The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-12-29
TRY TO BREAK JAIL
Hays and his Pals Came Near Gaining
Their Liberty.

John Hays, with wrists manacled, was
yesterday afternoon taken to the coun-
ty jail for safe keeping. He is the man
who on Monday night broke into Gloss
er's tailoring establishment, Mrs. Kohr's
millinery store and threw a stone against
the back door of Kelchner's meat market
and was caught by Officer jeff Thomp-
son on North Main street while attempt
ing to get away with Ed. Fitzpatrick
overcoat.
There are nineteen prisoners in the
city jail, and Hays is supposed to be the
leader of six of them, all Of whom are
tramp-thieves and tough men. AT
O'Clock yesterday morning this gang,
headed by Hays, tried to break Jail
They had secured a piece Of gas pipe,
which 1t is thought some confederate
gave them while calling to see one of the
men. With this they made a crude
chtsel and got several of the stones under
the southwest window loose When dis
covered by Charley Davis they had only
a little more work to do before they
would have had their liberty. They had
about got through 3-foot stone wall.
1t is probably as tough a gang as has
been in the city prison for several years.
Some of the officers think that Hays az
ter being liberated on Monday morning
with an injunction to leave town, return
ed at nightfall, and before attempting
his burgaries passed the pipe through
the window TO mis- comrades. A bottle
of alcohol was also smuSgled into the
prison which was soon consumed by the
the mortar loose the others would sing
and yell in order to throw the officers
up stairs off.
John Rossler, who spends most OF his
time in Jail charged with being drunk,
was in the mems corridor, and because
he threatened to tell the officers what
was going on he was severely beaten by
the others. He had to be put in separ-
ate apartment 10 keep the rest from do
ing him bodily harm.
The officers tried 10 find out who had
done the work of attempting to break
jail. The gang had inundated the 9th
ers So that they were afraid to tell. A
oolored man charged with being drunk
was offered mis- liberty If he would tell
who did the work. He said it was Do
Ian, Sechrist, Smith, Ludley Rose and
White, all of whom were arrested during
Christmas week as being suspects"
They were locked up in the cells but
picked the locks as soon as the officers
would go away.
For breakfast they were given bread
and water for the work of the night be-
fore 4 little later six were called for to
go 10 work on the rock pile. They refus-
ed, saying they would not work until
they got their breakfast When told
that they would not be given anything
20 eat until they made up their minds to
60 10 work on the rock pile one spoke
up and said that he would go, then an
other, and soon the six were at work
Mr.. Closer said yesterday that after
taking look over his store he did not
miss anything. nor did ony of the other
places broken into. Hays was probably
scared off before he had a chance 10 Sc
crete his booty
The overcoat which had the name OF
c. r. Fulton on the inside of the collar
and which was found on me floor of Mr..
GlOsser's store. was identified yesterday
by q cousin of Mr.. Fritz Arnhoiz. The
garment had been purchased only a day
or two before and had been fiiched fro.n
Mr.. Arnholz's place on North Water
street.
Hays will be given his preliminary
hearing the latter part of the week.