The age-herald., 1900-07-27
X BOLD PLAN TO RELEASE PRISONERS A TunneII Had Been Dug Across
 the Street. DISCOVERED BY ACCIDENT Shrewd and Daring Scheme to Rescue a Prisoner from Jail in Pittsburg
 The Tunnel Was Over
 200 Feet Long
DISCOVERED BY ACCIDENT

Pittsburg, Pa, July 26.-one of the bold est and most systematic plans for the re- lease of one or more prisoners from River side Penitenuary was thMarted today pv accident. The first theory advanced when the matter was discovered seemed to pe4ne to the release of Alexander Berkman the anarchist, who is serving twenty-two years sentence for the shooting of II. C. Prick during the big Homestead strike in 1892. but the conclusion reached tonight IS that the object of the rescuers was to se- cure the freedom of the notorious real estate swindler, J. c. Boyd. who is serving a seyen-years' sentence in the panitenuary for his misdeeds. This opinion Is shared by the Pittsburg police officials also, and many reasons are brought forward to con- firm 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 eonfederatese all over the country and Is accounted one of the wealthiest prisoners in Riverside It Is argued that Berkman's; friends could not afford the expensive outfit which was used in this instance and their resources could not possibly equal those of Boyd's confed- crates.
 The plan by which the rescuers hoped to reach the inside of the penitentiary wall was by tunnelling from the cellar of a house on Sterling street, nearly opposite one of the gates. Their work is remarka- ble, considering the obstacles to be over come. Investigation today showed that it was over 200 feet long, but because of the zigzag character had not reached the prison walls. One of the officers who crawled a distance of POI feet in the dark passage today was compelled to return be- fore reaching its end by reason of foul gases arising. From this it is inferred that the tunnel had tapped a sewer. Director Nfulh of the Allegheny police department believes that the dead body of one of the tunnellers will be discovered tomorrow when the tunnel is opened from the sur- face.
 Overc come By Gas
 He thinks the man was overcome by the gas and his companions for fear of com plications fled. The elaborate arrange ments made for completing the tunnel and for providing for the safety of the diggers is source of amazement to the authori- ties. An electrical bell. connected with the
 
 used in giving the workers and watchers an instant signal. in case of alarm. and an air pump had been used to keep the tunnel free from gas It is estimated that the electric plant and other apparatus used cost at least S2O00.
 On March 15, last Thomas Bruwn who represented himself as a Chicago solicitor, purchased from John c. Langfitt, who is an engineer in the penitentiary, the house at No. Sterling street for $40o0, paying $250 down and agreeing to pay the balance in installments. Soon after Brown, a. wo- man, whom he said was his wife, and his brother-in-law, moved into the house and operations were probably begun at once. The Misses Letia. and Jennie McCarthy, ho lived just opposite, had their suspicious aroused because of the small quantity of furniture going into the home of the fami- ly and by the fact that the principal arti- cle taken in was a piano. During the oc- cupancy of the house the shades were al ways down but the piano was rarely silent.
 Mrs. Brown played and sang almost con- stantly. During the intervals when there was music the Misses Mccarthy heard a grinding, whirring noise, which gave thtm the impression that the Browns were aI- ways grinding coffee. Their suspicious of crookedness were confirmed when they saw a. 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 complaint could be made against the oc- cuVants The Browns left the house on July g.. leaving word for MT. Langfitt that they were going to New York, but would return on July 24 to pay the first install- ment on the house. Their failure to return led to an investigation by MT. Langfitt, with the result given above. The theory is that the Browns were frightened away be- cause all of the apparatus was found in the house with the exception of the. digging teols, which Director Muth thinks are ill the tunnel with the body of the digger.