Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-09-28

such cases made and provided.
The hearing took place at ! | O. CLOCK.
The arrangements had been conducted
with great caution and secrecy and
thus was crowd at the hearing avoid
ed. David Barrett and Elmer Halder-
man were brought down from the Jail
handcuffed togG ther by Officer John
GriCT Voris; John Sees, also hand
cuffed, was in charge of Chief of PO
lice Mincemoyer, while Sheriff George
Maiers followed with George Cross
ley, who although a prisoner, was not
charged with Jail breaking but was
wanted as witness
The hearing was conducted by Dis
trict Attorney Ralph Kisner The in
formation was read, and the men ar
raigued were asked whether they had
anything to say, whether guilty or not
guilty. at the same time the usual pre-
caution being taken to remind them
of their prerogative in the matter aud
to warn them that what they said
might be used against them. All three
of the men-Sees, Halderman and Bar
rett pleaded Not Guilty"
Sheriff George Maiers was the fist
tempt to break Jail as printed in these
columns Tuesday morning, emphasiz-
ing the fact, that it was only in Sees
and HaIderman's cell that he found
any of the bars sawed.
George Crossley the principal wit
ness. followed the Sheriff. George
who is held on charge of assault and
battery, was out couple of days last
week on his own recognizance to at
tend his mothers funeral. On Satur-
day he had resumed his place behind
the bars. Being sworn, George testif-
ed that he knew of the attempt made
by Sees, HaldeTmau and Barrett to es-
cape He related how the saws came
in through the rear window. Sees,
Halderman and Barrett. he said were
all three in the III lot to escape. He was
quite sure, however, that Barrett had
done no part of the saving. just as it
was shown by the Sheriff's testimony
that none of the saws or other plt-
ments were found in Barrett's cell.
The saving, Crossley swore, was done
on Sunday the 18th inst by Sees and
Halderman.
The most sensational part of Cross
ley S. testimony occurred when be ex-
planned the purpose to which the
heavy chair leg, secreted above the
cage door was to De applied by the
prisoners in their attempt to escape.
1t was part of their plan that Gross
ley was 10 play off sick-that was all
they asked of him Taking advantage
of the liberty accorded them Sees was
to be out in the small corridor be-
tween the cells cleaning up things.
Crossley's agoniZing cries were to sum
was relied upon as was his wont to
unlock the cage door and enter. At
this moment, according TO Orossley,
Sees was to seize the club and deal
the Sheriff a blow upon the head, after
which the official was TO be dragged
back iEto the cage hy the men, who
had sawed their way out of the cells :;
the cage door was to be relocked and
safe beyond the possibility OF discov-
ely and pursuit the prisoners were to
walk out of Jail.
This part of the testimony will be
received with "a great deal of surprise,
as Sees at the hearing of SeitZ aud
Hahn, arrested as confederates a week
ago, disclaimed all connection with
the attempt to break Jail and gave
testimony, which was instrumental in
holding those two for trial.
Beyond his plea of mot guilt" "
BarretE maintained silence during
the hearing. He frequently shifted his
position to use the spittoon behind
him aud as the hearing proceeded rose
to Lis feet and moved a couple of
steps forward. In this position he
stood during the latter part of the
hearing. Haldermsn was of much
more exoitable disposition and was
inclined to talk. As the desperate pur-
pose OF murder seemed TO be fixed up
on the prisoners HaIderman voluntari-
ly confessed his own part and charged
the generalization of murder to Secs.
Halderman said:
Il did not want to murder Maiers-
| wanted to get out, if l Coald, in a
quiet way, but | would 1T commit
murder. He intimsted that Sees was
the one that was TO carry out tina: part
of the diabolical plot and added in
dignantly: "Suos vas into it MS deep
as any of us until we were caught aud
then lie turned 6eai again.t Us and
gave the thing away"
Sees murmured something that was
to the effect that they wanted him
to use the club on the Sheriff. "
Halderman was ready with retoTt !:
" If you tell man so go and hang
himself and he does. then. he ought to
go
The Justice held the three men each
in 500 bail. As the prisoners, how
ever, were each already IN Jail IN de-
fault of $1,000 bail the matter of bail
in the present case was inConsequenti
al and they were remanded TO prison
with little ceremony.
The offeuse of Jail breaking carries
with it penalty of two years i'm
prisOument.
To Cure a Cold in One Dav.