Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-12
QUEER JAIL DELIVERY.
Prisoners Made Human Pyramid
Inside n High Chimney,

rom the chicago Cbroricle.
Recently the county jail IN Toledo, Ohio,
was the scene of the human pyramid act
which is generally Witnessed in circus or
on the stage. Five daring post Office rob-
oers performed the feat and thus escaped
from durance. These men gave the names
OF William Johnson George Jones Will
liam White, Thomas Miller and Fraa WI
Hams. Williams and Miller were locked
IN the same cell. They discovered that a
t paa 1ob OF rveting had been done with
the lock thereto, so they made a u,orsa
They were locked I'D in ApriI and In lass
thah three weeks Were free The pyramid
was erected in the inside of a Chimney
W S- led to the roof. Thence the men
cropped by an inlprovised rope and a
Hgntnlng rod to the ground
II seems to have taken very little time
ior ohe nve men to make their plans for
SSscapes Lor they We're only captured at the
beginning of April. While some watched
the warders others went behind the cell
uer ana worked at the lower bar which
guarded the fireplace leading into the aban-
uoned chimney. The bits of stone they re-
moved were ground into powder and scat
tered as dust. The place of the stone was
bread.
On the night chosen for the escape VIII
iiams and Miller drew the bolt and left
their cell. With a bit of wire they picked
the locks which confined their three COM
RACES and then, apparently in mere bra
From the men so liberated they reouisi-
toned sheets and they also annexed
strong rope which had been stretched
across the cell room for clothesline. The
sheets were torn into strips and O. long,
strong rope was made from them.
When all was ready the loesened bar
was taken from the fireplace and the HIGHT
est of the men tried to climb the CHIN
ney He couldn't There was a hurried
council and the man who had failed was
sent into the chimney again He managed
TO scramble up a few feet, so as to make
room for another man TO get beneath 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 of some Of the weight from
the man who was lowest IN the pyramid
while, as there was no balancing involved,
1t was mere matter OF ability Ato-earry
weight.
1t took but little time for the top man
to loosen the guarding bars of the chin
ney.' He made his rope fast to one of the
bars ciambered up and then pulled up one
of his comrades. There was plenty OF
room for all on the broad coping OF the
chimney.
From the top of the chimney to the roof
was fifteen-foot drop and the five were
afraid to take IL for fear of waking some
one by the sounds of the thumps upon the
roof. Their rope arrangements had been
liberal, so they drew up part of the line.
leaving the rest of il in the chimney for
emergencies. 4 lightning rod ran from
the chimney to the roof and by putting the
line near TO this the men got the advah-
tage of double hold as they slid down.
When the five had finally removed them
selves others of the prisoners sauntered
out on the roof and took the morning abr
for a while. Frank Henderson, having the
price, descended to the court house yard,
crossed TO a saloon, got big drink, bought
flask and returned via the lightning rod
to his comfortable cell
Just as the dawn changed from gray to
pink another prisoner came forth TO take
another look at the height of the walls.
There a negro boy saw him and fired at
him with a revolver The shot woke a
policeman, who Weakened a janltor. who
disturbed the slumbers of a turnkey who
woke up a warder, who awakened the war
den, who woke up the sheriff, who called
the fire department which woke up To-
ledo.