The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-04-01
SAFE BLOWERS GONE
Paducah Officers Hard Work
Now Amounts to Naught.
o Neal and Russell Get Out of the Ed
dyville Jail at Night
fall.
WERE AIDED BY PAL


the alleged safe blowers, are free mt n
again, and the authorities at Eddy
Vile are mourning their hasty DEPART
ure for pastures new. II the advice
of the police of Paducah had been
needed, the thieves would still be pris'
oners with chances of getting long
terms.
Last night they escaped from the
county Jail at Eddyville, Lyon coun-
ty, and before the alarm could be Civ
en- were doubtless far away. They
were aided by a confederate VINO did
most of the work, and who pulled the
wool over the eyes of the authorities
in great shape.
According to the report received in
Paducah, the jailer had. been repeated
ly warned to allow no one to be with
the men, or to see them, and never to
lock any one in the same cell with
| them OF even uehf tncm.
A few days ago a strange man show
ed up in Eddyville, and after getting
things in shape yesterday afternoon
played drunk and tried to take the
town. He created such disturbance
that he was arrested and locked in the
Jail, which is what he wanted. He
was left in the corridor, and the two
safe blowers were in one Of the cells.
Reports seem to differ slightly as to
how the men got out, but telephone
message to The Sun this morning
stated that about 5 p. m. Jailer ]. W.
Kevil entered the Jail to put in water,
and left the outside door open. When
he unlocked the door, to the safe
blowers cell the drunken man" IN
the corridor seized him, and the safe
blowers rushed out, and all three over
powered the jailer and bound him.
He was kept in there by the six pris-
oners until about dark, all singing and
dancing to prevent the officers outcry
attracting any attention. Their ruse
was successful, and at dark they quiet
ly opened the door and left.
One of the six prisoners, a negro.
who did not have long to serve, re-
NAMED and released the jailer, and lat
err in the night one of the colored fu-
gitives was caught.
Russell apd O'Neal. 1t will be re-
membered, were arrested here few
months ago for blowing a safe at Con-
federate, KY. They had skeleton
keys, soap, cotton and other things
used by safe blowers, and the Paducah
police were very proud Of their catch,
and counted on the rascals getting
long terms. After the arrest h ere the
prisoners were fully identified as the
men who were lurking about Confed-
crate before the safe blowing, and lat
or were identified as the men who
bound and gagged atelegraph operator
at Loitchfield, KY, and leaving him
in freight car robbed the railroad
station and safe.
On several occasions local officers
had written to Eddyville. the county
seat, where the prisoners were incar-
cerated, urging that they be brought
here for safe keeping, but il was never
done. It was then urged that no one
be placed near them, for it was thought
that some pal would eventually be on
hand to aid them in escaping, and he
showed up with all the success he
could have wished.
One of the men claimed to be from
Louisville and the other from Mem
phis.
Captain Henry Bailey and the local
police are very much disappointed and
disguised today with the whole affair,
for the safe keeping, trial and oonvic-
ton of the thieves meont 5000 reward
to them. which they have now lost.
They had repeatedly warned the Jail
er at Eddyville to allow no one, espe-
oially a stranger, to be placed near
the robbers, as II was known that
their pals would go there with saws
and files sewed in their clothing and
attempt to liberate them, even If they
had to be put in Jail TO do it. They