The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-12
The FUNNY JAIL BREAK
Still the Subject OF Mirth at the
sherlf''s Expense,
The MORE The AUTHORITIES TALK
Tho Deeper in the Hole they Get.
Several Inaccuracies in the State.
ment Published ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
man Fritz, of the Court House and
Jail Committee Makes Statement,

man Fritz, of the Court House and
Jail Committee Makes q Statement,
Yesterday Jailor Weiseerber rushed
into print in statement intended to
defend the recent ten days monkey
business while number OF men were
known to be digging q hole in the wall
with view to escaping, The sheritf's
own statement Of that matter, though
it abounded in inaccuracies" was the
severest arraignment OF his manage,
ment that has yet been made, and it is
no wonder that Mr., Weisgerber felt
called upon to come to his defense. I'm
fortunately Mr., Weisgerber is mistaken
about several things, lie says the
former attempt to escape was not under
Franzheim's administration, 1t was,
though, and Mr.. Franzheim has said
that he fired his revolver at the prison
ers who were trying to escape at that
time. He did not let them work ten
days unmolested, after he learned from
Benwood officers that an attempt was
in progress.
Yesterday County Commissioners
Fritz, chairman OF the committee on
court house and jail, gave the INTELLI.
GENcER his statement OF the affair,
which shows that Mr.. Weisgerber does
not know why peremptory stop was
put to the digging at the wall on Mon
day.
Mr.. Fritz says that on last Saturday
he met Tailor Weisgerber in the Fifth
ward market, and the latter said sever.
| al Of the prisoners needed clothes, were
nearly naked. Mr.. Fritz said the sher-
id ought to present list every month
OF what was needed, and not let the
prisoners become nearly naked. He
promised to SEQ what could be done.
At that time not word was said OF the
attempt, then in progress, to escape.
On Monday Mr.. Fritz received tele-
phone message from Chief Deputy 0tte,
saying tho sheriff desired to see him on
very important business. He met the
sheriff later, and was told about the
attempt to break out.
Mr.. Fritz asked him why he did not
stop 1t at once on finding itout, lock
up the man who was engaged in it and
keep him locked up, and give the other
prisoners to understand that similar
punishment awaited anybody who
might try in tho future.
Mr.. Franzheim responded that he
wanted to find out who all were en-
gagged in the plot, and, he naively
added, how much work was done each
dayl
Mr.. Fritz told the sheriff that such n
thing should be allowed to proceed
only until discovered, and then those
known to be in it should be promptly
punished. He said the work must be
allowed to 60 on no longer. Mr.. Franz.
helm wanted the committee called, but
Mr.. Fritz declined, saying the COM
mittee could do nothing but stop the
digging, and tho sheriff should have
done that long before. II was for this
reason that the work was brought to n
stop Monday after ten days progress.
Franzheim told Chairman Fritz that
he was lying at the peephole one.half
day, with a revolver in his hand and a
rife beside himl
Mr.. Fritz says when he was in the
iail on Monday four or five prisoners
were on tho second cell corridor talk.
Ing across to Jailer Weisgerber, who
was In the guard room-a fine specimen
OF discipline. Weisgerber said Annie
Costello dropped her corset steels
through the peep holes to the male
prisoners. Ifdropped there they would
only fall on the balcony, where the
prisoners have no business to be; how
could they get them. II they got them,
how could they file teeth on them, and
after they were converted into saws,
to what use could they be put? Be-
sides all which, it is said on good au-
thority that the gentle AMMO does not
wear corsets.
In conclusion Mr.. Fritz said: 81 saw
Mr.. Voellinger's statement yesterday,
and from personal knowledge can
vouch for every statement he made. II
any person thinks the jail is not good
one, let him go in n cell and be locked
in by competent turnkey, and he will
see how easy 1t is to get out.
During the talk with Mr.. Fritz Mr..
Voellinger was present, and he corrob-
GRATED many of Mr.. Fritz's statements
from his own knowledge Of the facts
As to another point attempted to be
made by Mr.. Weisgerber, all recent
prison construction provides for soil
buckets. All other plans have been
discarded by the best prison builders.
Yesterday afternoon, shortly after 2
o'clock, five Of the prisoners charged
with attempting to break from the
county Jail, were arraigned before JUS
tice Ankle. They were remanded to
jail in default OF 5000 bond each, for the
next sitting Of the grand jury. The
men held were Anthony Corners,
James Sutton, John Mike, Gin Hines
| md .Iohn Shnfflin