Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-09-17
Defies Bolts and Bars.


lalls in Kane county occurred il Inc
Geneva jail en- Monday night some
time between IL O'Clock p. NJ and 4
O'Clock A. NJ Gus Hyer. 4 rounr n3an
from Elgin charged with burglary bas
been confined IN the jail for several
months, and has b en- source of GREAT
trouble to the sheriff and his deputies
Some time ago he overpowered the
housekeeper, who ut his request was
bringing him drink of water. and wifi
other prisoners made his escape. but
he was arrested in Indiana and returned
to the jail. Since his return he has re-
peatedly told the sheriff and the taller.
that he could get out of any cell they
might put him in, and it was known to
them that he had been out of his cell
repeatedly after he had been locked up.
An attempt was made some time ago
by the prisoners to make their escape.
but the plan was discovered by Mr..
Humphry, the deputy sheriff, 1t was
evident that the prisoners had been in
an upper room several times, but there
was no evidence rs to how they got in.
rs the doors We're always locked when
examined by the sheridan his officers
Hyer was ordered to be confined in his
cell, and the jailers were instructed to
keep constant watch of the prisoners.
The sheriff had the cell of Hever doubly
secured by iron plates, so us to prevent
him from tampering with the lock. and
an extra jailer was employed to guard
the Jail.
On Monday night the sheriff receiv-
ed dispatch from Chicago stating that
George Wilson had been arrested in
this city. Deputy Sheriff Humphrey
went to the depot shortly after 10
O'Clock to answer the dispatch. He re-
turned to the Jail and went to bed later
than usual. The sheriff was going to
Chicago after Wilson and needed to be
up early the next morning. Mr..
Humphrey knowing this awoke about
4 O'Clock, and the first thing he did was
to reach for his vest to look 1T his
watch TO his establishment the watch
was gone. He jumped out of bed and
made the discovery that his pockets
were picked and his money and every
thing he had in them were stolen. The
mystery was, who could have robbed
Mr.. Humphrey, and how did the per
son get into the room, us it was secured
by iron bars and II heavy door. The
matter was kept quiet until the sheriff
returned. The sheriff learning these
facts determined to search the jail care
fully. When he went into the cell of
Hyer it was noticed that me was
noticed that he was nervous and UNI
easy. To the surprise of the sheriff.
he found tied in a pocket handker-
chief, concealed in the centre of the
mattress, the watch and chain, money,
knife and comb of Mr.. Humphrey. Up
to the time Of the discovery il had not
entered the mind ofany of them that the
property was behind the bars. The
matter now became mysterious and in
fact the mystery has not yet been soly-
ed, MS the prisoner, in whose cell the
articles We're found, refused to say amy
thing about it,
In order to get the articles the prison
er had to get out of his cell, which is
secured by Il heavy iron door and lock
cd with 4 large, strong lock. Cut Of
his cell he found himself in the corridor
or iron cage which is protected on all
sides, and to get out of ii an il,n door
has to be opened, In order to get into
the iailer's room another heavy iron
door, well has locked, to be opened.
That done the prisoner was in the room
with the jailer, and while Mr.. Hum
phrey was asleep the articles before
mentioned We're taken from his pockets
If the prisoner had desired to make
his escape he could have opened the
door of the iailer's room and walked
out, but he did not want to leave and
returned to his cell, locking every door
after him. The mystery now is how
did Gus Hyer get through the three
iron doors and return again leaving
each door as he found it. There was
not single thing discovered by
which he could open the locks,
Gus lIyer is the most remarkable
prisoner confined in the Geneva JAIL
lie appears 10 be endowed with
special gift in the way ofopening locks
If he had been SO disposed he could
have opened the the cell of every pris-
oner in the Jail to escape. If the dis
Covery had not been made nj the time
there is no reason why Hyer could not
have liberated Wilson during the follow
illS HISHlf l1ttlllS llllll Olit III lllC uSubl
way and locking the doors after him
leaving i mystery to be solved next
morning how Wilson could escape and
his cell-door locked MS it was the night
before
the sheriff has procured new and
different locks for Hycr's cell and the
iron cage; he is also having the doors
doubly secured Ivy extra iron bolts.
and is using every possible means to
discover how Hyer performed such
daring feat.
Since the discovery was made that
lIyer was III possession Of The property
Of Mr.. Humphrey the sheriff has been
informed by man who had
been confined in Jail for sew
eral weeks for being drunk and disor-
derby, that Hyer was in the habit of
opening his cell door almost every
night and walking up and down the
corridor Yesterday Hyer told the
sheriff that he might DO As he pleased
he detied him, and could get out Of any
place in which he might put him and
would not need 70 use key to accom-