The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1907-06-19
DIGGING FOR LIBERTY
OfiktrS fvusiYeie pvtssaus n q Al.
ien>i b kesk III.

Hat for the betrayal Of their &c
cret BY negro prisoner the white
inmates In the couaty jail, thfe. In
number, would have made their ss-
cape this moruinE through hole ln
,h. vail. which Was partially mada
yesterday The attempt of the white
prias ners TO break ont MAS part of a
plot which would has. resulted IA a
complete jail delivery had IL been
successfully carried out According
TO revelation mad. by Dock
slaughter, u negro prisoner. to jail
er Mckee early this morning the
white prisoners were to so first. but
to the negroes a steel saw which they
were to use In cutting their way TO
liberty.
Coral Newton, the young man who
was placed In Jail a few days ago
on alleged charges OF burglarizing
the depot at Maypearl and "A store
at Bell Branch. was al the head OF
the plot to break out OF prison.
When incarcerated In the jail he
artfully concealed about his person
a small steel saw which was not
found by the jailer when searching
Newton Yesterday this saw was
used by Newton, John Henry Bat
ties and VIII Pool to cut the lock
on q door In the steel partition which
extends through the center of the
jail. The purpose of this partition
is to keep prisoners from going in
behind the revolving cells where the
brick wall is not protected by steel
After cutting the lock and gaining
access to the rear part of the jail
the prisoners lowered themselves to
the floor occupied by the negroes.
Selecting suitable place they began
digging a hole through the brick
wall After removing all the brick
except the outside layer they were
replaced in their former position
and all the mortar carefully hid.
They then returned TO their section
OF the Jail and were locked In their
cells last night AZ usual. intenoank
to make their escepe immedtateis
after being turned into the rul
around this morning.
Before this opportunity came thei
plan was dfvulged by Slaughter. VIII
was taken out Of Jail by Jafler Nc
Kee upon the pretext that he want
ed to plead guilty to a charge OF
| aggravated assault that was pending
against him. When once outside the
| iail ward he told Mr. Mckee of the
plans of the prisoners TO make their
escape during the day. He describ-
ed the hole that had been made IN
the wall by the white prisoners and
said that if they were successful In
getting out the negroes would foi-
low them. He said notes We're pass
ed all day yesterday between the
whites and blacks and that while
the former were digging out the
brick the negroes would sing in or
der to detract the attention OF the
Officers. After hearing Slaughter
story JaiIer Mckee and Sheriff
Forbes made an inspection Of the
iail which resulted in verittcalon
of the negro's statement
Newton was taken into the hos
uital and asked TO reveal the hiding
place of the saw. This he refused
To do an first but when the irons
were put on his wrists and ankles
and the stretching process inflicted
Che prisoner changed bis mind and
said he would produce the steel
iie then went 90 bis cell and brought
out 20 small piece of saw. sa>iHA u
had been broken and th" other
pieces thrown away.
As a reward for b.s service ln
frustratiuE the escape ot the prison
ers SLAUGHTER was released tFom 'u~-
tody and giyen dolIar hy sheriff
( Forbes.
NeWt0u pas p.rgsd .u lail ]uor o..
ue was arrested at lllt after s'-
r..a er nurenfi.- bad trr Urriwi'"'