The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-12
CASSIDY AT IT AGAIN.
EE ATTEMPTS TO SAW THROUGH
THE BARS OF BIS CELL

THE BARS OF his CELL
Signals Passed Between Cassidy and
the. Other Prisoners Lead TO the
Discovery Of the Murderer's Plot to
Escape-A Steel File Made from a
Knife Blade and a Heavy Bone
Found Concealed in His Cell-The
Mortar in the Wall Worked Loose
and the Iron Bars Partly Cut IN Two.
Thomas Cassidy has not yet abandoned
all hope of breaking Jail. His latest plan
was frustrated yesterday, through the Wig
ilance Of the officers Cassidy was removed
from bis old cell yesterday morning to
another part of the Jail, and a saw made
of knife blade was found in the cell that
he vacated, and large soup bone, which
would have served as a weapon in a close
conflict. was also found concealed in the
cell. Cassidy had begun to displace the
mortar and loosen the brick, and had
artfully concealed his work by a picture
that he had hanging over the breach he bad
made in the wall
A CODE or SIGNALS.
The suspicious of Sheriff Roman and the
Jail officials were aroused two or three days
ago, when il was discovered that code of
signals had been established between Cas-
sidy and one or more Of the prisoners. The
code, however, was unintellgible TO the
Jail officials, and Sheriff Roman cautioned
his jailer and guards TO exercise the utmost
vigilance, and that whatever break might
follow Cassidy in particular was to be pre-
vented from getting out. He directed that
double barreled shot yum be kept handy in
the Office, and he himself saw that it was
loaded with shells cont lining fourteen buck
shot If Cassidy had succeeded in breaking
out of his cell his first step outside Of 1t
would have been his death warrant.
CAssIDY's PARTNER
On Tuesday, Charles Cooke, one Of the
guards after long being baffied, detected
that the signals were passed between
Cassidy and prisoner named Johnson who
occupied an adjoining cell, the latter under
a penitentiary sentence for connection with
the Berg robbery. under the bluff. Cooke
reported his discov to Sheriff Roman and
Deputy Jailer kinchley, and it was deter
mined to keep close watch on
when johnson would be- taken to
The court house as witness for the State in
the trial of Smith. and when they re- urned
to the Jail to confine him in another cell.
This plan was unwittingly disarranged By
Guard Sullivan, who heard Cassidy at work
III MS Cell, ana Cdlleu OUT 10 KNOW WHaU ne
was doing. Quite an uproar was created
by johnson and Cassidy, the latter becom-
ing very indignant at the reflection that he
was not very quiet and a well disposed
prisoner generally. 1t was thought best to
move johnson, and he was given another
cell.
IT'S ALL UP"
Yesterday morning johnson and Smith
we're taken to the Superior Court, and when
they were returned, they were locked up in
cells on the floor below the one in which
Cassidy is confined. Cassidy's cell was uu-
locked and Cassidy was brought out into
the corridor. He was thoroughly searched
but nothing was found on his person. AS
the key was turned on him in his new cell
Cassidy threw up his hands in a tragic way
and said something about it being ''all up
A close examination of his old cell not
only revealed the breach in the wall and
the saw and bone, but evidence of his work
on the bars was found Sheriff Roman said
that Cassidy had sawed the depth of half
an inch in one of the iron bars of the cell.
CAssIDY'S THIRD ATTEMPT
Tho victim of Cassidy's murderous at
tempt to escape two weeks ago had not vet
recovered sufficiently TO be able to report
for duty, when Cassidy was detected in
another studied effort to break Jail, and
there is no doubt that he would have made
desperate reslsJdncs II ne nhd succeeded In
getting out Of his cell. He would not have
depended a second time on his bare
knuckles. The heavy bone in the hands of
as powerful a man as Cassidy would not
have required a second blow, as it did in the
assault upon Dinon.
CASSIDY CLOSELY WATCHED
Sheriff Roman at first was very much dis
inclined to give any information, but
when informed by a MORNING NEWS
reporter that the principal features
of the attempted escapade were known, he
entered fully into the details, which are
given above. Mr.. Roman added "We are
guarding Cassidy much closer than guard
my money This is Cassidy's third at
tempt to escape. twice by violence, and the
third time anything would doubtless have
been resorted to TO further the chances for
No liberty.