The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-10-17
JAIL DELIVERY
WAS PLANNED
Officials Frustrate One lust
in the Nick of Time.
D. G. Robinson and Roy Roe Said to
Have Been Executing a Nicely
Planned Scheme.

What appears to have been a we'll
planned attempt at Jail delivery has
been headed off by Sheriff Gerlich,
and his son, Deputy Sheriff Albert
Gerlich. Half dozen successful at
tempts of this kind have bsen made
recently in different towns, including
Blue Earth, Redwood Falls and Waseca.
That Mankato.hass not been added to
the list is due to one .of the prisoners
at the Jail, who has. from time to
time revealed to the officials the plot
tings of two of his fellow inmates,
who, he said, were D. G. Robinson
and Roy Roe. the latter being United
States prisoner committed to the Jail a
month ago to await the action of the
United States grand jury in November
on the charge of stealing money from
a postal Car at Tracy.
1t appears from the statement Of
the prisoner who clipped off the
plot, and from other evidence, that
some of Robinson's friends have been
trying to assist him to make his es-
cape from the Jail. Deputy Sheriff
Gerlich, on returning home late at
night during the past month or more
has seen parties on the outside of the
Jail opposite Robinson's CELL These
fellows would decamp on his ap-
proach, and a scheme to entrap them
failed. 1t is thought that these men
would stand on the window stills and
hand articles through the bars to
Robinson, to be used in making his es-
cape.
A person reaching through from the
outside windows can almost touch the
hand of prisoner reaching out from
his CELL 1t is not.difficult for these
outside helpers to reach key files.
corset steels, etc., to Robinson in the
depth of the night. when the officials
were all asleep, The windows were
left opsn to let in air. but when the
Jail officials learned of what was be-
ing done. they nailed down the lower
sashes. but this was of no avail, for
the people on the outside handed in
things through the upper part of the
window. A few days ago, Robinson
and Roe were removed to the upper
floor. where they could receive no
outside assistance to escape.
1t is believed. that active operations
toward carrying out the plan to escape
began three weeks ago, but it might
have been four weeks Two or more
key files were handed in to Robinson,
and also several corset steels, from
which saws could be made.
Last week the first discovery of
what was going on was made, al
though the Jail officials knew that the
two suspected men had their heads to-
gether continually. 1t was found that
one of the Large iron srods that run
across the arches on the ceiling in the
prisoner corridor had b3en unscrew-
ed and hidden behind the bath tub.
1t was to be used to pry the bars apart
after they had been sawed. The work
of saving the bars had only been be-
gun. and had not progressed far.
Robinson also made a key from an
aluminium comb that was intended to
open the outside lock of the prisoners
corridor. 1t would not operate unless
the bars were pried together, and
this was found to be easy of accom-
plishment, as they could be moved a
little with broomstick. The bar from
the ceiling was to be used for this
purpose, also.
So confident were the prisoners of
the success of their operations that
Robinson arranged with Amel
Schuerer, who was serving a short
sentence for drunkenness, to send his
clothing to him when he should be
located somewhere. Robinson was to
send an assumed name and his address
to Mr.. Schuerre, who was to send him
his clothing in dry goods box. Rob
inson's trunks were to be left, so as to
mislead the officials Mr.. Schuerer,
who is an honest man, and whose
only fault is too great love for the
bottle. promptly informed the officials
of the Jail upon his release few days
ago.
When accused of planning to break
out of Jail, Robinson and Roe strongly
denied having any such intentions
The officers, in spite of the protesta-
tions of the prisoners, are convinced
that they were plotting an early escape
The November term Of the district
court will convene in about month,
when Robinson case will be taken up.
THEIR Cali nEcIINEn