The San Francisco call., 1899-03-05
More Knives Found in
COnViCts' Cells.
COOPER KEPT OUT OF SIGHT
THE STOOL PIGEON WILL ASK
FOR A PARDON.
Shields Is Now Said to Have Been
Mixed Up in the Smuggling
of Opium Into the Prison
Grounds.

All was quiet over at San Quentin .Peni-
tentiary Yesterday. but extra precautions
were taken by Warden Hale to prevent
the possibility Of a successful outbreak
among the convicts. and last night the
guards were doubled for the same reason.
There were no new developments during
the day further than the finding of the
the cells OF the .conspirators were made,
together with the soap, with which the
clever rascals secured impression of the
locks to the doors of the prison.
Cooper the convict who spoiled the
plans Of his fellow prisoners by betray-
Ing them to the Warden, is kept secluded
and closely guarded for fear he may meet
with summary punishment at the hands
Of friends of the men he betrayed, VINO
would undoubtedly take desperate
traitor. Cooper is in a very unenVlaple
position. He IS not only cursed by the
eonEicts but he Is looked upon WIN con
tempt by the very officers whose lives he
Claims to have saved by giving nforma-
ton that enabled them to nip plot TO
murder them in the bud: Cooper expects
%. secure a pardon as his reward, and
Nil make plea before the prison direct
)rs when they meet at the penitentiary
Warden Hale said yesterday that he had
EiVen up the search for the reVotVers said
- o have been smuggled into the prison, as
L was almost hopeless task to locate
hem, as he knew from previous expert
,nca He is confident the men in the dun
-yeon will finally tell where the weapons
ire hidden, and he is content to wait until
s;hen. as he is satisfied that all the men
the plot, which includes all those who
tloW. the hiding place of the pistols, are
eafely locked IN the dark cells. 1t may be
Eekk and il may be three weeks before
lie diet Of bread and water served in the
Jlence and darkness of the dungeon Will
lTing, the men TO terms but it is sure to
10 so sooner or later, and the Warden
avs he is in no hurry.
There has been considerable talk among
he guards at the penitentiary regarding
he dismissal Of Guard Shields, and the
warden took occasion yesterday TO posi-
iVelv deny that Shields discharge was
tue to any connection he may have had
With the alleged plot Of the eight des-
crate convicts TO break. ont of the prison.
urred his displeasure through his sup
'osed connection with an attempt to
muggle opium into the prison about a
1onth ago. II may be interesting to note
hat this attempt was also baked through
he insITumentality of the stool pigeon,
,Ooper. The latter told Captain Edgar
hat Shields was bringing opium into the
Tison and hiding it in the water closet,
there II could be found by certain con-
1cts. a watch was set, and few days
IterCooper informed Captain Edgar that
F2dl FR9ther consignment OF opium had ar
Upon Investigation package of the
rug was found IN a lavatorX; but there
ras no evidence to connect Shields with
he affair other than the word OF the con-
let Cooper. Warden Hale will not
harge Shields with standing in with
ne convicts. but the discharged guard
lust have had an intimation of what was
oTning, as he removed his family and
ousehold effects from the house in San
iJientfn which he occupied. two weeks
go. Shields announced before his de-
arturo from the penitentiary that he
toufd seek reinstatement al the coming
ieetihg of the Prison Directors.
The guards yesterday found several
hives. in addition to those first un-
Arthed. which the conspirators evidently
ad Concealed for the purpose of aiding
lem in making their escape. The knives
ere found in the cell of Convicts Gould
:nd Morrell.