The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-03
IN INGENIOUS PRISONER.
Sing sing Convict Who I assesses
Real Inventive Genius.

- matte. OF s.Auv with The habitual offend
a., as how TO get into it. The exploit OF Dan
DriscoI, the condemned Whyo, fashioning
3 Jimmy from his iron bed and preparing to
DIG hi, wav out with Dan Lyons. the muir
JpIer of Quinn, lid not impress the public
a. at a Il wonderful. There was no ingenuity
Jisnlaved. ana the fact tina; the plot was
hetrave1 10 the vartien stamps it as clumsy.
Fxpei.t Jail breakers have no contidauts. and
hence no betravals Besides the attempt
was unsuccessful, and the verest tyro can at
least Try to get out OF Jail.
Last week a reporter had long talk with
oFrench Gus, a real iailbreaker, a genuine
wizard with locks, bolts and bars, who has
broken out of Sing Sing three times, out of
the city prison in Montreal once, the Jail in
Troy Jnce, and who looks upon a prison
much IS we look upon hotel-as place to
walk into or walk out of Just as the fancy
may Iud.
Ere, Oh Gus, or "F'renchy.' or Frank
SAVOY, or "lsadore Marshall" or 'Kindt,"
for be is a perambulating directory of
aliases, if he had been situated as was
Driscou. there would have been no betrayal
or discovery, except the discovery of an
empty cell, and. perhaps, that of keeper
or two lying unconscious in the yard, for he
does not allow U'ivialities TO impede his way
French Gus was found in the engine
height heavy, but not corpuleut, has brown
hair which has been literally silvered,
sallow complexion, a high forehead, which
time is rapidly making higher and quick
gray ewes, which are bright as boys, and
never: at rest. He spoke English with
mar ed accent, but fiueutly. No triher, he.
A man of iron strength and great nerve, of
patience, industry, self-reliance, and,
above all, of brains. He has ingenuity
IN iS
said no better mechanic lives.
Yet for eighteen years he has been
at constant war with society-a professional
burglar, a manufacturer of cracksmen's
tools, filter of skeleton keys and an expert
land pirate OF. high degree. He is now serv-
ing a six-years' sentence given him by
Judge Barrett in Oyer and Terminer June
4. 1885, for cracking the safe of Smith &;
90, No As Park place, and robbing the
store of G. B. Horton & Co, No. 80 Frank
fort street. Allowing Communication for
good conduct, which he is industriously
earning, he has about twenty months yet to
serve.
Inspector Byrnes and other eminent
authorities declare that no safe, however
fortified with chrome iron, time-locks and
combinations, could withstand this mans
attack for half an hour, so learned IS he in
his craft and so powerful the tools he manu-
small wonder then that French Gus should be
honored with extra care by his keepers and
what wonld seem superhuOuSly strong quar-
tiers and yet despite these complimentary
orec buttons it is believed he remains from
from choice than necessity, being anxious to
serve his time and be free to reap the reward
OF some marvellous inventions he has made
while a convict.
He smiled broadly when asked to tell the
-4o IF hiC
hands together slowly, laughed, and--sthen
shrugged his shoulders. He considered the
escapes merely as good jokes, but not as
anything worthy of his skill.
'The first time l escaped, )" he said, twas
from ST g Sing. 1t was an easy matter:
little saw-poof!-I cut through the bars.
I walk out. | get on the railroad. | would
have got away, but a convict saw me go,
and to get favor with the warden, he yelled
TO the guard, and | came back. 1t was so
easy done laughed That was two months
after my sentence in 80 l was in for ten
years.
For eight months l think and think. I
do not know whether it was better to re-
main or to 60 But | get tired, and-well,
| walk out again. How do that! Very
easy. My keeper was about to be dis
charged. l know that. L get some money.
] give it to him. He forgot to count me in
was in February | steal a coat from one
workman l steal pair of overalls from
another. When the company go to supper
I hide. 1t was dark. | take a crowbar.
go to the big iron fence Brum -m-m--I
break one bar. Brum-m-m!-I break
another Then look out There is one
man with rifle near the river bank. |
watch till he turns his back and | slip along
a little. When he turn my way l keep very
still. He turn again, | slip along. So get
to the river and cross on the ice. | go to
HackenSack. Bah it was nothing"
1t may be related in justice to French
Gus that he was not really guilty of bribery
in this tranaction, for the four flfty-dollar
bills which he paid to the keeper were after
wards discovered to be counterfeit.
After eight months was arrested in
Hackensack for little trick l played on a
jewelry store at night. Detective Jackson.
OF Sing Sing, he come down and recognize
me, and very glad to see me. He take me
back. Now l know | lose all my short
time" (his commutation) land | know it
not easy to get away again. | an put in a
strong cell. TIE keepers they all say,
Watch French Gus Well, think and
think. BY and by they put me in the
workshop. | work very steady. Every
body watch me. My cell is searched all the
time. Well, / work steady. By and by
make grand invention. / invent prison
lock by which all the doors can be thrown
open at once or five, ten, fifteen or twenty
doors or only one door. ] complete that i'll
one year-lS74. offer it to Gov. Tilden
for free use by the State if get my pardon.
All the prison authorities they write To say
it is the best lock ever known. 1t is per-
fectly sure. The doors open all by lever,
not by lCck, and no one can get them
open. Well, Gov Tilden he think over
everything and he say no. The prison au-
thorities all surprised. A man get pardon
for an invention that is nothing-a man
with twenty years-for q little table he
make to hang the tickets showing the num-
Der OF men each keeper have"
''WeuM
81 make up my mind | will stay no
longer. Next day begin work on sec
tional jimmy | make one piece this week,
one piece next week, and hide them.
make a little drill--veIy hard very sharp
to cut through stone. / get a fiat bottle,
and fill hun with nitric acid, muriatc
acid-equal part of each. | steal some
more clothes. All is ready for my coup"
Them
First, | take the bottle of acid and the
drill to my cell. With the drill ! bore
small hole through the stone to the bolt.
pour in little acid. The bolt is held IN by
lead. The acid eat the lead. lido this little
BY little Finally | know the lead is all
dust. That night take my new clothes
under my stripes and the jimmy in pockets
| had made down NV legs. 1 am locked up.
NV cell is ON tine Ground floor Opposite is