St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-19
Deep-Laid Plot for Delivery
Of the Prisoners in the
County Jail.
The Plan Was Carefully Laid
by Three Very Desperate
Criminals,
But Ed Bean Proved Himself
to Be a Wide-AWake
Official.
A Search Was Made, and Nu-
merous Files and Saws
Were Found.

Sheriff Ed Bean yesterday frustrated
deep-laid plot for delivery of prison
ers now confined in the Ramsey county
Jail. The delivery was carefully planned,
and was being carefully executed during
the night hours by three of the most
desperate criminals within the four
walls of the old bastile. The trio were
amply equipped for the carrying out Of
their designs, and that they did not sue
coed is due to the Watchfulness of the
sheriff. The three chief conspirators
are James Marsh, Jack Mccoy and Rob-
ert Gefford. The first named is in
durance vile for assault with intent to
kill, and the last two for COMMUNICATING
the coin of the realm.
Ten days ago Sheriff Bea ms suspi-
cions were aroused by Marsh requesting
to he removed from his present quarters
in the left wing to another section.
Marsh complained that he could not
sleep for the noise, but acted so pecul-
iarly that the sheriff told him he was
doing well enough where he.was, and
left with the resolve that he would keep
a still closer watch upon the prisoner.
Marsh atall times wears his hat and coat
and is ever in readiness to make a
break for liberty. The suspicion
aroused at the time of the re-
quest of Marsh was made stronger
by report from the female servants
employed at the jail, that they heard
rather queer noises in the prisoners
quarters, notwithstanding number of
those III confinement were singing, talk
ing or walking along the irOn-ti0ored
corridors. Night after night the sheriff
concealed himself in the cellar beneath
the cells and at other points of vantage
about the building, and very quickly
learned that his SurmlseS were correct
a Well-organiZed movement was on foot
for a Jail delivery.
Yesterday Sheriff Bean notified his
deputies to be in the Office of the jail at
O'clock. At the hour appointed ten of
his officers were on hand. The sheriff
revealed to his Subordinates what he
had discovered. 1t was a surprise to
the deputies. the operations of the con-
spiratorS having been so carefully and
quietly carried on that not even the
night watch had any suspicious. The
body of officers marched into the
jail proper, and calling out to the
prisoners inspection the search be-
gan. Each prisoner was stripped and
searched, but nothing was found in
their clothing. A thorough eXamina-
ton of the cells followed, with results
beyond the expectation of any Of the
officers. In the cells of Marsh, Mccoy,
and Clifford were found:
One very small file.
Four fine steel saws.
One saw made from a knife blade.
Two iron wedges.
Five skeleton keys.
Two case knives. 80
One large pocket knife.
Three pieces of scrap iron.1
One large piece OF iron, foot square,
wTenched off q wash basin.
One wire hook
The file had been used for making the
saws. The steel saws were made from
clock springs and varied in size. The
wedges were used in loOSening the
stones of the wall. The scrap
iron served as a hammer and
also the purpose of Jimmy" or lever
for prying the stones. The case knives
had been converted into saws. All the
tools were carefully concealed in the
hammocks of the three criminals men,
toned. The hammockS are one piece Of
heavy canvas. and beneath the fasteu-
ings of these the tools had been hidden.
The principal articles were found in the
cell of Marsh. One of the large stones
i'm Marsh's cell had been loosened and
the work of cutting through the iron
into the cellar was just beginning. 1t
was evidently the plan, after the open
ing into the cellar had been made, for
the others to cut through the bars of
their cells and join Marsh. Entrance
into the cellar having been effected,
escape would be comparatively easy.
Sheriff Bean removed the prisoners to
other quarters. Heretofore, on the
regular visiting days, the acquaintances
and friends of Marsh, Mccoy and Gift
ford have been allowed to visit them
and hand in little. delicacies. There is
no doubt that the articles designed to
effect escape, were handed id to the
prisoners by outsiders. Hereafter no
one will be allowed to see either OF the
three, and they will be kept under the
strlctest surveillance.
James Marsh is powerful Young
man who resides in st. Paul. Several
months ago he was released from the
penitentiary, where he served term
return to the city from the ''pen," he
was discovered prowling about
the residence of Thad. G..
Jones, on st. Anthony hill.
Mr.. Jones gave the Would-be burglar a
tussle, and was severely cut in the
fight. Marsh while running away fired
two shots at Jones. When arraigned in
the city court he suddenly stepped upon
register, thence to window sill, and,
diving headlong through a large plate
glass, ran down the alley between the
court house and jail, over fences and
through back lots III the rear of the
Union block, but was recaptured at the
corner of Fourth and Minnesota streets.
The Ramsey county jail has held
some pretty tough customers, but
James Marsh is considered the most
dangerous and desperate. At the Still
water penitentiary he had the reputa-
ton of being the worst prisoner ever
confined there, and just before his time
was up was confined seven weeks i'll
the dungeon.
Robert Clifford is a resident of West
st. Paul. He was arrested for counter
feiting silver dollars and placed in the
county Jail on Dec. 4. He is not con-
sidered so dangerous a person as the
others.
Jack Mccoy was arrested by the
United States officers and brought to st.
Paul from Wisconsin on April s. His
offense is also counterfeiting, and he is
| considered 'sbad 'un.'