The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-08

anu JameS Aeuey were the Men-Had
Sawed Through Two Sets of Iron Bars
and Pried Off a Heavy Outside Shutter
of Iron-Were Discovered in Nick of
Time by Turnkey Grover Who With
Sheriff P1ummer Stood Outside in Jail
Yard Waiting for Men to Drop.
Hour prisoners confined in the Port
land Jail attempted to escape last evening
but were prevented by the vigilance of
Turnkey George W. Grover and Sheriff
Plummer who walked in on the men in
time 10 fustrate their plan.
For sometime Turnkey Grover who is
a very efficient officer and who comes
pretty near knowing what Is going on
in the jail all the time, has been cogni-
zant Of the fact that some of the prison.
ers within tho Jail were Matching plan
for break for liberty and although he
has not shown by any outward sign that
he suspected anything was wrong he
has kept his eyes open for whatever
might turn up In his line. About 6
O'Clock last night he repoted to Shsriff
Plummer that he believed that an at
tempt wouId be made during the night
to put the plan Of escape into execution
and suggested that the sheriff accompany
him to the outside of the jail and look
into the matter little. Sheriff Plum
mer and Mr. Grover walked around on
the outside of the jail until they stood
under the windows Of the east wing of
tho hufldfno Tn tho kh{vd shown or Ab3o
wing is cell facing Washington street
which has usually been used for the con-
finement OF debtors and its single win
dow is 80 feet from the ground. 1t is
situated at the end Of corridor along
oneyside Of which runs line of oells The
corridor is between the cells and the out
side windows looking toward the north.
There is one window in this cell room
at the end of the corridors which, al
has been said, looks directly ont towards
Washington street. II is guarded by two
sets of iron bars. The larger set about
an inch and q half In thickness and
made of solid iron Is on the inside and
on the outside is a smaller set Of bars
made of iron piping with small steel
rod running through the center. This
window is further protected by q sheet
iron shutter bolted on the outside and
perforated with small holes about two
inches apart to admit the air and light.
No dangerous prisoners are evor confined
in this cell as it is regarded as the least
safe of those in the jail.
Last evening while the prisoners in
the corridor were supposed to be taking
their exercises Sheriff PIummr and Mr..
Grover stood under the window at the
end of the east wing and waited for
developments. They had been standing
here but few minutes when thoy heard
the noise Of some one trying to wrench
of the outer shutter from within. Very
soon the shutter was forced from it's fast
enings and one corner dropped down a
little but not enough to allow of the pas
sage of man. While the prisoners
within continued 10 work away at the
shutter to force 1t off, Sheriff Plummer
stood guard out ride while Mr.. Grover
ran into the jail and out into the east
wing. He entered the cell .at the end
of the corridor and caught the four pris-
oners red handed at the work.
They were ali men who are being held
for the grand jury. John Green, the old
est of the four Is about 10 years old and
was arrested for larceny from one Of the
Central Wharf low boat Co. 3 boats. John
Eldridge is q younger but more danger
GUS man. He is held for assaulting a
rag peddler with q dangerous weapon.
Harry Dale the notorious Freeport bur-
glar was the third man and James Kel-
ley held for larceny, the fourth prison or.
As soon as Mr.. Grover entered the cell
room where the men were at work he
covered them with his revolver and made
them stand away from the window.
They were then iIoned and locked up.
On examining the cell where the men
were at work when discovered, it was
found that one of the large iron bars on
and the bar turned to one side in such
manner as to allow the passage of
mans body. Two Of the smaller outer
bars had also been severed ana turned to
one side. The heavy iron shutter had
been pried to one side by the use of bed
slnt as lever. This shutter in order to
prevent it from falling to the ground
when 1t should have been pried off and
making great racket I'm Its fall had
been tied to the bars of the window by
small cords running out Of one hole and
in through the other and tied to the
inner ha ra of the window
The men have evidently been at work
on this plan for some days and when
their cells were examined last ght
small steel saws and other materials
used by them in severing the iron bars
we're found. The men did all of this
work on the bars while they and the real
occupants Of the cells were taking their
usual exercise on the corridors when the
doors of all the cells are open. The four
men who occupy this cell where the
work was going on are confined in the
Jail for drunkenness and deny all knowl.
edge of the attempted break. They
claim that Green Eldridge Dale and