The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-10
TOOLS FOUND
IN THE COUNTY JAIL
In the Cell Occupied by the Glenn
Murderers.
Weapons Of a Dangerous Charac-
ter and Keys
Taken from Kelly and Christie,
None too Soon
TO PREVENT AN ESCAPE.
Another Mysterious Attempt at
Robbery
At the Hoffman Residence, where
Glenn was Shot,
Which at this Time is Certainly
Striking
At the Hoffman Residence, where
Glenn was Shot,
Which at this Time is Certainly
a Striking
And Suggestive Coincidence
Official Reticence.

Yesterday miscellaneous collection OF
knives, clubs, keys and other rude tools
likely to be of service in an attempt to
escape from prison were found in the
cell at the county Jail occupied by
Thomas Kelly and Harry Christie, the
two men recently convicted in the Cir
cult Court of the murder OF Policeman
Joe Glenn in January. The men were
retained in the jail here pending mo-
ton for new trial. They were gener-
ally regarded asgood men to watch, and
how they accumulated their collection
OF tools and weapons, incomplete US this
collection was, without arousing suspi-
picion, cannot be conjeCtured. If ispot
believed, however, that they we're fur
nished with anything by outside friends,
the character OF the outfit causing the
belief that they made all the tools them
selves except one large jack knife.
How the discovery was made is a mat,
ter OF dispute. An lSTELLIGENCER re.
porter was told ut the Sheritf's office that
Jailer Nichols had had his suspicious
aroused, and telephoned for Sheriff
Handlan, who went to the Jail accom-
panied BY Officers Carney and Gaus,
OF the city police force, and Deputy Sher-
i'll White. a search oil the cell occu:
pied by the two men, after they had
been removed into another cell, resulted
in the discovery OF two bludgeons or
clubs, a knife, piece OF 9 woman's cor
set steel sharpened till its edge was us
keen as razor, and set in wooden
handle, with wire ferrule, two or three
keys made OF lead, wire and tin, and
some pieces OF clock spring.
WHO GAVE THE POINTER?
Where the material to manufacture
this layout could have been procured is
not suggested, but it is argued, and the
argument seems plausible, that il a
friend or accomplish OF the two men had
furnished the tools from the outside,
they would have furnished better tools.
The reporter called on Jailer Nichols,
who seemed very reluctant to say any
thing about the affair, but under persis-
tent catechising admitted the substantial
truth OF the information already OBJ
tained. How hissuspiCions were aroused
he declined to say, but said rumor that
woman who was recently discharged
from the jail had dropped hints which
led to the discovery was not true. In
refusing to disclose the source Of the in
formation he was probably acting with
wise discretion. 1t is pretty well as
sured, however, that the common version
OF the diRcoYery, TO the effect that the
prisoners were working on a piece Of
steel, i'm which they were nicking saw
teeth, and that the noise they made ut
tracted attention, is not true. The men
have acted with too much intelligence
throughout their confinement TO make
this story credible.
ABOUT READY TO GO.
There Is reason to believe that the
discovery was very timely, and that the
mems plans were SO nearly ripe that
they had intended to make some sort Of
a break about 9 o'clock yesterday after
noon. Either fellow prisoner or late
prisoner probably furnished information
to this effect. II so, Jailer Nichols re-
ticence is easily explained.
The clubs, the jailer says, were appa-
rently sections Of a whitewash brush
handle, and the wire such as is used to
wrap broOms and brushes.
1t is understood that the two prisoners
will be closely confined in separate cells
and careful search made ut frequent in
tervals hereafter until their case is final
ly disposed OF by the court. The gen.
eral expression about town is that the
discovery will injure the mems interests
in popular judgment. 1t looks MS ii the
prisoners had very little confidence in
the result OF q new trial or IN appeal, or
they would have waited patiently the
outcome Of future proceedings before
prejudicing their case in this way.
The men took the discovery and block
ing Of their game with very bad grace,
and were sullen about it all the rest OF
the day. The presence OF the clubs
looks rs il they expected to have to use
violence in getting away.