The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1899-08-09
ODD JAIL DELIVERY,
Prisoners Made Human Pyramid inside
High Chimney.

High Chimney.
Recently the county Jail in Toledo, 0.
was the scene of the human pyramid act
which is generally witnessed in a circus
or on the stage. Five daring postoffice
robbers performed the feat and thus es-
capped from durance vile. These men gave
the names of William johnson, George
Jones, William White, Thomas Miller
and Fred Williams. Williams and Miller
were locked in the same cell They dis
covered that bad job of rivetiDg had
been done with the lock thereto, so they
made it worse. They were locked up in
A pril and in less than three weeks were
free. The pyramid was erected in the
inside of a chimney which led to the
roof. Thence the men dropped by an i'm
provised rope and lightning rod to the
ground.
It seems to have taken very little time
for the five men t. make their plans for
escape, for they were only captured at
the beginning of April. While some
watched the warderS others went behind
the cell tier and worked at the lower bar
which guarded the fireplace leading into
the abandoned chimney. The bits of
stone they removed we're ground into
powder and scattered as dust. The place
of the stone was taken by skilltully pre-
pared and cOlored bread.
| Or the night chosen for the escape
| Williams and Miller drew the bolt and
left their cell. With bit of wire they
picked the locks which confined their
three comrades and then, apparently in
mere bravado, freed neal ly dozen other
prisoners. From the men 50 liberated
they requsitoned sheets and they also
annexed strong rope which had been
stretched across the cell room for a
clothesline. The sheets were torn into
strips and long, strong rope was made
from them.
When all was ready the loosened bar
was taken from the fireplace and the
lightest Of the men tried to climb the
chimney. He couldn't. There was hur-
ried council and the man who had failed
was sent into the chimney again. he
managed to scramble up few feet so as
to make room for another man to get BE-
meath him.
In this way, man by man, they built
regular pyramid until the top man was
able to reach the bars at the upper end
of the chimney. inequalities OF the wall
helped to take off s,me of the weight
from the man who was lowest in the
! pyramid. while as there was no balahc-
| ing involved, it was mere matter OF
ability to carry weight.
| 1t cook but little time for the top man
to loosen the guarding bars OF the Chin
|, of
! the bars. clanbereA uo and then pulled
up one of his comrades. mere was pIeh-
| ty of room fer all on the broad coping Oh
I the chimney.
From the top of the chimney to the
roof was tifteen~foot drop, ana the llVe
were afraid to take 1t for fear or waxing
some one by the sounds OF the thumps
upon the roof Their rope arrangements
had been liberal, so they drew up part
of the lire, leaving the rest of 1t IN the
chimney for emergencies. A lightning
rod ran from the chimney to the roof
and by putting the line near to THIS tne
men got the advantage of double hold
as they slid down.
When the five had finally removed
themselves others of the prisoners saunt-
cred out on the roof and took the morn
ing air for a while Frank Henderson,
having the price, descended to the court
house yard, crossed TO saloon got a
big drink, bought a flask and returned
via the lightning rod to his comtor'aOIe
cell
Just as the dawn changed from gray
to pink another prisoner came form 10
take another look at the heigh t OF the
walls. ca
There negro boy saw him and tired
at him with a revolver. The shot woke a
policeman, who awakened janl,tor' VINO
disturbed the slumbers of turnKey,"no
woke up warder, who awakened the
warden, who woke up the Shelin, VINO
called the fire department which WOKE
I'D Toledo.-Chicago Chronicle.