The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-12-20
THEY WANT TO ESCAPE.
A Chicago Jailer Talks About His
Compulsory Boarders. y
The Class Of Criminals Who Need the
closest Watching-A French Burglars
Wooden Key-Daring Escape by
Way Of the Roof. s'-

Way of the Roof ~
81 have frisky lot of guests in my
hotel" said Jailer Folz to Chicago
News reporter, ''and some of them are
so ungrateful that they want to leave
without stopping to say goodbye.
sit is an easy matter for an outsider
to say: 'Oh! we'll, they'd never keep me
in there. I'd get out somehow but
this same person, if he ever did get in,
would find it difficult matter to es-
cape.
'StilleKe prisoners do not yield to
their fate as passively as might be ex-
pected. There are always men in here
who are too lazy to make move, and 1
verify believe if the doors were left
open they wouldn't have ambition
enough to walk out. They are never
criminals of any note; too lazy even to
commit big crime. -
''But there is another set Of fellows
who need the closest watching. They
are the professional robbers, burglars
and thieves. They would as soon hit
guard on the head and snatch his keys
as eat their dinner. They don't care
two straws about cutting mans throat,
and, knowing that when tried they will
probably get long prison sentence, are
rather reckless in their conduct They
keep quiet and orderly, because they
know it pays to do SO; but give them
once chance and they would make a
break for liberty. Some of the most
expert burglars get in here at times,
and, tell you, it just keeps us busy to
hold those men. They are men who
can take almost any material and make
any kind Of key out of it. Here is one
sample Of their work." and the jailer
produced large wooden key. re
1t was made from the round Of COM
mon wooden chair, and was as finely fin
ished as any key could be. The fanges
for turning the lock had been made out
of another piece of wood, and neatly
fitted in. =
''That was the work of French burg
lar we had in here about nine years
ago." said the jailer. st is the key to
the elevator, and works better than our
own. How he got the stuff don't know,
but he managed to secure the wood and
whittle it out. He never had chance
to use it, however, for discovered it in
time and took possession. Here is another
key that was made for the elevator by
the notorious Alex Mckay. This is of
zinc, and was harder Job for the maker
than the wooden one" The key was
another fine piece of mechanism, being
made from chunk of zinc that had been
int tn hn NJ oh .yif a r.
knife.
The jailer had no lack of these keys
some made from zinc, others tin, iron
and wood, and one curious-looking key
had been made from little tin tube
and piece of wood. Another one was
composed of the wire of peach basket
and the handle Of pail. They were all
marvels in the locksmith line, and
showed the ingenuity of the men who
had made them. Common table-knives
were so notched up as to be made keys,
and pocket-knives were also called into
requisition. Most Of the keys were in
tended for the elevator, and Jailer Folz
explained why that was so.
''It would do them no good to make
keys for their cell doors, and they never
attempt it. Even were the doors not
locked they could not get out A long
rod runs the entire length OF each row
Of cells over the door, preventing II
from being opened except when the rod
is raised, which is done at the end by
one Of the guards, who twists up a
brake-wheel. This brake-wheel is locked,
and whenever the cell doors are closed
and the rod lowered the prisoners are
fast within. But If, during the day
time, they can get the elevator open
they can get down to the kitchen, come
up through the laundry, out into the
office, and then take their chances OF
getting past the man at the door. II
the move was made at night and the
man on guard at the door was over.
powered the scheme would work. Some
years ago scheme was concocted by
which a number Of prisoners were to
escape. The ring-leaders planned to
have a small explosion take place in the
west end of the Jail, and while the
guards would make rush to see what
was the matter, certain number were
to take one Of these elevator keys, &c
down that way and make dash for lib
erty. The plan was feasible, but we
nipped it in the bud and had the ring
leaders in the dungeon before they
knew what the matter was.
Another time two prisoners escaped
by cutting through the ceiling ant
getting out on the roof, but they wer'
captured two days later. A number o
the nrisoners here nj times cut out tn,
zinc from their ventilators, hoping t.
get down through that way. Any mum
Der of fruitless efforts are being made
and we have to be continually on thu
watch. 1 can nearly always tell wheI
there is any mischief on foot, and ther
the prisoners and their cells art
searched."
A Story with q Moral.
A Bath (Me.) butcher has fallen a
victim IN himse1f He noticed a neat