The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-18
JAIL LOCKS AS
TOYS TO MENET
He Broke Out Of Cell Three
Times Without Assistance.
LAST DESPERATE ATTEMPT
Ripped Bits Of Steel From Cot and Sharp.
snsd Them Into 0Irks With Muf-
deTuus Iutsnt
LAST DESPERATE ATTEMPT

New York. Oct. ls.-Frustrated In three
attempts to break jail. and awaiting SEN
tence on n conviction Of burglary and at
tempted jail breaking. Ernest Menet. IN
the solitude of his cell In the Queens
County Jail. planned murder and a last
desperate attempt to gain his freedom.
When his plans were discovered three
keen knives were found. One was taken
from Menet's clothing. and two others
were. found IN the cell. While 10 all out
ward appearances nothing in the cell had
been disturbed. yet when an examination
was made II was found that, with only
his naked hands to aid him. Menet had
torn or several long strips of steel from
the side OF his iron cot.
Out Of these strips he made three
knives. twisting one end OF the iron for
q handle and making a blade about four
inches long on the other end. The blades
were ground down until they resembled
dirk knives.
Menet was arrested In a raid on the
Buckley street band OF thieves I'm the
Sunnyside section OF Long Island City
which netted Menet. his wife. Harry
Glare and Frank Blackham. Since mis-
arrest IL has been learned that he was
an expert counterfeiter in France and
served term in jail in that country for
counterfeiting postage stamps. He is an
artist, an expert photographer and can
work wonders with locks. He is an adept
at anything I'm the mechanical line pos
sesses unusual strength and a qrickness
that battles the eye.
Three times he has tried TO break jail.
The obsolete locks with which the
Queens County Jail is equipped were toys
to Menet. while the inadequate force OF
keepers allowed by the New York au-
thorities simplitied his operations.
With his companion. Harry Clare, he
twice sawed through the bars and locKs
of his cell and picked the locks OPEN
ing into other corridors, while he manu-
factured tools from almost any article
that came TO hand.
Failing TO escape himself he laid plans
for others to get away. and last week
two prisoners, under Menet's direction.
pried the bricks out OF the WALL close I'd
ono of the windows, from which they
had dropped rope made of blankets but
were discovered.
Following his conviction Sheriff Joseph
De Bragga placed Menet alone In a tier
on the top floor of the jail, and placed
heard n subdued grinding in Menet's cell.
Cautiously stealing along the wall he
saw the prisoner sharpening piece or
steel on the stone floor OF hts cell.
Keeper Frank De Bragga and Deputy
Anthony Garbe were summoned. Realiz-
ing that Menet was in a desperate mood,
and not knowing what weapons he might
have contrived, they ordered the prisoner
into the corridor. and slipping on pair
of handouts searched him and his cell,
and found the ingeniously constructed
knives.
1t was undoubtedly the intention OF
Menet to pick the lock OF his cell during
the night. and armed with his knives. 10
murder the keeper, probably release 9TH
er prisoners and make his escape. Wnlie
all this was being planned, his companion
- crime. Harry Clare, was being tried on
a third charge OF burglary. Two convic-
lions were returned against Glare ana a
third was found against him before court
adjourned.