The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-07-27
TUNNEL FOUND
UNDER PRISON
Plot Supposedly to Free a
Noted SwindIer.
DIGGER is BELIEVED
TO HAVE LOST LIFE
WOuld-be ReScuerS Had ALI An
planes.

Plttsburg, Pa, July 26.-One of the
boldest and most systematic plans fsr
the release of one or more prisoners from
riverside penitentiary was thwarted to-
day by accident.
The first theory advanced when the Mot
was discovered seemed to point to the
release of Alexander Berkman. the
anarchist who is serving a twentv-two
years sentence for the shooting of II. G
FTIck, during the big Homestead strike in
1917, out the conclusion reached tonight
py director Muth Of the Allegheny police
department Is that the real obiecf of the
reScuerS was to secure the freedom of the
redI estate swindler, j. G. Boyd, who is
serving a seYen-years' sentence.
rms opinion is shared by the Pittsburg
ponce offlclalS also, and many reasons are
brought forward to confirm the theory
among these are the facts that BOYD is
wanted In nearly every state in the
union on charges of real estate swindles
has cOnfederates all over the country a nd
is accounted one of the wealthiest prison
ers IN Riverside. 1t is argued that Berk-
man s friends could not afford the ex-
penSlve outfit which was Ssed in this
instance and their resources could not
possibly equal those OF Boyd's confeder-
ates.
Plan Was to Tunnel.
The plan by which the rescuers boped
TO reach the inside of the penitentiary
wall was by tunnel from the cellar of a
mouse on Sterling street nearly opposite
one OF the gates. Their work is remark
able considering the obstacles to be over
come. Investigation today shows that II
was over 200 feet long. but because of its
zlg-Zag character had not reached the
PRISON wall. One of the officers who
CraWled d distance of 201 feet in the dark
passage way today was compelled TO re-
turn before reaching its end. by reason
OF the foul gases arising From this It
Is inferred that the tunnel had tapped a
sewer. Director Muth, however believes
that the dead body of one of the tunnel
ers will be discovered tomorrow when the
tunnel IS opened from the surface. He
thinks the man was overcome by gases
and that his companions fed.
Had Electric Plant And Air Pump.
The elaborate arrangements that had
been made for completing the tunnel and
Tor providing for the safety of the dig
gers Is source of amaZement to the
authorities. An electric bell. connected
with the entrance of the tunnel in the
cellar was used in giving the workers
and watchers an instant'S warning and
an arr pump had been used to keep the
tunnel free from gas. 1t Is estimated
that the electric plant and other ap-
paratus used cost the wouid-be liberators
at least 5000.
March 10 last Thomas Brown. who
represented himself as a Chicago solicitor,
purchased from John c. Langtitt who is
an engineer in the penitentiary. the
house at . Sterling street for $1,000. pay
ing $3.50 down and agreeing to pay the
balance in installments. Soon afterward
Brown. woman whom he said was mis-
wife, and his brOther-in-law, moved into
the house and operations were probably
begun at once.
The Misses Letitia and Jennie Nc
Carthy, who lived just opposite the
house, had their suspicious aroused be
cause of the small quantity of furniture
going into the supposed home of the
new family, and by the fact that the
principal article taken in was a piano
During the occupancy Of the house the
shades were always down, but the piano
was rarely silent
Mrs. Brown played and sang almost
constantly. During the interval when
there was no music the Misses Mccarthy
heard a grinding, whirring noise. which
gave them the impression that the
Browns were always grinding coffee.
Their suspicious were confirmed when
they saw load of galvanized pipe and a
load of lumber taken into the house.
They called the attention of the police
TO the place but no charge could be made
against the occupans.
The Browns left the house on the night
of July ). leaving word for Mr. Langfitt
would return on July a to pay the first
installment on the house. Their failure
to return led 70 an inVestga ton by Mr.
Langfitt with the result given above The
theory Is that the Brown were frightened
away. because all of the apparatus was
found in the house with the exception of
the digging tools, which Director Muth
thinks are in the tunnel with the body of
the digger