Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-05-03
Daring Plot Nipped in the Bud by
County Authorities.
IT WAS BEING CARRIED OUT
When the Iailer and Sheriff Made the Timely
Discosery-The Scheme Given Away by
Prisoner Eleven Would Have
Eecaned
Escaped.

BY the timely discovery OF a we'll
laid plot daring Jail delivery was
frustrated at the County Jail vester-
day afternoon by Jaller Caldwell and
Sheriff Stnckey.
During the morning one of the pris-
onersswhose term has almost expired
secretly conveyed to the authorities
information which placed them on
their guard and as a result daring
scheme was nipped in the bud. The
prisoner who gave away the scheme
told the officers that he had seen Fred
Hanson, John and Frank Ford, three
prisoners who are wanted for burg
larry IN Maryland. tamper,ng with the
bars on the window. The prisoner
said the three men had been putting
something on the bars; what thew
We're doing he did no know; but
the officers had better watch out. for
something was going to happen.
A strict watch was kept up until in
the afternoon between and O'Clock.
when the Sheriff ana Jailer started
out to make thorough investigation
| Thew were soon rewarded for their
search. In one of the cells occupied
by the strangers they found two lot
ties of muriatic acid. one half pint
bottle and the other a quarter of IL
pint bottle. Both of them were la
bele1 "Welty's Whlskev. for the
purpose, pl obahly. of making tie off
GERS believe It was whiskey instead of
muriatic acid. should they come
across them.
A further Investigation revealed the
| fact that the acid had been placed on
! the bars of window in the rear wall
of the Jail and was already doing the
work for which it was intended. The
work of the acid was hidden from
lew by liberal spreading of scan.
The evident intention was to soften
the bars so that they could be sawed
easily. Alth ugh the officers made "a
thorough search, they could discover
no saws, however If the prisoners
did pot already have them hidden
away they probably depended upon
getting the same way in which they
secured the acid.
Had the plot not been discovered
eleven prisoners, including George
Redmond, who is in Jail awaiting
trial on the charge of murder, would
in all likelihood have secured their
| liberty.
The window selected for the escape
is IN the main corriodor of the jail,
into winch the prisoners are let from
their cells during the day. In the
evening at O'Clock they are ALWAYS
locked uu again IN their cells.
The three prisoners at the head of
the plot are John Ford. aged 32 years.
Frank Ford, aged II wears, and Fred
e. Hanson. aged 10 wears, who were
caught sitting around ire in the b
& o. yard here on FRIDAY. Aprft s.
with a quantity of stolen goods i'll
their possession. They are white
men. we'll dressed and genteel look
ing.
They were sentenced to jail for
thirty DAYS and in the mean time
thew have been identified as the men
accused Of breaking into and rvbbing
the store of j. j. Bier, at Bier's sta
tion, near Cumberland, Md Tie
goods stolen cut of the store by the
robbers are valued at $3.50. The requi-
si4ion paners for their removal 10
Cumhei land for trial arrived yester-
dav ANA as soon as their term of thlr-
ty DAYS in the ioll expires they VIII
be removed to tie Maryland jail.
The thought of a term N the Mary
land penitentiary Is doubtless what
prompted tue three prisoners 10 con-
coct thu scheme. How they came in
possession Of the acid is IA mystery to
the officers. The prisoners are allow
ed to have whiskey in small quantities
and il is probable that the ruse of
the acid being placed in whiskey bot
ties is what caused them to get hold
of it without being detected. Had
thew succeeded in breaking the bars
the escape would have been made nc
some quiet hour during the dav,
the prisoners are only allowed ont
of their cells into the main room
from Z O'Clock in the morning until
in the evening.
These three will no longer get out
into the maiH corridor now. Instead
they will be confined in their gloomy
cells and will 1--we on bread. water
and fat meat while the prisoner who
gave away the plot will enjoy more
privileges and will eat all the good
things tnat the jailer's family eat
Fewer Gallons, " ears Longer.
II EnNxr