Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-02-17

49, VIVA W 1Gs y JILL I'LL Oill
ONO sheriff, illustrates the ingenuity
OF 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 in Cleveland was so old and dilapi-
dated that the watching of the 70 or so
prisoners was more of a Job than he
cared to keep, While he was still in
charge q notorious criminal named Eos
ter and am acComplice were convicted
ana sentenced to a long term Of i'm
prisonment in the Ohio penitentiary.
AT that time the Jail was crowded, and
Sheriff Ryan was compelled to place
both convicted men i'll 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 be awoke with a start. He
was trembling violently and was con-
WINGED hat trouble was brewing in the
Jail.
There's something wrong in the
Jail, " be said to his wife, "and I'll bet
Foster is about ready to break out. I'm
going down stairs to look around"
Dressing himself, he put a revolver
into his pocket and noiselessly went
down to the chief jailer's room on the
first floor. Abe Abrams, his deputy,
was guarding the Jail door.
Whats the natter asked Abrams.
Whats wrong i'll the jail?" returned
the sheriff.
Nothing" replied Abrams.
Haven't you beard 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, PPM certain Eos
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
cell bars. Nevertheless, he could rot
get rid of his suspicion and remained
there perfectly quiet until 8 o'clock.
Then he went to breakfast, called a
deputy and, placing the handouts and
leg irons on Foster and his confederate,
prepared to take them to Columbus on
an early train.
LAS soon as we leave" said the
sheriff to Abrams, ''you search the cell
and telegraph me the result at Colum-
bus.
When Columbus was reached about
noon, this message was handed to Ryan:
Foand two dozen fine file saws in cell.
ABRAMS
prisoners, and when they read it they
laughed.
lyon 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. ~ just
guessed it. But how did You know
was there? Did you hear me?"
"Not o sound. You made a quiet
sneak for such a big a said Fos-
ter's pal.
Then how did you know / was
there?" persisted the sheriff.
"Now. see here, Mr.. Ryan" replied
Foster. Were in for q long term. and
il you will put a good word in for us
we'll tell you our secret"
"Agreedi'' said Ryan.
"Well, where we got the saws is
neither here nor there and one Of your
business, |" said Foster, "but we knew
you were watching us and knew that II
we wanted to give you the slip We
would have &c exercise more than or
binary or human vigilance. Now, the
Jail is full Of rats, and Jail rats. having
been killed 30 often by way Of amuse-
ment for the prisoners, are timid. Rats
like meat. We saved some OF our meat
as supper every night and scattered IL
in front Of the cell. The rats % real
ICED that we meant them no harm.
and after a number Of experiments they
would allow one of us to feed them
while the other worked. Rats have q
keener sense of hearing than men, and
II an outsider should appear they would
run. Well, when you neaked into the
Jail last night wa didn't bear you, but
the rats did. They scampered and we
quit When you left. the rats returned.
but IL was too late then, aud the game
was mp"
The records OF county commissioners
show that en tho following day q requi-
sition was received from the sherif's
office calling for two dozen rat traps
and a case ~ rat lolou. Piceonholed