The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-01-31

| Oouo mOnlnS ago lot OF silly hog
wash was circulated regarding an alleged
desperate plot on the part of the Jones
brothers to escape from the old Jail, and
claiming that the Sheriff escaped dire cal
antilles by getting the men into the new
Jail. There was not word, or shadow
of truth in the report, and the Standard
very properly ridiculed the nonsense, by
printing a burlesque article claiming that
numerous deadly weapons were placed in
possession of the criminals. Subsequent
developments have shown that there was
more truth in the Standards burlesque
than in the original story. The prison
ers had no plot to escape, but of course
could not be expected to he proof against
temptation thrown in their way by
thoughtlessness.
After the capture of Bill and Luke
Jones on last Wednesday, we went into
the Jail and talked with them. The
place through which they came out into
the corridor was made by breaking an
inch rod, composed of wrought iron and
chrome steel, and here we must tell of the
precautions used against these "desper-
ate" men, by the guards.
The water-closet has rim to fit around
the seat, which is held in an upright posi-
ton by a very heavy weight. This lacks
two ounces of weighing 20 pounds.
When this rim is tipped down it causes
rinse-water to flow to the basin; and as
soon as released the weight tips the rim
up again. This is fastened on by slight
hinge, and was easily removed. That
tells how they got the "sledge" The
specifications do not call for this "sledge"
being in there.
On the outside of the exercise room
fronting the cells, is corridor for the
guards. This is a morrow space but a
very few feet in width. In this narrow
space in full oiea0 of the Jones boys was
constantly kept box containing the re-
volvers, used by the guards, and those ta-
ken from prisoners. There was also in
the box on the day Of the escape razor
and bottle of whisky, taken, it is claim
ed, from some prisoner who was brought
in. One of the guards, James Baker, was
out of town on Wednesday, and while
Fred. Reed was at dinner the prisoners
secured piece off of the bed in one of
the cells, and with it 'fished" the box of
revolvers over to the grating, and helped
themselves to the contents. They secur-
ed their o1o71 revolvers from this box.
Al. Castor, confined in the opposite tier
of cells, declares that he heard them di-
viding the cartridges. They had three
revolvers having two and Bill one.
After securing the pistols aud ammuni-
tion, they took the "sledge" and by few
blows snapped off the bar-or rod-like
so much pig metal. After they got out
into the corridor they went around and
invited Laban Stephens to come along,
offering to break bar for him, but that
individual divedi ntO the dungeon and
closed the door.
While we were examining the broken
bar. Bill called out:
Il only hit it three times"
"Do you call this strong jail? we ask
ed him.
mo, I do not! That fellow Mitchell
brags about the strength of it, but can
take that sledge and knock the whole
thing down. I can break every bar in
it."
"Bill, do you think it would be much
harder to knock down than rail fence ?''
"Not bitp'
"Why did you not wait till near dark to
make the attempt?"
"Because we are shut in the cells in the
evening, and there were men working in
the Jail, and making a noise which assist
ed us"
"Had you any definite plan of escape
before the actual attempt?"
"No! Our first thought was, when Fred
went to dinner, to fish the box over, get
the pistols, and "cod" Fred, on the joke
we had On him when he came back; but
when we heard the noise in the other
parts of the Jail, we concluded to try to
get away"
"Why did you not seize some of the
horses on the street?"
1--WE didn't see any that looked like
fresh, fast animals
did you and Yves. Steele have scufle