The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-18
ANOTHER ATTEMPT
On the Part or the Jail Prisoners ia
Escape,
Which. However. Is Defeated aut an
Earnest Worker Marked for
Recognition.

A grand conspiracy for jail delivery vss
broken ~ yesterday, and some Of the fea-
lures of the affair are worthy OF record II
hss long been custom of the prisoners in
the coop. otherwise known as the .'Commis-
sioners' Folly TO make regular attempts to
escape and in the four years past these
attempts have resulted In The cutting away
OF bars, etc, until the building is . system Of
patchwork from one end to the other. Yes
tsrday afternoon another attempt was msds
TO cut q way oct OF the coop. which was de-
fested by the officers, aud which would
hardly aave been worthy of mention bat for
the Developments Ringing on the incident.
About two weeks ago a bolt was observed
to he missing from the board ceiling OF the
cell room In the jail, which is the place where
the worst criminals are kept Some of the
men were ass ed about IL, but they denied all
knowledge of The matter. Nothing more vas
said bat close watch was kept upon the ac-
ton OF the prisoners. Several simes
their looks and motions indicated mischief
bat beyond this nothing was learned. When
the atieu pied escape from the coon occurred
yesterday afternoon the sound of a saw cut
ting an iron bar was he ard from the cell room
of the main building. One of the officers
went into tie attic above this part of the jau
and ssw one OF the prisoners saving away at
the bars which, when cut would admit them
made. The prisoner was standing uooa a
board one end OF which leaned against tue
wall while the other wos held ND
by another prisoner The slarting no
sition of the board made il necessary that
the man standing thereon should put one
OF bis hands through the grating in order to
hold himself in position. The officer who
had gone 10 the attic observed the fingers
clingirg to the bars and in order to identity
the man, be drew bis knife aud made slight
cut across three OF them. Up to this mo.
ment the prisoners had been singing aud
making other noises on the inside to prevent
she sound of the saw being beard in the of
ice, bot the instant the fingers Of the pris-
uIer were cut the noise ceastd d. and IN a mo-
ment all evidences of the conspiracy
we're put out OF sight, each
prisoner appearing as innocent az
possible vheI two officials entered few
minutes later. OF course il was the work of
bat moment TO learn who the prisoner was
who bad his iDgere cut The men were all
ordered into their cells, and q strict search
was made for tools, but the hunt for the saw
which had been Used was unavailIng. The
prisoners said it had been dropped into the
sink hut this is not certain. Among other
Ihirgs discovered was heavy mace which
had been manufactured from the leg OF
stool, and il was learned that this was to be
esd in another plan if the opportunity of
terto, which was 10 give it into the
ha, DIS OF some prisoner who should call for
something at noon, when but one man is on
watch st the Office When he had been sd.
mitted TO the iron coop between the cell.
room and the office he way to make effort
10 mace the officer in charge, release the
balance Of the prisoners. and after taking
the yslEables from the safe, the entire gang
would walk ont of the building without
nolesiauon. The work of yesterday has
brnken up both plans and has satisfied the
authorities that some one from thu outside
lie making desperate effort to secure the
release of certain men by furnishing them
with tools.