The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-21
RATS AS sENTINHLs.
The Trick Worked by Criminals In
An Ohio Prison.

An Ohio Prison.
A story told by w. II. Ryan. an old
Ohio sheriff, illustrates the ingenuity Of
criminals. Ryan was sheriff OF Cuyshosa
county fov several years. and refused =
third or fourth nomination for the ofiicc
for the renson that the county jail In
Cleveland was so old and dilapidated
that the Watching of the seventy or eighty
prisoners was more of . job than hs cared
to keep. While he was still In charge .
notorious criminal named Foster and an
accomplice were convicted and sentenced
to long gterm OF imprisonment In the
Ohio penrtsntiary. AT thst time ths jail
was crowded end Sheriff Ryan was COM
pelied to place both convicted men In the
same cell.
The sheriff lived In the county build
ing, and on the night following the con-
viction of Foster he went 20 bed soon al
ter supper. intending to get up early the
next morning and take the two prison ers
to the penitentiary. About midnight he
awoke with a start. He was trembling
Was brewing in the jail.
"There's something wrong In the
jail" he said to his wife. land I'll bet
Foster Is about ready to break out. I'm
Rcing down stairs to look around"
Dressing himself. he put revolver
into his rocket and noiselsssly went
down to the chief jailer's room on the
Hrst fioor. Aba Abrams. his deputy, was
guarding the jail door.
whats the matterr' asked Abrams.
'swhat's wrong In the jailr' returned
the sheriff.
Nothing" replied Abrams.
s'Havent you heard the noise Of
sawsa' asked Ryan.
"Nope, and they amt been working,
or I'd heard 'em, as I've been lying
mighty quiet"
Ryan was SUSPICIOUS and listened at
tentively at the jail door. There was no
noise, except an occasional snors Of one
Of the prisoners.
aba" said Ryan, 'Im certain Fos-
ter and his pal are up to mischief. I've
bsen feeling 10 In my bones all night,
and I'm going to sneak in two tiers un-
der their cell and listen
crept through the jail until ne was under
Fosters cell. He had not made the
slightest noise. OF that he was certain.
he breathed regularly and with as little
ioise as possible, nnd he could not detect
q sound which indicated that an effort
was being made to saw this cell bars.
Nevertheless. he could not get rid OF the
suspicion. and remained there porte city
quiet until o'clock. Then he went to
treakfast called deputy. and placing
the handouts and leg irons on Foster
and his confederate, prepared to take them
to Columbus on IN early train.
LAS soon rs we leave. said the sheri q
to Abrams, you search the cell and teie-
graph me the result at Colum bus. -
When Columbus was reached, about
moon, this message was handed to Ryan:
'rornd two dozen fine file saws In cell.
.-s. ABRAMS"
Ryan handed the telegram to the pris-
oners and when they resd 1t they
laughed.
"You see. boys, that you may be pretty
foxy, tut you couldn't Leaf the old
man." SAID the sheriff.
That's right" said Foster. 'sRut
night and stay so long! Who put you
oEY'
Nobody" answered Ryan. 'I just
guessed it. But how did you know /
was theres Did you near msi"
mot sounc. You made quiet sneak
for such big man. SAID Fosters pal.
"Ihen how did you know was thsrei''
persisted the erif.
"Now, see here, Mr.. Ryan" replied
Foster, "we'ro Ia for a long term, and IL
you will put good word in for us.
we'll tell you our ssoret.''
agreed" said hyan.
"Well, where We Got the saws is
neither here nor thers. and none If your
business" said Foster, 'but We knew
you we're watching us, and knew that II
We wanted to give you the slip We wouli
lave to exercise more than ordinary or
human visilsnce. Now, the jail is full
OF rats and Jail rats, having been killed
so often by way of amusement for the
prisoners. sre timid. Rats like meat
We saved some of our meat ut supper
avery night and scattered IL in front of
the eel. The rats soon rsalized that we
meant them no harm, and after num-
bsr Of experiments they would allow one
OF us to feed them while the 9th ,r work
ed. Rats have keenor sense of hearing
than men, and II an outsider should OPP
pear they would run. Well, when you
sneaked into the Jail last night we didn't
h~ar you, but tho rats cid They scamp
cred and we eoit. When you left the rats
returned, BIT 1t was TOO lats then, anu
the a. me- NBs up."
Re, ,rds of county comw issioners show
that on the following day a rtquisition
vas received from the fhoriff's oifce GALL
Ing for two dtzsn rat traps and case OF
rate POISON Pigeontoled In the prosecut-
Ing attor Dey's 4 flee is az indie sment en-
titleo, state Of OhiU VS.. Rodent, for
aidtua ant ahetting the attem pied escape
Of oertain prisoners of tie state from tine
county jail cf Cuyahoga county, state II
Ohio." This Oh arge never came to trial.
m mn "a laf Aur. fa "A "a.