Sunday morning globe., 1901-12-01
state of Ohio. Franklin Co. as.


Before me, a notary public in and for
salo county personally came Daniel
Creedon, who, being iirst duly sworn,
says that he has read the report Of the
Do9rd or managers made to Governor
mckinley in August last, and the
sworn reply thereto by VIM. ]. Elliott;
and on oath says the board Of man
ayers were misinformed; that VIM.
j. Elliott had nothing to do with the
attempt to escape and was not In the
conspiracy and did not suspect that
1t existed until this afiiant suggested
the idea and had him find out the
scheme and report the matter to him:
that VIM. j. Elliott took no part In the
matter that did not become a true
gentleman, and II was for this he was
made the victim OF w. w. Varney's
hate; that Elliott never did abuse or
persecute Varney to atlantis personal
knowledge and further he sayeth not.
DANIEL CREEDoN.
Sworn to before me and subscribe
TO IN my presence this 18th day Of Oc-
tober, 1895.
EDMUND DwYER.
Notary public in and for the said
A"hNitA COUNTY OulO,
AFFIDAVIT OF GILBERT H.
PORTER.
State Of Ohio, S.:
Personally appeared before the
undersigned, a justice Of the peace In
and Tor Franklin county, Ohio. Gilbert
H. Porter, who makes oath and saws:
Il was deputy warden OF the Ohio
penitentiary in January, 1892, and In
mat month was notified by Daniel
Creedon, foreman in the Ohio Tool
5nop, that w. j Elliott, life prisoner
had Informed him (Creedon) that 4
tunnel under the walls was about com.
pleted, and that half dozen or more
desperate criminals led by w. W. Var.
ney the diamond robber. were to esq
cape by this means. Elliott, who had
been asked to make diagram of the
streets outside the walls by Varney. to
SETTLE, as he (Varney) stated. a dis
pute, did make the diagram and was
very much disturbed to be subsequent
.y Informed by Varney that it Cthe
llagram) was to be used to facilitate
The safe getting away Of himself and
companions, who had dug a tunnel.
Elliott promptly on ascertaining this
.act communicated the intelligence to
Mr.. Creedon, with request that l be
informed Of 1t, l caught the men in
me act, and they peached upon their
,ontedrates. They had fire arms, citl-
-ens clothing and money. The tunneE
vas the most elaborate ever construct
ID, and but for the timely information
II Elliott, the most dangerous and
desperate criminals In tile prison
would have escaped. I am satisfied
larney's subsequent murderous assault
IN Elliott was due to Elliott's in.
ormation and exposure of the plot to
'scape." And further afiant saws not
GILBERT H, PORTER,
EDMUND DwYER, Notary Public.
AFFIDAVIT OF W. J. ELLIOTT.
In a reply to a charge conveyed to
he Honorable Board Of Managers OF
he penitentiary, addressed to his ex-
'ellency, Governor Mckinley. under
late Of August 26, 1895:
| have read the communication OF
he Honorable Board Of Managers OF
he Ohio Penitentiary to his Excel
ency, Governor Mckinley, dated Aug
list 26th, 1895, in which they say:
ITO meet the unjust and unNnd i'm
'lication that w. j. Elliott is being
,ept In confinement and in danger OF
Decomtng blind, in reward for his de-
'otion to law and order in exposing an
ttempt of prisoners to escape, we beg
cave to state that no such event has
occurred during this administration:
tut upon inquiry we are informed
nat a short time prior thereto w. ].
Elliott participated in a plot Of pris.
ners to escape; that he furnished
,lans and drawings of the same, and
nat before its contamination, either
rom fear of detection or to obtain
avor he revealed the plot, through
mother party leaving his accomplices
o suffer the consequences.
"Varney was suspected of being I'm
his plot At the time he and w ].
Elliott were bosom friends. The trou-
lie which subsequently arose between
hem, and which eliminated in Varnev
hrowing vitriol had no relation to the
tempted escape, but grew out OF a
onhict OF authority between the two
heh IN" The depatUerduiR. .wbifeh they
were both engaged. Through Elliott's
action Varney was deprived, one after
smother Of all the, privileges he had
enjoyed as a trusty prisoner, and added
to these losses, the jeers Of Elliott over
Varney's downfall so angered him that
he assaulted Elliott and threw the
vitriol.
In reply thereto the undersigned re-
5pectfuly states that the facts regard
Ing the ATTEMPTED escape of w. w.
Varney and others are substantially
as given in the afidavits OF Deputy
Warden G.. II. Porter and shop foreman
Daniel Creedon.
l now desire to further state that
at the time ! discovered the plot OF
Varney and others to escape, | was
under a suspension Of sentence, my
appeal being then pending in the
Supreme Court Of Ohio, and was under
the assurance OF my attorneys that
such appeal would be successful.
Under such circumstances the absurd
Ity Of the charge that / entered into
4 conspiracy to escape from prison
must be apparent to all
Varney's cell was next but one to
mine. | was new prisoner, unused
% criminals and their habits. He had