Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-10-19
RATS AS SENTINELS.
THE TRICK WORKED BY CRIMINALS
TN AN OHIO PRISON.

ing of the Approach of Keepers While
They Sawed Their Cell B1rs-A Sheriff
Rewarded For Vigilance.
a story told by w 4. Ryan, an old
Ohio sheriff, illustrates the ingenuity
| of criminals. Ryan was sheriff of Cuya-
hoga county for several years and re-
| fused 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 20 or so
| prisoners was more of a job than he
cared to keep. While he was still Ill
| charge a notorious criminal named Eos
| ter and an accomplice were convicted
| and 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 10 place
both convicted men in the same cell.
The sheriff lived i'll 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-
| WINGED that trouble was brewing in the
Jail.
There's something wrong in the
jail" he said to his wife, and I'll bet
Foster is about ready to break out. I'm
going down stairs 10 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 guarding the Jail door.
IL, 4
"What's wrong III 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
tentivcly at the Jail door. There was 10
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 III my bones all night,
and IN going to sneak i'll two tiers un-
der their cell and listen"
He opened the Jail door noiselessly
and crept through the Jail until he was
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 not
get rid of his suspicion and remained
there perfectly quiet until D O'Clock.
Then he went to breakfast, called a
Il md Y,la ~
leg irons on Foster and his confederate,
prepared to take them TO Columbus on
an early train.
"As 500, 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 n sound. You made a quiet
sneak for such a big man., said Eos
ter's pal.
Then how did you know 1 was
there:' persisted the sheriff.
Now, see here, Mr.. Ryan" replied
Foster. We're in for long term, and
if you will put n good word in for US
We'll 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
binary 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
i'll front of the cell. The rats soon real
lied that we meant them no harm,
and after n 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 1T was too late then, and the game
was up.
The records of county commissioners
show that on the following day a requi-
sition was received from the sheriff S
office calling for two dozen rat traps
and case of rat poison. Pigeonholed
in the prosecuting attorneys Office is an
Indictment entitled state of Ohio YER
sus Rodent, for aiding and abetting the