The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-07
SAFE BLOWERS | TRY TO ESCAPE Russell and DriScOn Saw cd Jail Bars. - DISCOVERED BY THEJAILER Thought They Intended to
 Make Break Today. The Places Where the Saws Were Used Were Carefully Hid
 den With Grease
 and Dirt.
DISCOVERED BY THEJAnER

By the vigilance of County Jailer P. NJ. McLemore. daring Jail delivery by AL bert Driscoll and J. E. Russell. alleged safe blowers, was yesterday narrow.y averted.
 For several weeks the closest suryell- lance on the two prisoners has been ex- ercised by the officers at the jail. Two weeks ago the hinge of the door leadiIg from the corridor running along the cells of Russell and Driscoli was found to Le partially sawed.
 Russell and Driscoli had no good jail reputation when they reached Montgom- cry. A, steel saw was found in Russeips cell shortly after his incarceration, and since that time the Jaiiers have watched the men and their cells in the closes. manner.
 Tho twox alleged cracksmen occupied cells on the second floor of the build ing. The cells were in a row of a num- per of similar compartments, enclosed with heavy latticed sawproof steel grating. At night the men were locked in their cells. The rules of the jail al- low them to have access to the corridor between the cells and the grating in ti,e day in order that the prisoners can get necessary exercise. The men were kept in absolute secluslon.
 Jailer McLemore in speaking of the at tempted delivery last night, said: When Russell and Driscoll were brought here recognized that they were men who I would have to watch cIoeefy. I have made it Q practice to inspect their cells four simes a day. and since we hoticod the saving on the hinge I have been doubtiy careful
 This morning when I went on duty at daybreak. I inspected the cells and found nothing wrong. About 10 o'clock, however. decided to inspect them more thoroughly.
 ''I again after a careful inspection found everything in good shape de- cided, however, to go over every one of tho bars. carefully scratching in the crevices where they meet the cross bars at rlgh. angles to form the lattice work. After examining more than thirty of the squares, I found place where the bar was sawed half through. The work had been carefully hidden by rubbing grease and dust on the sawed place and was not visible to the naked eye.
 'I continued the examination and found three more sawed places. The aperture when the saving was completed would be just large enough for a man to crawl through One of the places was
 
 sawed practically through.
 T think they intended completing the saving at the moment they intended making their break. which I expect was timed for tomorrow morning.
 "Wla at their course of action would have been after getting out of the cor ridor Into the hall I don't know. Maybe they intended trying to saw a window bar before I inspected or maybe their plan was to brain me when entered the hall, arm themselves with my pistol and force an escape.
 "On rainy day like this always look out for saving for the crooks recognize how the rain deadens the sound of .he saws"
 Russell and Driscoll were at once moved down stairs in the big cage, where they are under constant surveillance. They were assigned cages in different parts of the building and are refused communication with each other.
 MT. NcLemore sad iast night that n one had been allowed to see the prison- CTS except officers of the law, counsel an1 representatives of the press, and he had attended aE of these when they wis., ited the cells of the alleged safe blow. CTS. He Is at a loss to account for the presence of the saws.
 The two prisoners deny emphaticaliy that they have done any saving A careful inspection of their former quar- ters will be made today to locate tho tools used.
 Russell and Driscoll are charged with having robbed the safe of the Montgor'- cry Theatre on tho night Of Dece .1ber s. They are wanted IT, Savannah, Ga., Jack sonville, Fla, md other places.