Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-10
Prisoners Scheme to Break
Out of Jail.
NEEDED ONE DAY MORE
The WapeIIo County Bastile is Inse-
cure and Constant Watching Is Re-
quired to Prevent Prisoners From
Escapins-Need New Building.

found to be necessary on account OF
the discovery on Saturday of unmis-
taxable signs that certain prisoners
at the bastile have been carrying on
for some time and had almost sue
ceeded in plans for their escape. The
success of their plans would have
meant the release of seven or eight
men who are bound over to await the
action of the grand jury on charges
that will, if they are proven, send the
men to the penitentiary or to serve
long sentences in the Jail. The fact
of the matter, as disclosed to certain
citizens, including a representative of
the Courier, who made an examina-
tion of the Jail today, is that the build
ing, or part of it, is in such a condi-
ton now that with little effort, and
unless watched closely, determined
jail breakers could effect their escape
in comparatively short time, with
the help they would receive from out
side the jail
An Old Structure.
The main part of the Wapello coun-
ty jail was erected in the ante-bellum
days, when there was much less need
6f a Jail in the county than there now
is. Since that time there have been
additions to the original building, but
the walls of the old one are good tar
gets for the prisoners, as demonstrate
ed by the discovery made Saturday. A
stone was found already loosened in
the wall between a cell and the stair
way leading from the sheriff's living
apartments to the sleeping rooms, and
ha dthis stone been removed, together
with the one next to it seven prisoners
could, with little risk, have made their
escape from the Jail the next day af-
ter the discovery of their treachery
was discovered.
A Lucky Find.
Sheriff Cremer makes an inspection
of the entire Jail three times each
week, and last Saturday, when he did
this, he was surprised to find in the
wall of a cell opening off the main cor
ridor on the ground floor of the jail,
hole which, with little widening,
could have been made large enough to
admit man. The hole opened into
an unused fiue and that in turn is sep
arated by only course or two of
bricks from the stairway leading from
the first to the second floor of the
family apartments. The hole had been
started by removing from the wall a
rusted iron ventilator, thus leaving an
opening of about six inches in dame
ter. This gave the Jail breakers a
start and they were nearly through
their work when their scheme was rem
dered impossible, for time at least.
The authorities had double checl,
upon the attempt at Jail delivery, for
| John Gray, chief of police, had,
| through some friend whose name he
will not disclose, learned of the plan
| He communicated the fact to Sheriff
| Cremer so it was rather discourag
| ing day for the prisoners who had
doubtless begun to scent the air of
| freedom again. When Sheriff Cremer
discovered the breach in the wall he
made a closer examination and found
small hole in the roof which had
been made with hot poker. The
men were changed from the cell that
was unsafe to others and this morning
were again changed, those who
have been downstairs being taken
1 upstairs, where they are now con-
fined in the steel cages from which it
would be useless to attempt escape.
Three prisoners who have been in the
cage were taken down stairs and will
occupy two of the cells which are not
| damaged.
Are From Missouri.
The men upon whom suspicion falls
as being the ones who began the
movement for the Jail delivery are
from Kansas City, according to their
statements made at the time they
were bound over to the grand jury,
and it may be that they have known
each other before and belong to the
gang which gave the police consider
able trouble some weeks ago, but has,
lit seems, been broken up. They are
James Thompson, who is charged with
breaking and entering Chauncey Halls
barber shop on Main street; Ed. Rob-
Iinson, accused of breaking into a
fruit car near Emerys fruit store;
James Parnell, who was arrested for
taking pair of shoes at Jones Sax's
store on Main street; James Davis,
1.-The man who says he walked into Phil
lips store and found some clothing to
De IN his way, 81 Le sillplS picheu II
up and started out of the store, when
lhe was stopped by an unobliging clerk
with request that he prove his own
ership. James Hogan and Thomas
lGorman, two others charged with lar
ceny from building were in an ad-
joining cell to the one where the work
was DONE
Worked During Day.
Sheriff Cremer's opinion is that the
work was done during the day, while
the prisoners were in the corridor. AT
might they are locked into their cells
but during the day they are allowed
the freedom of the whole apartment
Some rude tools, muffied so that the
sound could not go far, We're found