The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-24

cell he discovered that he had his big
knife in one OF his pockets. and he told
Monroe afterwards that had he known OF
1t al the time he was'tryiug 70 escape he
would have cut Monroe'S throat instead
Of attempting 20 get his revolver. The
most noted attempt at breaking out o;
the present county jail occurred last year
and the discovery was then made that
there were some bad defects in the steel
tank. With the aid OF several tools, in
Guiding a fine brace and bit. some OF the
convicts had succeeded IN fling off the
rivets which held the roof Of the cage 10
the sides These riyets. il seems. are
made Of iron instead Of steel. and had the
work OF the convicts not been discovered
they would have forced one corner OF the
roof Off and when the jailer appeared
some morning thrown red pepper In his
eyes or beat him 10 death with heavy
iron bar. which they had secured. and es-
capped Gold brick swindlar knowlton in
formed the jail authorities, thus prevent
ing a probable wholesale jail delivery and
probably the commission ofmurder When
knowlton appeared for sentence the court
took this fact into consideration and let
him of with two years. Knowiton is
known 10 the inmates OF the steel cage as
the man VINO "stooied." and they all hate
him. II Is said that that IS one reason
why Tom Bianck had no time for him
Jaiier Yerhury. while ne gave all the
others in the cage an opportunity 20 es-
cape
There are two tanks In the county Jail.
one TO the north and the other 10 the
south of the tailer's office The north
tank Is made OF solid steel an inch thick.
and contains twelve cells. while the south
tank is OF iron. three-quarters OF an inch
thick. Each is placed in a room with
three-foot psssageway on all sides. and
the one faces 10 the west. while the 9TH
er faces "a the north. The north tank
IN which the most dangerous criminals
are confined, "a correctly represented ny
the appended diagram the dotted lines IN
dicating bars. II is worthy OF remark
that the partitions and the west ends Of
the two rows of cells, against which the
combination locks stand are OF solid
steel. The floor and roofing are Of like
material. and the tank IS seven and a half
feet high. Each Of the cells Is 3x7x7i,
feet.
4 Dangerously Narrow Escape.
Another serious defect is that the pass
age way which surrounds the steel cage
IS 50 narrow as 10 place any person pass
inE along Il within reach OF vicious
prisoner. L - nowhere more than three
feet and Ia some places only thirty inches
wide. but the sheriff. deputies and 3a.lers
rhink 3. should he ten feer wide in order
north wing can move about without sear
Of being injured BY the prisoners The
s. Ies of the steel cage are SO close 70
even the farther side of the passage way
thar a prisoner could. out - spite. 5ab
the yalie-'s eyes out with a sharp s1sck
or some other inzt rum eut. or could at
tack any cther person who CHANGED 70 re
passing.
How Tools Are Passed In.
There is another n probably stronger
reason why the passage way should he
more than three feet wide The cage
would not then he 50 close 70 the win
1ows A. shs east side 81 the jail L ~
AT open secret that a. present Il Is com
yeaTat.vely easy fer persons VINO wish -
rgu rAe rssk. and there are many who
VIII 10 50 ~ ORDER - help friend 20 pass
things fn 20 the prisoners iu The cage
from ossteide ne jail The windows are
fastened on the inside with a eaten and
a prisoner who IS IN the cage car with
tho ad % a broom he adle reach through
the bars and unfasten &. 4 person on
f1e outside can then push down the win
dos AT pass any hing IN, after Whirh
be shuts tha window ard the prisoner.
s. r. the ai1 ~ Ms broom sick. locks y
frgrn ~ inside JaueF Monroe SAID yes
fer3ay -rat this trick was only worked
from rAe outside BY a person who rad
heoa i1 me steel cage served hls zine
ar8 before leaving ne jail Raj rad = = IN
1ers sanding with one or more % ne re-
mining prisoners that or ce-fala day
ana AZ certail tine he would Pc a rhe
Wfa3 ga. There Is the same fault 70 10
tognG witn ne tro1 cage. hlt as perry
~-wiraIS are usually confined there thev
s+-l Som Squire Of es~a ping Jaiie~ Monroe
believes heavy wire screens should -
placed over IRE windows OUTSIDE the nsi-s
ana Il he screens are ever c1r 20 sTN
then be known that tools have heeL paysed
into fhe prisoners
II - true that tools have been gnlg-
gjed into The tad by consedeS=t~e Rbo
call % see a prisoner. secure peTmtzs.o-