The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-10-18
Murderer Harry HayWard'S
Desperate Plot to Escape
From Jail.
Plans for the Affair Cum
ningly Laid but Nicely
Defeated.
Over $4,000 Found on the
Prisoner and Hidden in
His Cell.

ChOllo VI thC CtIlS uhIhO IAlO4SOS
assistant janitor at the court house,
plan to iberate Harry Hayward and Sc
cure his escape from the gallows has
been frustrated. The. duplicate keys
which had been prepared to open the
locks to the cell and the Jail were
brought to the sheriff Friday and found
to be keys which would accomplish the
end for which they were designed. The
break for liberty was to have been at
tempted Friday night.
The sheriff and his assistants have
known for three weeks of Hayward's
latest plans to escape and he was al
lowed to nurse the delusive hope that
he would escape. Arrangements were
made to nab the conspirators, but pre-
mature publication i'll an evening paper
spoiled the programme.
Sheriff Holmberg's statement of the
plot is that two Of the conspirators were
to enter the Jail and sandbag the jailor.
Hayward was to be released and con-
cealed by friend, who was to keep him
hidden month or so, and then he was
to make his way to Africa or some
other distant country.
Details of the Scheme.
About three weeks ago it was appar-
ent that Hayward was carefully nur-
turing plans to escape, and increasing
vigilance was the sheriff's instructions
to his men, Mike Kierce, who has had
much experience with prisoners in the
county jail, was taken into the matter,
and he was intrusted with gaining the
confidence of the prisoner that more
might be learned. Hayward was want
ing trusted aid among the men en-
ployed about him, and he was caught
by the alluring manner in which Kierce'
talked of the possibility of escape.
Kierce worked upon the feelings of the,
prisoner to such an extent that he
trusted him as he would his own
mother, and permitted him to have
charge of the key with which it was
proposed to unlock the lever box which
holds Hayward in his cell and by means
of the unlocking Of which he would be
permitted to escape.
Mrs. Hayward Had the Key.
Mike Kierce secured the commission
of getting duplicate key from Mrs.
Hayward. On Tuesday morning about
10 o'clock he met Mrs. Hayward ON
Seventh street. There he delivered a
note to her and made arrangements to-
meet her again at 2 o'clock the same
afternoon at restaurant On Washing
ton avenue north. The appointment
was kept, and Mrs. Hayward delivered
at that time to Kierce a key which will
unlock the lever, leaving the gates to
the cells in place This key was tried
by Kierce in presence of Hayward, and
it fitted nicely.
The impression of the key was Sc
cured in novel manner. The sheriff
permits each prisoner to have a candle
i'll his cell. Hayward, it is supposed,
took his candle and worked it in his
hands until the tallow was made into a
dough. The key was then taken from
the box, which is near Hayward's cell,
and where it was left carelessly por-
ton of the time. 1t was inserted in this
waxy, greasy substance and an exact
impression was obtained.
A Surprise for Harry.
By the premature publication of the
affair the sheriff's original plan of nab,
bling the conspiratsors was frustrated
and instead a little surprise party for
Harry was decided upon. About 7:45
p. m. Deputies Megaarden, Langum,
Maish and Bright entered the cell and
without word began to search The
prisoner. First hey searched his Pc
pockets. All they found was So
bills and silver Che prisoner was
to strip, and he stripped. Next
to his flesh, was found belt.
There were three compartment. in
this belt. One contained $720 Ill "f :
and the other $500 in cash There was
another article in the canvas belt, and
it was a secret cipher. From its APP
pearance it is evident that there are two
ciphers in existence, and il Is supposed
that it was prearranged so that Hay
ward might Communicate with friends
after making his escape.
After the thorough search of Hay
wards clothing Lao been made he was
taken to another cell and /; further ran
sack ng of bis Cd cen revealed roll Of
bills amounting to So 5000.