chlsel and Knives were recOg-
niZed by Mr.. 8. Il. Luttrell az having been pur-
chased from his hardware store on Saturday but,
while he may have q suspicion OF who the buyer
was yet, IL would be difficult to make the proof
on the Information now In possession Of the ON
GERS, no has been arrested. IL IL, however be-
lieved that the tools and weapons were procured
by
BOYD'S FRIENDS
who have access to him at all reasonable hours,
and have had abundant opportunities OF doing 30.
Boyd rather r,dicued the idea OF his being able to
engage in such labOrtOus work in his present en-
feebled condition but az his case Is by no means
hopeful one he would, doubtless risk biistering his
hands in getting out OF durance vile In preferences
uOn. His completely with the attempt OF his COM
panions to escape Is all the more reasonable to
suppose from the fact that one OF the principal
witnesses for the defence. b. P. Reagan, who was
| with Boyd when he was "assassinated," could not
| be found this afternoon when he was wanted 70
give his testimony. and was discovered some time
afterwards trying to get aboard the train In way
that
STRONGLY REsEMBLED FLIGHT;
but he gave as an excuse that s'Mr. Boyd had told
him that he might go home, as he would not be
needed before the next day. Considers ex-
element was created by the discoveries made and
the prOpriety OF guarding the jail while the trial
In progress was suggested, but afterwards given
up, suhlcient precautions have been taken to
prevent an escape. n