The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-21
COUNTY JAIL
IS ATTACKED
BY SULLIVAN
Escape of Desperate Is Pre-
vented Only by Timely
Discovery in Prison.
PARTICLES Of STEEL
FALL ON DEPUTY'S FACE
in POSSESSION OF SAWS AND
WEAPoN-TAKEN TO PENI-
TIARY FOR SAFE KEEPING.

Had he not been betrayed by flakes
of steel, made while he sawed through
the bar of his cell in the county jail,
Joe Sullivan. the highwayman who is
supposed to have murdered Policeman
Ford would have escaped last night.
When discovered at $3.50 o'clock yes
terday afternoon, Sullivan had one
bar almost sawed through. Had he
been allowed to continue at work, he
could have sawed through a second
bar before night. That would have
given him all the hours of darkness in
which 10 make his escape
The steel dust which caused SIlli-
vans undOing, fell upOn the upturned
face of Deputy Sheriff COriiss while
he was standing upon a ladder in the
basement Of the Jail Although COrliss
could not see the saw at work. the tell
tale flakes told the story. A few min
utes later Sullivan was on his way u
the state penitentiary for safe Fecp
ing until the time OF his appearance
in court.
On being ordered out of his cell after
the discovery made by Deputy Sheriff
COrliss. Sullivan smilingly submitted 10
a search. He did not know Of tho
shower of steel dust and probably be-
ieVed that ne would be quickly re-
turned to his cell. He soon realized his
mistake. AS no saws or other g. ,.s
were found in his possession. his cell
mate. George Elliott the alleged sa-
loon robber, was searched.
Saws Are Found.
Elliott had two saws concealed in
his clothing. These had been handed
to Elliott by Sullivan as soon as the
turning of the revolving cells caused
the desperate to think that another
search was to be made.
In addition to the saws a slung shot
was found 1t was made Of the han
die of a water faucet, a shawl strap
and pieces Of cloth torn from Suli-
vans garment. 1t was a dangerous
weapon. Had Sullivan succeeded in
getting out of his cell and had ne been
met by one of the Jail guards. there is
little doubt that he would have at
tempted another murder The fact that
ne had the weapon ready indicates
that he expected To make his esca pc
some time during last night.
Betrayed by Filings.
When Deputy Sheriff COrliss discov-
cred that Sullivan was at work with
a saw. he was standing upon a step
ladder in the basement with his face
upturned toward the cell occupied by
the desperate. Fine flakes Of steel,
made as the saw ate its way through
the cell bar, fell upon the deputy
sheriffs face, convincing him that Sui
Ivan was hard at work.
He at once gave the alarm and Sulli-
van was taken from his cell. The saws
found were Of the finest pattern. They
were small and thin. A person on a
lower floor could not have detected the
Ia hrQ lraV as ho nd
have heard no sound.
That these saws were passed to Sui
Ivan by one of the Jail prisoners, act
ing for one of the highwayman's con-
fedeTates on the outside, there remains
no doubt. Before Sullivan was admit
ted to the Jail, he was stripped Of all
his clothing and given new garments.
He was even given new shoes. so that
he could by no possibility carry into
his cell any article that might oe Used
in jailbTeaking.
An examination of Sullivan's cell
showed that one bar of the cell was
sawed seven-eighths through. A few
minutes more work would have COM
pleted the job. AS the discovery was
made at $3.50 O'Clock, Sullivan would
have had part of the afternoon and-dH
of the night to finish the work upon
the second bar. After saving through
two bars, it would have been an easy
matter for a man OF his stTeigth to
bend the bars downward and make an
opening through which his body would
pass. Once out Of the cell. he would
have been compelled TO saw through
two more bars at one of the windows
Then he would have been free once
more.
Weapon Is Discovered.
The Slung shot was found in a cell
adjoining that which was occupied by
Sullivan. The pieces of cloth, torn from
Sullivan's garments, used in making IL.
| betrayed that it had been made by the
1 desperate.
Sullivan, it is believed. passed the
slUng shot to the occupants of the ad-
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