The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-01-28
The lCon,' Man,s storv.

'The place'was full of hard cases, and
I hadn't been in there three days when
we formed plot to break out. Every
county jail has its weak spot. This one
was strong in doors and bars and walls,
but weak at the bottom. 1t would be
no job at all to go through the floor and
tunnel out.
There were six cells in the one corri-
dor and sixteen of US in the crib. Ten
Of us had, therefore, to sleep on cots out
side OF the cells. We took the cell
furthest from the door to begin opera
tons In. There was no watch kept on
US at night, and before morning we had
q fine tunnel started.
There was jailer, stupid boy of
IL as turnkey, and the jailer's wife.
Everything was passed in to us through
wicket, and there was no call for the
Jaller to come among us. It was a ter
ribly strong place, just the same, and
the only weak spot. as have said, was
the chance for tunnel. A chap named
lodging Bill, who was in for burglary,
boSsed the job. He pretended to know
Just which way to head the tunnel, and
just how far to dig to come out in the
alley behind the jail, and of course none
OF us interfered.
''At the end of three days we were all
ready to 60 out. The idea was, of
course, to 60 at night, but one of the
prisoners was taken very i'll, and we
put on the escape for another twenty
four hours. About mid-afternoon of
the next day there was an alarm of fire
In the town, and we saw the taller and
his assistant hurry away from the Jail.
As this left the wife alone, and as every-
body would be at the scene of the fire.
We concluded to go out then.
Dodgtng Bill had dug as near the
surface IS he dared. He now passed on
ahead to break out the way, and we fol.
lowed Close upon his heels-thzt is,
three or four Of US. The tunnel was
short. and would not hold over three or
four. The others stood ready to creep
In IS we crept out. was next to Bnf,
and as he broke the crust and daylight |
streamed in, heard q scream from a
woman. Next moment there was a
dash of water into the tunnel, followed
by another and another, and enough |
came IN to drown u.s. We had to shin ]
back, and Bill was half dead when we /
seized his heels and drew him out
What had happened? Well. the /
tunnel was too short by fifteen feet. In.
stead of coming up in the alley, Bill |
broke ground IN the back yard, and /
right at the feet of the jailer's wife, who /
was washing. As the ground gave way
she saw hand and arm, and, being a |
woman, she tumbIed to the
tunnel plot. There were three tubs on 1
her bench, and she poured the contents
Of each one into the hole, and then
ran In and brought out boiler of hot
'Eater and swished that In for good luck.
That didn't satisfy her that she had
driven us back, and she puts wooden
conductor under the pump. leads the ]
1ther end TO the hole. and She didn't let
1P pumping for straight hour Such
vas the grade of the tunnel that we
we're ankle deep in water in the CORR
Tor before she ceased operations. II
vas a fine display of woman's ready
git, AID although we were half starved |
md shackIed TO the cell doors for the
text fortnight, none Of US held anv
rudge against the jailer's wife. MIL
Sun