Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-27
N ELABORATE SCHEME
Baked BY ACCIDENT
RIVERSIDE PENITENTIARY AT AL
LEGHENY, WAS TO HAVE
BEEN ENTERED
BY MEANS OF A LONG TUNNEL
Object Was to Release Prisoner,
Supposed to be j. C. Boyd. the
Notorious Real Estate Swindler,
Who is Serving Seven Years, and
Who is Wanted i'm Many Other
Statcs-One of the LiberatOrs BE-
lieved to be Dead in the Tunnel.

PHTTSBURG, Pa, July 26.-One OF
the boldest and most systematic plans
for the release of one or more prisoners
from Riverside penitentiary was
thwarted to-day by accident. The first
theory advanced when the matter was
discovered, seemed to point to the re-
lease of Alexander Berkman, the an
archist, who Is serving % years SEN
tence for the shooting Of H. G. Frick
during the Homestead strike in 1892,
but the conclusion reached tonight by
Director Muth, of the Allegheny police
department., is that the real object of
the rescuers was to secure the freedom
Of the notorious real estate swindler, j.
G. Boyd, who is serving a seven years
sentence in the penitentiary for his mis-
deeds. 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 confederates
all over the country and is accounted
one Of the wealthiest prisoners in
Riverside. 1t is argued that Berk-
mans friends could not afford the ex-
pensive outfit which was used in this
instance, and their resources could not
Of
crates. The plan by which the rescuers
hoped to reach the inside of the peni-
Tertiary walls was by tunnel from the
cellar of house on Sterling street,
nearly opposite one of the gates
Their Work is Remarkable,
considering the obstacles to be over
come. Investigation to-day showed
that it was over two hundred feet
long, but because of it's zig-zag char
acter had not reached the prison wall.
One of the officers who crawled a dis
lance of POI feet in dark passagaways
to-day was compelled to return before
reaching It's end by reason of the foul
gases arising. From this it is inferred
that the tunnel had tapped sewer.
Director Muth, however, believes that
the dead body of one of the tunnelers
will be discovered tomorrow when the
tunnel is opened from the surface, as
is the intention.
He thinks the man was overcome by
the gases and his companions, for fear
of complications. fed.
The elaborate arrangements that had
been made for completing the tunnel
and for providing for the safety of the
diggers is a source of amazement to
the authorities. An electric bell, con-
nected with the entrance of the tunnel
in the cellar, was 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. 1t is estimated that
The Electric Plant
and other appliances used cost the lib
orators at least $4,000
On March 18th last, Thomas Brown,
who represented himself as a Chicago
patenut solicitor, purchased from John
C. Lingftt who is an engineer in the
penitentiary. the house at % Sterling
street for $4,000, paying $3.50 down and
agreeing to pay the balance in INSTALL
ments. Soon afterward Brown, a wom-
an whom he said was his wife, and
his brother-in-law, moved into the
house and operations We're probably
begun at once. The Misses Letitia and
Jennie McCarty, who lived just oppo-
site, 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 drawn, but the
piano was rarely silent. Mrs. Brown
played and sang almost constantly.
During the intervals when there was no
music, the Misses McCarty heard a
grinding, whirring NOISE, which gave
them the impression that the Browns
were always grinding coffee Their
suspicious of crookedness We're confirm
ed 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 charge
could be made against the inmates.
The Browns Left the House
on the night of July 5, leaving word
with Mr. Langfitt that they were going
to New York, but would return or July
"a to pay the first installment On the
bouse. Their failure to return led to
an investigation by Mr.. Langatt with
the result given above The theory is
that the Browns 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.