The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-02
NH act easily, promptly and
LJOOd > z fIiS effectively. 25 cents.

give the alarm. 1 took that opportunity
to run over and see my family and got
back TO the Jail as soon as I could"
Paul Shepherd, cellmate of Harry Alley,
who is in Jail for stealing an overcoat
from a West Side church, was asked for
information concerning the work of Tack
EFT and the gang, and said that it was the
slickest work he had ever witnessed. 81
could have gone easily, and had once
started to put my clothes on, but when
thought Of the few days 1 have to serve
here 1 concluded it would be cheaper to
remain at home"
why didn't you give the alarm p" asked
a bystander.
Because that isn't what was put in
here for. Besides I would not have lived
two minutes If 1 had attempted any such
thing. Came very near getting slugged
anyway for not going when they wanted
me to-"
Jackets cell was next TO Shepherds
and when asked how the work was done
Shepherd said: ''Well, Tackett began at
about Il o'clock with his saw. OF course
I could not see him at first, but could
hear me grating of the instrument on the
iron. 1t worked very smoothly, though,
and couldn't have been heard outside Of
the room. He worked two or three hours
at this. No one came to look in. and it
seemed that everything worked to his
benefit When he got out himself he went
around with a revolver and told every one
to get out If they wanted to. The move
ment of the rotary made a loud noise and
I looked for the sheriff to turn up every
minute. and there would have been a seri-
Gus time if any one had attempted to stop
Tackett for he meant business. More of
the prisoners would have got out, but a
big blanket got fastened in the coGs of
the rotary and stopped it so it could not
he moved; and then those who were out
began to work on the iron bars of the
window and were soon out and gone.
They got out about SIS O'Clock. I am
really glad concluded not to 60"
Were there any previous plans for this
break that you are aware of. or have
heard going on?"
Eyes, I think there were. This scheme,
I think, has been talked about for two
weeks, and the leaders knew that sooner
or later they would make 1t work Tack
EFT has bra gged of his experience in Jail
breaking and said this jail would not hold
him.
Mrs. Simmons seemed greatly worried
over the occurrence. She said: II had been
up and down during the night with my
sick boy, and at o'clock this morning I
came down to get him a dose of medicine.
was in the dining room, which is next
20 the rotary Of the Jail, and 1 anu not
hear any unusual noise. After that I
went to sleep, and I had been losing so
much sleep I suppose I slept very sound
" after that, though I am usually very
easily awakened. When Mr.. Potts broke
the news TO me this morning I could hard
ly Withstand the shock and became so
weak that I fell on the stairway"
James Potts, fireman, has his headquar-
tiers in the basement directly underneath
the rotary of the jail. He said it was sin
gular that the prisoners took such an &C
ceptable time to escape. On me several
cold nights previous to this he had been
sleeping in the basement in order TO keep
up the heat and had his cot directly under
the rotary. Tuesday night he thought the
weather would he warmer, so he conclud-
ed to sleep at home and get some needed
rest. If he had remained at the JAN it
would have been impossible for the ro-
tary TO have been moved without awaking
him and he could have frustrated the
plans. Had he known that Sheriff Sim
mons was away, he said. he would have
remained, as he had always done before
with other sheriffs, merely, however, as
an accommodation.