The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-28
SECOND AND MORE F'RENCHY
FRENCH LEAVE.
HAD THE BARS CUT THROUGH.
DISCOVERY OF HIS PLOT THROWS
JAIL OFFICIALS INTO A
PANIC.
HIS LAST NIGHT I'm THE SIEVE
VIII Probably Be Sentenced Today
and Safely LOd ged Ia Still
water.

With the prospect Of a long term in
the penitentiary, John Quinn, convicted
Of highway robbery IN the first degree
and OF Jail breaking, had planned to
effect second escape from the Henre-
pin county Jail last night, the last ieht
Of his confinement there before being
taken to Saltwater. BY the watchful-
ness of the jail officials this plan was
frustrated not many hours too soon,
For several days past Head JaiIer
John Duffield has had his suspicious
aroused that another jail delivery was
about to be cOnSummated. Just what
made him keep a specially close guard,
he refuses to say, as does he also to
tell who furnished him the Tip" Quinn
was to have been sentenced yesterday,
and it was the expectation of the sher-
IF to have him landed safely in the
saltwater prison by last night and
thus a big weight Of care would be
lifted from their shoulders. Deter
mined to learn whether the rumors had
any foundation, Jailer Duffield made an
examination Of Quinn's cell early>Iast
evening. He soon discovered that his
suspicious had been exceedingly we'll
grounded, for everything seemed to be
the night. His cell was No. 20 on the
ground tier, a considerable distance
from the entrance from the jail office.
One of-the bars about in the middle of
the cell and about two feet and a half
above the floor was found cut through
at the top and half cut at the bottom
on the inside. The work had been done
with great care and skill, and it is only
by the closest scrutiny that the work
can be noticed. Quinn was hurriedIy
taken from his cell and stripped tc the
skin. He was given fresh clothes and
put In cell No. 1, which is at the en-
trance to the corridor. The other pris-
oners were quickly put into two cells,
and for time there was
HURRY AND SCURRY
to see if a wholesale delivery had been
anticipated. However, nothing was
found except the cut bar in Quinn's
cell, but it is almost impossible to de-
tect anything wrong at night, and SO
most thorough inspection Of the cells,
bedding and the prisoners themselves
will be conducted this morning.
In order to guard against any out
break, Head Jailer Duffield and Jailer
Sterritt remained on duty all night to
aid the regular night jailers, Grain
and Corcoran. Quinn was kept in
sight all night and not for a moment
was he alone. Some Of the jailers were
OF the opinion that he ought to be
shackled, but this was not done, as
the precautions taken were thought
sufficient to prevent his departure.
Quinn was greatly surprised and
chagrined when he found that he had
been detected. His anger knew no
bounds and in defiant terms he threat
ened to kill Jailer Duffield and the per-
SON who exposed the scheme, should
he discover his identy. He freely ad-
mitted that it was his attention to
escape last night, and when being re-
moved to another cell, he used his
familiar expression on such occasions,
the jig is up" He felt exceedingly
dOWncast after the excitement had
subsidized and was so nervous that he
did not sleep until a late hour. Tha.
he intended to unceremoniously depart
from the Jail, last night, was all that he
would admit to the jailers. He abso-
lutely refused to tell with what he had
cut the bar, where his tool was, if
he had a confederate on the outside or
if the plan was to have other prisoners
escape with him. gFE
The bar was evidently cut with g.
tool similar to that used by Quinn on
the former occasion. The work showed
that some rough instrument had been
used, and the Intention was to force
the bar out when the time came, as
was done in the previous escape
Jaiier Duffield said to a reporter that
he had not discovered the tool which
Quinn had used, as he had not made
a search Of Quinn's clothes or a thor
ough examination Of his cell. This
will be done today, and some interest
ing discoveries may be made. It is
the opinion Of the jailers that a gen.
eral delivery was not intended, but
this theory may be changed after the
cells have been closely examined. That
QUINN HAD CONTEMPORARIES
on the outside, there seems but little
doubt. However, since the last esca-
pSde, the visitors to the young des-
perado have been confined to relatives,
his mother, sister and brother. While
not expressing suspicion of them, the
jail officials will absolutely refuse ad-
mittance to any visitor to Quinn dur
ing the remainder of his short stay in
the county Jail. The prisoner certainly
gained some experience in his late
| escape and recapture, and it Is not safe
to suppose that he intended to escape a
second time without having aid from
the outside, and no doubt their plans
were well outlined Jailer Duff1eld is
OF the opinion, and it is fair to sup
pose that he is correct, that the plan
OF the conspirators was to slug one OF
the Waterman, while the other was alb
sent, and to then have Quinn effect
his escape in the same way as he did
Eefore. Although the county commits
sloners have ordered certain altera-
items made in the Jail, to prevent a
future delivery, these changes have
not been completed, and, ionce out of his
cell, prisoner could escape through
the unfinished portion Of the building
as the three fugitives did few weeks
ago " K
why has the sentencing Of Quinn
peen postponed several times?" is the
question asked many9 tines by the jail
ofhclaIs last night. The highwayman
was to have received his sentence at 10
o'clock yesterday morning. This was
postponed to noon, then to D. M. and
another delay to this morning was
| made. Certain officials take the view
that confederates of Quinn had this all
| planned, for had he been sentenced
yesterday he would have been taken
to saltwater last evening. No suspi-
cion Is cast on the court, but some
think that these delays were brought
about by Quinn's friends, so as to en-
CA STOREA