The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-18
NIPPED IN THE BUD,
Three Criminals Prepare to Break Jail But are
Found out by the Sheriff and JaIler Be
fore the Attempt was slade.

Yesterday Sheriff Cone announced the
| discovery of plot among the prisoners of
the Jail which had the discovery been de-
layed day or two longer would have re-
suited in an attempt at Jail breaking and
possibly murder
Three men, Clyde Mattux, J. f. Stanley
| and J. r. Jacobs, are in jail charged with
murders committed in the territory, and
were placed here by the United States
marshals for safe keeping until they had
their trials.
A week or so ago Jailer Massey suspect
ed from the actions of these men that
something was wrong some way and com
municated his suspicious to Sheriff Cone
who at once determined to investigate.
All the prisoners are required TO take
bath once week and last
Wednesday was the turn of these
men and prisoner named Lee West
United States prisoner serving year for
introducing whisky into the nation. The
men were taken to their bath room by the
jailer, and while there the sheriff slipped
into their cells and searched them thor
oughly. A brace and bit such as is used
by machinists to bore plate iron, a fine
saw, files, and key made of babbit metal
to fit the outside door, were found.
Sheriff Cone had a strong suspicion that
some of the men had firearms, and when
they returned from their bath they were
all made to sit down on bench, and then
stood up one at time and carefully
searched. 4 large 45-calibre gun was
found on Stanley concealed under his pants
in the groin so that it took careful look
i'm nd fool 70 II Siv Of
the chambers were loaded, and bag of
cartridges to fit the gun were found in
Mattux' possession.
The prisoners admitted enough to show
that it was their intention to overpower
the jailer when he went TO feed them
or else kill him and make rush for the
outer door, unlock it with the false key
and escape. The man West was one of
the conspirators and intended making his
escape at the same time.
Sheriff Cone kept his own counsel and
at once set to work to discover who il was
that handed in the tools and revolver to
the prisoners. 1t did not take long to de-
eide who these parties were, and it was
decided that a man named Pat Norris,
who came from Arkansas City, furnished
the gun, and w H. Hart, of Guthrie, the
tools. The sheriff sent Deputy II. c.
Spaun to Arkansas City and John f. Rat
lift to Guthrie, where they arrested the
two men and brought them up yesterday.
and they are now behind the bars of the
bastile that they hoped to deliver their
friends from. =
The arrival of the first prisoner was the
denoument, and much surprise was mani
tested around the court house that no one
had known anything about it.
Much credit is due Sheriff Cone and
Jailer Massey for the quiet and efficient
manner in which they handled the case
from the discovery of the plot TO the
capture of the two accomplices.
The sheriff informed the EAGLE re-
porter that he more than suspected a
former prisoner, who had served term
for counterfeiting. with having a hand in
the plot but could not find evidence |
enough to warrant the arrest of the fell |
low
The four would-be Jail breakers are now
in the revolving cage at the west end of
the Jail, each in a separate cell, and no
more trouble is feared from them.
The other cells were all thoroughly |
searched, and no movement of any of the |
prisoners will escape the notice of Jailer |
Massey in the future.