Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-10-10
A STEEL BEDROOM.
Where Young Joe Cannon Passed a Ratl
er Restless Evening.

Where Young Joe Cannon Passed Rath-
er Restless Evening.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The most uncomfortable bed in Phila-
delphia last night was that occupied by
Joseph Cannon, young bartender, en-
ployed at Peter McGilian's saloon.
Cannon slept in the new vault that is
being put in the keystone National
Bank building at Chestnut and Juniper
Streets.
Cannon, who is % years old, was
roaming through the building with
young Peter MCCLELLAN late in the after
noon when they came upon the i'm
mense vault that is being built in the
banking room. The vault is made of
steel and is about sixteen feet wide by
eight feet deep and eight high. Its
walls are of plates and fully foot thick.
1t has not been quite finished, the lock
has not been put on nor has all the del
icate machinery for moving the door
been adjusted. Cannon stepped inside
steel finishing of the interior
and he found himself in darkness.
young MCCLELLAN, laughing mischievous-
ly at his joke, but Cannon was a trife
scared. He pushed with all his strength
against the heavy door, but his weight
had no effect whatever upon the ton of
steel before him. He cried out in alarm
MCCLELLAN became frightened too, and
pulled while his friend pushed; but they
could not bulge the door by hair S
breadth. Then the Waterman was called
in, and his strength was added to the
eXertion of the other two, but with no
more success.
By this time everybody was pretty
thoroughly scared. The policeman on
the corner was notified and he sum-
moned two or three of his comrades.
Several men who heard of CannOn's
peculiar situation came up with crow
bars. 1t happened that the door did
not shut tightly. and there was room to
insert the end of crowbar between
the door and the side OF the vault.
Two men pushed on each crowbar
and the door yielded little. Finally it
was opened far enough to allow rope
to be passed into Cannon, who was
more dead than alive, and he fastened
the end to bolt on the inside OF the
door. A dozen strong men pulled on
the rope, two men labored at each crew.
bar and Cannon pushed from the inside
The door yielded more. All thought it
was about to fly open. But when one
inch of daylight shone in the heavy
door came to stop.
For two hours the men worked at it,
but not the traction of an inch could
they move it further. It seems there
is a contrivance on the hinges which, if
properly adjusted, will make the door
as easy to open as a gate. No one un-
derstood the patent arrangement. Can
mons hopes fell again. Some one sug-
gested sending for the workman who
was putting in the vault. He lives in
Tioga. A messenger went out there,
and when the workman learned that
Cannon was IN no danger of suffocation,
and that he was not likely to suffer fo1
food or drink he decided to make him
pay for his curiosity, and declined to
come down until this morning.
Meanwhile arrangements had been
made to make Cannon as comfortable
as possible. Candles were handed in to
the imprisoned man and a couple of
blankets were stuffed through the crack.
A small rubber tube was introduced,
and through this Cannon sucked some
tea. He made frugal supper of
crackers, sandwiches and water and at
10 o'clock spread out bis blankets and
declared he was ready to go to sleep.
At midnight he was tossing about on his
hard, steel bed. He will be released
this mOrninp