Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-15
.RAsT,LE DE WAPELLo is AGAIN
oiyEsTED OF SOME BRICK AND
MADE SIEVE LIKE = PENiTEN-
TiARY BIRDS FLY AWAY.
USE QUEER TOOLS
IN THE GETAWAY
SMALL PIECE OF PockET-kNiFE
MADE INTO A DIAMOND POINT
is EMPLOYED TO BORE
THROUGH IRON BOLTS.

The nopularity Of breaking out nf
tbe county Jail by prisoners who hnd
the incarceration irksome and not
conducive to their comfort, was again
successfully shown by five prisoners
this morning at an early hour. THIS
delivery marks the fourth attempt
within the past year. Three of those
we're successful and one was nipped
IN the bud and nothing learned OF t
for some time afterward. OF the hVe
men who broke out this morning four
have thus far made good their escape
and one of them. James Morgan, was
recaptured at Agency and brought
back to iail. The walls of the old
Bastile de Wapello, present the ap-
pearance of a block house during q
siege. AT places along the outside
are the evidence of Jail deliveries ac-
complished by divers means from the
use of a tin teaspoon to that a bar of
iron, and even the wooden gun wrap
ped In tin foil has proved effective.
Well Planned Job.
In the delivery of this morning,
much patience as we'll as a deep laid
plan was evident and was testified to
by the tools used and found lying
about the cell and floor in the corridor
at the point of egress through
the wall. 1t is thought that the job
has been underway for sometime ow-
ine. TO the length Of time necessary to
work out of the cell in which the prls-
oners were locked.
Bore Bolts From Lock
This was accomplished by boring
away four iron bolts of half-inch thick
ness where they entered the inside of
The cell and held the bar or lock of
the cell in position. The bolts present
the appearance of a piece OF wood
noneyconlbed by worms, as they We're
bored into by short piece Of steel
the back spring of a pocket knife
which had been ground down to dia-
mond point and used as a bit for bor-
ing, This knife spring was purpose
less to all appearance, being but IT.
tie more than an inch in length and
used to open cans of syrup and other
canned articles fed the prisoners and
also for manicuring the nails. This
morning when found the knife spring
was lodged in the end Of chair leg
with which it was manipulated as
bit and brace for the purpose Of bor-
ing through the bolts.
Dig Through Wall.
When the bolts were broken off and
the cell door released the prisoners
inprovised tools from such useful ar
ticles as a steel corset stay, which
was nicked with saw-like teeth and
wrapped about the center with rags.
A tin teaspoon was also wrapped
about with piece Of cloth as handle
To protect the users hand and piece
Of iron used as a brace or bracket for
. the shelf in the cell had been worked
i out of it's moorings and with these
three instruments the work OF getting
\ through the wall was effected. To
"a avoid racket the blanket from the cell
81 was laid upon the floor and as the
# bricks were removed they were depos-
tied on the blanket. A hole was thus
made through the wall directly over
the front window at the north side OF
The doorway. and the bars of the win
low below served as !. ladder for the
iailbirds.
Two Were Convicted
The prisoners who availed them
selves of the chance to get away We're
composed or two convicted thieves
and three charged with larceny. They
were Frank Smith and Harry Grey,
the latter II year old lad, both con
yicted of larceny and were sentenced
to ten years at Anamosa; Walter
Beverly (colored), who was recently
brought back from Minneapolis,
charged with the theft of horse and
buggy from DR.. o. A. Diller; OWE
House, charged with larceny of cloth.
ing from the Leighton barn and just
brought to the Jail from Sigourney by
Sheriff Jackson yesterday, and James
Morgan, who is charged with theft OF
jewelry at Mt Pleasant, by a man
who also accuses Morgan Of running
away with his wife. organ was cap,
tulsed by AIDES Mcdowell, marshal at
Agency
Notified by Phone.
The first intimation OF the jail de-
livery was had about 2 a. m, when
Turnkey F. Kreigh received a tele.
phone message from 7. Sumner at mis-
residence on Park avenue stating that
he noticed something suspicious look.
ing when he passed the Jail and that
an investigation be made.