Daily globe., 1882-07-10
: THE JAIL DELIVERY.


Some interesting Correspondence-Previ
ous Plans Which Wore Discovered at Ii
Crosse Sheriff Richter Warned by EN-
phatic Letters from Chief s.of Police
Hatch. of La Crosse.
The recent escape of six prisoners from
the Ramsey county jail renders the cor
respondence to be found below interest.
ing. The escape was long ago planned
by the prisoners, even before Rogers and
Clark were removed by the United States
marshal to Winona For months certain
inmates of the jail have been in CORE
spondence with outside parties in regard
to the escape. 1t was not many weeks
ago that the sheriff here found in the pos
session Of some of the prisoners diagrams
ofthe keys of all the doors of the Jail that
were required to let prisoners
out, with full descriptions of the
kind of key, whether hollow
or solid, and such other par
tlculars as would enable an outsider to
make exact duplicates of the keys. Mr..
Richter, after obtaining these patterns,
Immediately changed the locks and issued
very stringent orders in regard to the
Jail, the substance Of all of which was
to prevent all communication between
prisoners AMI outsiders. Notwithstand-
ing these orders the COM
munication was continued the same
as before the orders were issued, and this
result is what has always puzzled Mr..
Richter. The following correspondence
throws some light on this point. With
this brief explanation the letters are pre-
sented. The first is from Frank Hatch,
chief of police of La Crosse, and reads as
follows:
HATCH TO RICHTER.
LA CROSSE, Wis, June 1. 1882.
Sheriff Ramsey County, st. Paul:
DEAR SIR: Please inform me whether one
VIM. B. Hutchns was sent up on some offense
committed at st. Paul within the past year.
believe he was employed in some railway
Office and did some crooked work. Also in
form me whether you use Jail keys Of this
style. Yours very truly.
FRANK HATCH, Chief of Police
drawings of the keys were enclosed.l
RICHTER TO HATCH.
The sheriff of Ramsey Co. replies to
the above in the followinn style:
ST. PAUL, June 2, 1882.
To Chief of Police, La Crosse, Wis:
DEAR SIR: w. II. Hutchins served
three months in our jail for
larceny from railroad company.
therefore granted many privileges.
Since he left l found in a
cell the pattern of those large keys which are
my Jail keys. Am also informed that he had
cell lock key made, and sold it to prisoner
for S.. Those patterns were cut out on for
mer business cards Of his, with his name on.
If you get hold of him and find anything in
the line of my patterns on him, would be
very thankful TO you if you would send them
to me, as it surely comes out of this Jail.
Yours truly, Fred. RICHTER.
HATCH TO RICHTER. ~.
Chief of police Hatch means business
and writes again about this Hutchins,
and gives some vigorous advice as to what
should be done with him. The following
is his letter:
LA CROSSE. Wis, June3, 1882.
Fred Richter, Sheriff, st. Paul:
DEAR SIR: l have a man who gives his
name as John Tosky in Jail. This man is
none other than VIM. B. Hutchins; from him
we got the key patterns. I sent the patterns
to Pinkerton's agency IN Chicago, supposing
they would play part in another case. Since
working that case / have struck
this one. have sent to the
agency for the return of your
KEY patterns. The drafts are very complete
and give full instructions about making. I
have Hutchins On a small charge, 'sshifting
swindle.' VIII hold him for you. If this
will make case for you against him come
down and see me and give him hell in your
own state. Yours truly,
FRANK HATCH.
HATCH TO RICHTER.
Still again Chief of Police Hatch
writes to Sheriff Richter about the pat
terms he got back from Plnkerton that he
referred to above The United States
prisoners referred to in this letter are
Rogers and Clark, who were taken out of
Ramsey county jail and removed to Wi
mona for safe keeping. Mr.. Hatch sends
with this letter diagram of the keys,
and makes further good suggestions. The
following is the letter:
LA CROSSE, WIS, June 6, 1882.
Fred Richter, Sheriff St. Paul:
DEAR SIR: l have just received the patterns
from Pinkerton's. and here give you drawing
from them. This party ought to be reached.
no doubt exists but what he had keys made
to assist the United States prisoners out of
your Jail, but they were transferred to Winona
before it was sprung. Your state statutes
Woung) page $40, section IL, give ample
room Tor furnishing this chan. Yours truly,
FRANK HATCH, Chief.
HATCH TO RICHTER.
CHIEF OF POLICE OFFICE,
La CROSSE, Wis, June 13, 1882.
Sheriff Richter, st. Paul:
DEAR SIR: Enclosed please find pictures of
the parties told you of. The large one with
mustache is the one who had the key pat
terms. He gave his name as John Tosky, the
small one Charley Ryan. Yours truly,
FRANK HATCH, Chief.