Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-05-07
RATS AS SENTINELS.
THE TRICK WORKED BY CRIMINALS
IN AN OHIO PRISON..
COnvicts who Trained Rats to Give Warm
ing of the Approach of Keepers While
They Sawed Their Cell Bars Sheriff
Rewarded For Vigilance.

a story told by W. R. Ry;s,, an old
Ohio sheriff, illustrates the ingenuity
If criminals Ryan was sheriff of Cuya-
hoga county for several years and re-
fused a third or fourth nomination for
the office for the reason that the county
Jail i'll Cleveland was so old and dilapi-
dated that the watching of the 70 or 80
prisoners was more of job than he
cared to keep. While he was still in
charge notorious criminal named Fos-
ter and an accomplice were convicted
and sentenced to a long term of i'm
prisonment in the Ohio penitentiary.
a that time the Jail was crowded, and
Sheriff Ryan was compelled 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 to bed soon
after supper, intending to get up early
the next morning and take the two
prisoners to the penitentiary. About
midnight he awoke with a start He
was trembling violently and was con-
vinced that trouble 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
going down stairs to look around"
Dressing himself, he put revolver
into his pocket and noiselessly went
down to the chief jailer's room on the
first floor. Abe Abrams, his deputy,
was puar6ipu tho ioil 6oor
whats the matter?" asked Abrams.
"What wrong in the jail?' returned
the sheriff.
Nothing" replied Abrams.
Haven't you heard the noise of
saws?" asked Ryan.
Nope. and they amt been working,
or I'd heard 'em, as I've been laying
mighty quiet"
Ryan was suspicious and listened at
tentively at the Jail door. There was no
noise except an occasional snore of one
of the prisoners
Abe, " said Ryan, "I'm certain Fos-
ter and his pal are up to mischief. I've
been feeling it in my bones all night
and I'm going to sneak in two tiers un-
der their cell and listen.'
He opened the Jail door noiselessly
and crept through the Jail until he was
under Fosters cell. He had not made
the slightest noise. OF that he was GER
tain. He breathed regularly and with as
little noise as possible, and he could
not detect a sound which indicated that
an effort was being made to saw the
pp11 harS Navorthn1occ bo GOULD
get rid of his suspicion and remained
there perfectly quiet until O'Clock.
Then he went to breakfast, called a
deputy and, placing the handouts and
leg irons Oh Foster and his confederate,
prepared to take them to Columbus ON
an early train.
Gas soon as we leave" said the
sheriff to Abrams, "you search the cell
and telegraph me the result at Column
bus"
When Columbus was reached about
noon, this message was handed to Ryan
Found two dozen fine file saws in cell.
ABRAMS.
Ryan handed the telegram to the
prisoners, and when they read it they
laughed.
"You see, boys, that you may be
pretty foxy, but you couldn't beat the
old man., said the sheriff.
"That's right" said Foster; "but
what made you come into the Jail last
night and stay so long? Who put you
on?"
Nobody" answered Ryan. 81 just
guessed it. But how did you know I
was there? Did you hear me?"
Not sound. You made quiet
sneak for such big man." said Fos-
ter's pal
"Then how did you know l was
there?" persisted the sheriff.
Nov, see here, Mr.. Ryan," replied
Foster. "We're i'll for long term, and
if you will put good word i'll for us
Well tell you our secret"
"Agreed!' said Ryan.
"Well, where we got the saws is
neither here nor there and none of your
business" said Foster, "but we knew
you were watching us and knew that if
we wanted to give you the slip we
would have to exercise more than or.
dinary or human vigilance. Now, the
Jail is full of rats, and Jail rats, having
been killed SO often by way of amuse-
ment for the prisoners, are timid. Rats
like meat We saved some of our meat
at supper every night and scattered it
in front of the cell. The rats soon real
lied that we meant them no harm,
and after number of experiments they
would allow one of us to feed them
while the other worked. Rats have a
keener sense of hearing than men, and
if an outsider should appear they would
run. Well, when you sneaked into the
Jail last night we didn't hear you but
the rats did. They scampered and we
quit. When you left, the rats returned,
but it was too late then, and the game
was up,
The records of county commissioners
show that on the following day requi-
stion was received from the sheriff 8
office calling for two dozen rat traps
and case of rat poison. Pigeonholed
i'll the prosecuting attorney office is an
indictment entitled Estate of Ohio ver-
sus Rodent, for aiding and abetting the
attempted escape of certain prisoners Of
the state from the county Jail of Cuya-
hoga county, state of Ohio" This
charge never came to trial, and the de-
PENDANTS suffered capital punishment
whenever captured without even hav-
Ing hearing. cleveland Letter.