Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-10-12

hatched at the prison. and that the at
tempt would be made In October He
also stated that he had seen two guns
20 into tho prison. further than this
he would say nothing beyond the state.
ment that life timer was at the head
OF the plot, meaning, | suppose, Abe
Majors l at once communicated win
Acting Warden Wright and Gov. Wells.
The matter was also brought up AT the
next meeting OF the board OF correc-
tlons owing 10 the fact that there
are so many stories Of the same nature
being brought By released conyicts at
Intervals the matter was treated some
what lightly, but not before n dlllgent
search was made for any concealed
weapons around the prison.
TALKED WITH GOVERNOR.
con Friday night as soon as heard
of the break / communicated with Gov.
Wells, Judge Il. A. Smith and Acting
Warden Wright and reminded them of
the warning we had received from MAR
three months ago. II was agreed that
the matter be kept from the papers
and the warden was so instructed and
told everyone around the prison to keep
close on the matter. The story has
leaked out In some way, however, and
now that II Is public property II ~ best
that II be told straight. This Is Gov.
Wells idea also"
DEsPIsE MAR.
That MAR is cordially hated by the
prisoners who In some way have learn
ed of his telling the story is instanced
by an experience he had two weeks
ago near the Dooly Block. MAR IL In
Salt Lake and is trying to earn an hon
est living and while passing down the
street as indicated he was struck on
the head from behind and Knocked
down by some unknown man. As the
result he il nursing bad cut and
bruise even at this time. Brolles Is
still in Salt Lake, Williams, who has
served two terms In the state prison
has gone south, while Smith. the color
ed man who struggled the first gun into
the prison, was last heard of at AIer-
cur whore he was playing a piano In a
saloon for a living.
OUTSIDE HELP.
Another significant fact that the Jail
break was deliberately planned and
the prisoners had some outside help
has also come to light. II Is now be-
lieved that II was the intention for the
convcts TO put their plans into execu-
tlon on Wednesday or Thursday even
ing, but something must have happened
then that made 1t imperative to post
pone the attempt. Mr.. Christensen,
proprietor of the Christensen ranch adj
Joining the prison farm, reports to the
prison authorities that some time dur
ing Wednesday night someone turned
out all his horses, some 10 In number,
and drove them off to the foothills,
whore they would undoubtedly have
been secured by the escapes had there
not been a hitch In the program Mr.,
Christensen, however secured his ami
mails prior to the delivery.
WHERE LEAD CAME FROM.
Just where the convicts secured the
lead for the manufacture Of their MUIR
derous slung shot has not TO date been
demonstrated. 1t Is sufficient, however,
that they did. Armed with an old spoon
they melted the metal and cast II In the
boiler room OF the prison on Wednesday
or Thursday The manner in which the
would-be murderers manufactured
their weapons was unique and shows
that they we're men of resource. Pieces
OF stiff paper were secured and twisted
into the shape OF funnel. A piece Of
wood was inserted at the smaller end
of the funnel for the purpose OF a han
die then the paper was dipped In water
to prevent the wood from burning
when the molten metal was poured in
to It. II was then ready for business.
The result was a conlcal piece OF lead
weighing about pound and a half.
This was sewn up In a piece OF blue
denim secured from the tailor's shop
and the handle made by putting a num-
| her OF strips of the same material to-
gether and binding them firmly with
Irvine. loop was formed at the end
through which was passed a piece OF
stout cord or a piece Of electric light
wire to be passed over the wrist 40 that
the weapon could not be plucked from
the hand. Four of these lead slung
shots were known to have been cast.
Thoy are most murderous weapons
owing to the fact that in addition to
their weight they are not rounded at
the base. A blow on the head from
one OF these would undoubtedly kill
the most thick squlled man II deliver
ed with force and precision.
KNIVES ALSO.
Then the convicts secured knives
which they sharpened to razor edge.
Some OF the knives came from the shoe
SHOP, others were made from old table
knives and furnished with convict-made
wooden handles,
When the search for weapons COM
menced there was lively disposition
displayed on the part OF the convicts
within the walls TO get rid Of any in
eliminating articles. One convict was
observed to pass a radiator. He never
halted, but investigation showed that
he had dropped knife behind the
radiator I'm transit II would probably
have been overlooked but for the fact
that In his hurry he made bad fob
Of 1t and the knife caught IN a projec-
tton leaving the handle exposed IN plain
sight,