The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-09-23
DEFIES BOLTS AND BARS.
There Is Prisoner I'm the Geneva,
Kane County, Jail to Whom Bolts
and Bars and Locks supply No Oh
staele--A Startling Mystery:

housekeeper, who at his request was
bringing him drink of water, and with
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 iailers
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 as to how they got in,
as the doors were always locked when
examined by the sheriff and 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 Heyer doubly
secured by iron plates, SO as to prevent
him from tampering with the lock, and
an extra jailer was employed to guard
thejail.
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 at his
watch. To his astonishment 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, as It was secured
by iron bars and a heavy door. The
matter was kept quiet until the sheriff
returned. The sheriff learning these
facts determined to search the Jail care
iully. When he went into the cell Of
Hyer it was noticed that he was
noticed that he was nervous and un-
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 it had not
entered the mind of any 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, as the prisoner, in whose cell the
articles were found, refused to say any,
thing about it.
In order to get the articles the prison
er had to get out Of his cell, which is
secured by a heavy iron door and lock-
ed with a large, strong lock. Out of
his cell he found himself in the corridor
or iron cage which is protected on all
sides, and to get out of it an iron door
has to be opened, In order to get into
the jailer'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 were taken from his pockets.
If the prisoner had desired to make
his escape he could ,have opened the
door of the jailer'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 Hyer is the most remarkable
prisoner confined in the Geneva Jail.
He appears to be endowed with q
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 at the time
there is no reason why Hycr could not
have liberated Wilson during the follow
ing night, letting him out in the usual
way and locking the doors after him,
leaving a mystery to be solved next
morning how Wilson could escape and
his cell-door locked as it was the night
before.
The sheriff has procured new and
different locks for Hyer's cell and the
iron cage; he is also having the doors
doubly secured by extra iron bolts,
and is using every possible means to
discover how Hyer performed such y
daring feat.
Since the discovery was made that
Hyer was in possession of the property
Of Mr.. Humphrey the sheriff has been
informed . by man who had
been confined i'll jail for sew
eral weeks for being drunk and disor-
derly, 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 defied him, and could get out of any
place in which he might put him and
would not need TO use a key to accom-
plish his purpose.
George Wilson was brought
from Chicago on yesterday.
This is the third time Wilson
has been confined in the Geneva jail.
He has made his escape twice from it,
each time taking the prisoners with
him. Previous to his last escape he re-
ceived change Of venue to- De Kalb
county, The sheriff will take him to
Sycamore in q short time and will be
glad to get him of his hands.
Wilson is a. well-informed man
and is constantly planning how he can
get out of jail. It may be safe to con-
clude that there are in the Geneva
Jail two of the best skilled prisoners to
be found in the state Of Illinois. All
they need is an opportunity and they
will make their escape. The board Of
supervisors will have to do something
at their next meeting to provide for the
safety of the prisoners.-Genevu, H.,
C0respo pondcnce Chicago Times.
Bsstsa Street.C Cleaning.
spIpgas,d (llaa) Republican
Boston, the best kept city on the CON