The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-10
TEN DAYS OF DIGGING
And still those Prisoners did not
Escape from Jail.
THE TOWN AMUSED BY THE STORY
OF the Attempt of Certain Jail Birds
to Get out-The Fact as to how the
Operations became Known to the
ShoriG-A County Commissioners
Makes Some Pertinent Suggestions
for the Sheriff

The IN|TEELIGENcER yesterday printed
an account of an attempt to break out
Of the county jail by several prisoners.
There were a good muny rumora about
the matter going about but the IN:
TELLleEScER preferred not to print
these, desiring to wait and allow the
sheriff to give his own version in his
personal organ. 1t was we'll known
that, although Sheriff Franzheim had
charged everybody whom he toek into
mis- confidence not to breathe q word OF
the matter to a living soul, he himself
could not keep from giving it all away,
His story appeared in the Register yes
terday. He admits that he knew pris-
oners were digging q hole in the wall
ten days before he did anything to stop
it, and that he watched the point
where the hole would pierce il COM
pleted to see the men come out.
This frank admission Us to his man
agement at Il critical time caused
amusement among some people, and in
dignation with others. Many people do
nounced his allowing the work OF inIur-
ing the wall to go on so long unmolest'
ed. The general idea was that he pro.
posed 10 allow the men to get out, and
take chances Of recapturing them, but
changed his mind when somebody
showed him the lack OF wisdom in such
a course. There were people who as
cribed the sheriifs peculiar conduct to
his desire to secure two more guards,
80 that he might reward two OF his po-
litical henchmen in the late campaign.
who were led to expect something and
have not yet received it.
An lNrGLLIGENCER reporter yesterday
called on Mr.. Peter Voellinger, OF
Centre district, a county commissioner
and member OF the committee on court
house and Jail and u Democrat. Mr..
Voellinger said no had read OF the at
tempted Jail break, and he regarded it
rs a fine state OF affairs when the Jail
officers and sheriff knew the wall was
being dug into, and yet lot it go on for
ten days without interfering. "Why,"
said he, "if he wanted a hole dug, why
didn't he give the prisoners q crowbar
and pickaxe? Then they could have
got out sooner. We ought to buy u
fire escape rope for the men, so US to
keep them from tearing up their
blankets, and put q kit OF tools in each
cell then they would not need to do
stroy the costly soil buckets and the
iron cots to make tools.
~ DO not suppose the cells were
searched, and they ought to be at least
once a week, all the prisoners being put
in another place. The idea of the mon
accommodating all sorts OF tools, and even
kindling wood, in the cells, and their
blankets being missing for days, and
nobody in authority knowing it, is pre-
posterous.
There is no occasion to hire addi-
tional men. With proper vigilance the
present force is sufficient. The board
had peep holes cut through the wall so
that everything going on inside can be
seen from the outside and the prisoners
know nothing Of it. Those holes cost
$50. yet the jailer and sheriff use them
merely to watch the men dig at the
walls, and make no attempt to stop 1t.
wish Mr.. Steenrod and Mr.. Dimmy
could have run the new jail about six
months; they would have showed the
new force how a jail ought to be run.
"As to those bent bars in the lever
locks. they should make no difference
in the security OF the cells, for those
locks arc intended only to hold tho
prisoners in until the individual lock
on each occupied cell can BIO locked.
The committee will have to look into
the matter and sec that the county's
property is not wilfully destroyed any
longer"
As to how Sheriff Franzheim learned
OF the existence OF tho conspiracy"
different stories are told. The sheriff
does not tell just where he got his
first suspicion, but on other good auth
ority it Is learned that q prisoner in the
jul "gave the snap away" On tho &C.
casion of the former attempt at the
same place, tho information came
through Marshal Cooke, OF Benwood,
who got II from q prisoner who had
been in tho Jail here and was afterwards
removed to Benwood.
At one meeting OF the county com
missioners 1t was reported that eighteen
OF the costly iron soil buckets had been
destroyed, and they were ordered re-
placed at a cost OF 81 so apiece. 1t is
now said that others have been destroy
cd, the fragments being converted into
tools. The canvas on the cots was cut
into shreds, by means OF sharpened
pieces Of tin, procured by destroying
the tincups. a little vigilance and dis
cipline, 1t is tho opinion OF everybody
who has spoken on tho subject, would
prevent this wilful destruction OF pro.
perty. 1t was said by n commissioner
yesterday that moro property has been
destroyed since january l in the u
ty jail than in the entire four years Of
Ex.Shorlff Steenrod's administration,
and he thought this indicated some.
thing radically wrong. 1t Is tho Gus.
tom, or has been, with Sheriff Fran.
zhcim, to order what he thinks Is need
cd, and send in the bill. Mr.. Steenrod
used to ask authority OF the committee
first and then mako his purchases,
Tho fact seems to bo, judging from
MIR. Franzheim's own statement, as II
appeared in his own personal organ
yesterday, that the Jail Is about as bad.
ly run as II could DO.