Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-19
JAIL BREAKERS SURPRISED
Six Men Caught in the Act Of Escaping
From Kent COunty'S Prison.
HAD CUT LARGE HOLE IN CELL
And Made Other Preparations
for Freedom.
THEIR PLANS NEARLY SUCCESSFUL

special Correspondence II Gazette and Journal
Dover, Aug. l2-Whst came near
being a wholesale Jail delivery was frus-
tratud last night by the vigilance OF
Sheriff shaw, Deputy Sheriff Downs
and Jniler Boggs, and james Murphy,
William Mason and Charles Sappho,
who are serving sentences Of three yeara
for rubbing the store OF Register OF
Wills Charles j. Harrington, at Farm,
ington, two years ago, will be allowed
no more privileges. james. Gibson,
John McCnlley and Herman J. Fink,
who also we're in the plot, will likewise
bs disciplined The last three we're
sentenced to nine months each for mar.
derous assault upon Officer Parvis OF
Harrington, who had attempted 10 ar,
rest them. All six are known TO be
desperate characters, the first thrse
named being partners OF Jack Hanley,
who was implicated IN the Pennington
job and sentenced to years imprison-
ment, which expired in April last
Murphy. who is Known to the other,
prisoners as FATTY" is what is called
runner" and in that capacity had
privileges which the others did not
enjoy, and it is believed by the sheriff
that, in his intercourse with the numor-
ous tramps who seek lodging and msal
at various times from the Jail authori''
ties. Murphy acquired tho tools used,
which consisted OF two pocket knives,
the blades of which had been filed into
teeth, two saws about 10 inches long,
made from corset steel, a railroad spike,
tack drawer, small monkey wrench
and two files, one fat and the other
round.
The cell occupied by Mason and Sap-
pho ia the second on the left of the cor.
ridor on entering the Jail, and the first
cell il used as store room and ia
never locked.
The sberitf's suspicious we're first
aroused yesterday morning, when Ma
son said that he wanted to wash the
ticking on his bell and emptied the
straw therein in the unoccupied cell.
This probably would have been passed
over had not Murphy been SO urgent in
the evening IN requesting the iailer to
allow him to sleep with his frionds,
Murphy's cell being on the opposite
side Of the lower corridor. After de-
murring somewhat the sheriff con-
scented, at the same time resolving to
keep close watch on the trio.
Accordingly, about s. 30 O'Clock, in
company with Deputy Downs and
Jailer Boggs, the sheriff visited the
cell and discovered that the three sus-
poets had succeeded IN cutting through
the plaster and four layers OF brick
into the unoccupied cell The straw
from Mason's bed had served to deaden
the sound Of falling bricks OF one side
and old garments on the other The
hole was about l4xl0 inches, and
good sized man could crawl through
easily. This had been done because
this woodwork about the lock On the
door of the unoccuped cell had been
cut away with knife so as to render
exit easy.
1t evidently was the intention OF tho
men, after they had escaped from their
cell, TO release Gibson, Fink and Nc
Colley. A ladder between and 10 fest
in length, and with an extension piece
. feet long, had been constructed.
This was to DO utilized IN reaching the
window from the upper corridor, from
which they could readily have lowered
themselves with ropes made from their
bed clothing.