The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-23
/ WOODEN kay was USED

Early yesterday morning there was q
daring and successful jail breaking at
the Ohio county bastlle. Two desper-
ale criminals, both OF them serving
terms for burglary. made good their
escape and no clue TO their whereabouts
has been unearthed.
About o'clock Friday morning, Night
Tailor Stephen Devlnney left the jail
office on the main floor and was en-
gagged in sweeping the sidewalk. During
the few minutes he was engaged in this
work the escape was effected.
Jack o'Neili, sentenced to serve one
year last July. for the robbery at the
schambra store. and John sayers,
alias John Mccullough. who was serv-
ing term OF twenty months for taxi
ing the principal role In the daring rob-
berries at the Klleves and other resi-
denoes, figured in the escape.
The pair had been placed on the
"trusty" roll by the sheriff, and among
their other duties was that of opening
the cell doors every morning about 6
o'clock. For this they were provided
with big brass key of the same gen.
eral style as the key that opens the
door from the main floor OF the jail TO
the cell department corridor. But the
keys were OF different pattern, and It
was not supposed the TRUSTEES could
possibly secure egress from the cell de-
partment. However, II seems that the
cell key was used as a pattern for
making wooden key, for which q
piece of hickory about seven inches
in length was used. This key was evil
IDENTIFY FIRST made on the same pattern
as the coll key, but when tried on the
main floor door OF course did not work.
It is almost certain that an impression
Of the inside formation OF the lock was
secured on this wooden key, after
which II was easy enough for the clever
Savers to carve a key OF the proper
pattern on the other end OF the hickory
stick. This was done probably on
Thursday
The prisoners had taken care TO In
form themselves OF the hour when De-
yinney usually left the Jail Office TO
sweep the sidewalk and the length OF
time he remained away, and timed
their departure to the second. The
wooden key was inserted in ; main
floor door lock, worked like charm
and the pair were IN the Office in q jlf-
fy. Here door barred the entrance
across the tunnel bridge to the crimi-
nal court room. but the cell door key.
with which the pair were provided, fits
this lock and II was only the matter OF
FIVE or ten seconds when Sayers and
O,Neill were in the court room Thence
they forced their way to the main cor
ridor by spFiRgiRg the top and bottom
bolts OF the main entrance doors. Then
they went down the main stairs to the
lower floor OF the court house and cool
~ walked out via the Chapline street
entrance.
Since then they haven't been seen.
Janltor Sloan. of the city building, saw
the pair leave the court house. but Of
course did not suppose they were es-
capped criminals. The statement in an
evening paper that Mr.. Sloan has since
been lahoring under the impression
that he is an ass, that gentleman char
acterizes as entirely unwarranted.
When II comes TO an analysis of i'm
presslons, Mr.. Sloan says the reporter
in question is n stupid failure,
The escape OF the pair was discovered
only few minutes later and the alarm
Immediately spread, but SO far there
has been no clue to their whereabouts.
Nelghboring chiefs of police were tel
egrnphed to look out for them, and
Sheriff Richards sent postal card de-
scrlption broadcast over the country,as
follows: