Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-12-19
An Ingenious Attempt to
Break Jail.
The Attempt Folled.

| 1QC AttCsuVS y Vsu0Ws
4 Shrewd Burglar aud an Alert Officer.
An ingenious attempt was recent
ly made by Allen, the Randolph
burglar, to escape from Chelsea jail
For q week previous to the oc
currence OF which We are about to
speak whenever Sheriff Dickinson
went in to lock the prisoners int
their cells for the night, he invaria
bIy found Allen sitting in his cell
facing the door, with Ibis lamp be
hind him, and q newspaper held vi
before him, reading. He had hur'
one of his hands, and wore q kit
glove upon it all tho time; aud an
other popularity in his appearance
was q red silk handkerchief tied
around his head for q night.cap
The officer would always speak tC
him, he would reply, and then tue
door would be locked; and 30 with
the others.
In entering the Jail the officer
had some one-uAlally his wife
lock him into the debtors room, q
sort of anteroom to the Jail proper,
and then he opens the Jail door
and visits his prisoners. Hepassed
into the Jail one evening last week,
went to Aliens cell, saw him ait.
ting as usual, holding his newspa.
per before his face with the gloved
hand, and the red handkerchief just
visible over the top of the paper.
One leg was crossed over the OppO.
site knee, and as he apparently sat
absorbed in reading his paper his
foot logged gently up and down.
The officer spoke to him, and asked
if all was right. He replied GAIL
right !" and the officer locked the
door, and proceeded to Piper's cell,
which is in the upper tier. and di.
rectly over Aliens. The officer
thought as he left Aliens cell that
his voice had sounded a little
strange, and wondered why he kept
his newspaper up before his face
while speaking. AS he wss about
to lock Piper in, the latter asked him
if he would procure him some to-
bacco, and if Le would step in and
get the money to pay for it. He
stepped inside, and while Piper
was getting the money from his coat
pocket the officer heard slight
noise which caused him to turn his
head, when he caught glimpse Of
some one passing along the walk.
He stepped quickly to the door and
was completely COMPOUNDED to be-.
hold Allen, whom, as he supposed,
he had just locked into his cell.
Alien went stealthily down stairs
and out into the debtors room,
where he concealed himself in a
corner. Then the plot flashed
across the officers mind. He locked
up his other prisoners, and went di.
rectly to the debtors room, con.
fronted Allen, and asked him what
his proceedings meant. He turned
very pale and exclaimed, ooh, this
is too bad!" which was all the ex-
PLANTATION thatcould be got from him.
On taking him to his cell there sat
dummy that he had so ingeniously
constructed; but the leg no longer
logged, since Piper had let 20 the
string which ran up through the
ventillator; and it didn't answer
questions since nobody was ready
to call down from overhead.
Evidently Allen's plan was to
leceivs Sheriff Dickinson with the
dummy, have Piper call him into
lie cell to allow him a chance to
Zip past and hide in the debtors
Dom, and then when the officer
,ame out and locked the Jail door,
appel and the other door was
opened, knock him down and any
'ne else who might be in the way,
md then fly. He could hardly
,"~" mad" that plan work on
Dickinson in any event, as he says
le dl,cays examines that room be.
iore calling to have the outer door
opened ; and on this particular &C.
,asion he had q man to let him in
and out.
When discovered Allen had on .
shirt over his other clothing. Wa
IAN only conjecture that he expect.
I'd there might be blood shed, and
be shirt would protect his clothing
md could be torn off aud thrown
aside when he got outside.
Apples and onions by the bar
ell, bushel or peck ut G. 81. Curtis.