The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-10

Twelve prisoners n tEe county jail all
bound over for trial for offenses which will
consign then to the penitsnsiary IL found
ruiity. made q bold attempt to escape
from their strong home last evening.
The prisoners were served with their
supper at 6 clock, and ct half psst six,
| the turnkey. Fletcher leonard. took away
the dishes, which were brought 10 him a.
the door of the south corridor and detect
| ed nothing wrong. He was through the
| jail at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. and
everything was in proper order at that
time. But il was through the afternoon
that The prisoners were remarkably quiet
-no singing. or shouting. or loud talking.
| Il was remarked once or twice that they
had something interesting ON hand.
About O'Clock, the turnkey 10 the Office
and Sheriff Leonard in his room. heard q
soft thump. thump. thump, which sound
ed us if the jail was being pounded with .
muffled sledge. Fletcher Immediately
entered the iail-but all the prisoners on
the lower floor were in their cells except
four ncgroes--anda they were ordered to
the soath corridor, and discovered
THE PLOT
The door about the large stove 10 that
corridor vas covered with mortar and
stone-and behind the stone was hole in
the Jail wall-a hole two feet wide and
three feet high. One could see the out
door light through it. Near it was bench
about six feet long. the legs at one end
having been removed that ID might be
used as a battering ram; and there was 9
board which had been torn from sink to
use for scraping, and heavy wire bail
- hoar aI fpnsra nail n
use for picking out the mortsr. Ii was
the use OF the bench against the large
outer block of stone which covers the rock
OF the wall, that caused the noise which
aroused the sheriff and the turnkey.
The wall proper was eighteen inches
thick, and composed of rough rock and
mortar-faced on the outside at this place
with q dressed block of stone two feet
square and six inches thick. which was q
segment of plaster. The prisoners had
dug all the stone and mortar from the
wall to this stone. making an opening OF
the dimensions given above; then they
placed blanket against the stone, to sup
press the sound, and then pounded against
it with the bench. making altogether too
much noise in the operation for success
They filled the stove with stone and
mortar, and then carried the debris to the
water closet. nulng the pipes 0eioW luii,
and doing damage which will require the
attention OF the plumber. The
NAMES OF THE PRISONERS
Interested 10 the plot are:
James Brandy. 10 for robbery; John
smith, 10 for larceny; John Gafuey, in for
rape; Gus Morgan and Dave Coleman
both colored), for robbery: Charles For
rest, for burglary; Tom Terrill. for rob
berry; Fred. Hing. for burglary: Charles
Williams and Henry Thomas tboth col-
ored), for larceny: VIM. Downey, assault
with the intent to steal; Fred. Winters.
Jack Murray's partner. burglary and lar
ceBy. All will be confined to their cells
now until after their trial.
Had the prisoners escaped to outer air.
they could hardly have gained the streets
without detection, though some of them
would have got away most likely. as it was
after sun down.
TIE Board of Supervisors looked at the
breach in the wall this morning and came
to the conclusion to
STRENGTHEN THE JAIL
oil round by sheating the surface of the
inside walls on the north, south and west