The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12
Two Formidable Tools Found After Careful Search
 of Jail Cells
ONE PRISONER HARD AT
 WORK IN BATH ROOM
If He Had Not Been Discovered Just at the Time Officials Think There Would Have Been Whole
 sale Jail Delivery.

The fortunate discovery of John Burns while he was in the act of saving out one of the bars in the window in one of the bath rooms at the county jail yesterday afternoon means possibly the prevention of wholesale delivery of prisoners from the county bastile. Burns was discovered by one of the negro prisoners in the jail, who promptly notified the warden of what he had found.
 Burns, who is a white prisoner in jail for disposing of mortgaged property, had evidently only just begun his work when discovered, as the bar had been sawed to the depth of only about quar- ter of an inch when he was stopped. He was, however equipped with a tool that would have severed the bar in 10 minutes. The discovery of Burns action created sensation at the sheriff's office, and as soon as it was known Sheriff Higdon went to the jail to investigate. The saw with which the prisoner was working was one of the ordinary kind of steel saw about 10 inches in length, but it was fitted in a roughly constructed, but very service able, frame, which made the saving much easier than it would otherwise have been. The would-be escape was supposed to have been in the bathroom washing his clothes, and while the warden suspected nothing he was busy making preparations for his and, it is believed, several others escape.
 Says He Found Saw.
 When questioned about the saw Burns told Colonel Higdon that he had found it under radiator while sweeping the up- per floor of the jail. He stated further that he found the handle in which the saw was fitted in box in the basement. and that he had put saw and handle to- gether. Little credence is put in this tale, however.
 When Burns was caught in the act it was suspected that there were other saws in the jail. and accordingly a thorough search was instituted. This search was not without avail. In a cell occupied by Marvin Young, charged with highway robbery, and Jim Raper, charged with att tempted highway robbery, both of whom are white men, another saw, the mate to the one which Burns had, was found The saw was found closely hidden in crack i in the cell, and would have escaped mo- tice but for the most careful search
 Both Young and Raper denied any knowledge whatever of the saw having been secreted in their cell. Their state ment Is doubted. A further search of the cell turned up pocket knife, which W fa there was also found piece of wood from which 1t is believed by the authorities the frame to the other saw was made The pocket knife and the piece of wood both in the cell are fairly conclusive evil dence against the men in the mind of the sheriff, and he had additional charges placed against all three of the men in- volved. The additional charges were those of attempted jail breaking and smuggling saws into the jail.
 Similar Attempt Recently Made.
 It will be recalle dthat an attempt sim liar to the one yesterday was made sev- eral months ago, a bar in the bath room being sawed nearly half in two at that time. It was never discovered who did
 
 work was done with the saws which were afterward found in the cell of c. S. Miller the convicted murderer of Fred Rainbow It Is not known how the saws discovered yesterday were smuggled into the jail, as very close watch has been kept for things of this sort There are several ways, however, by which the saws might have possibly been smuggled inside the jail. Sheriff Higdon could not secure confession from any of the men yesterday afternoon, all positively denying any knowledge of their entrance.
 The case shows evidence of we'll laid scheme. It is thought that Burns, Raper and Young were all working together and that they actually constructed the frame and fitted the saw into it. The saw found in the crack in the cell was broken off at one end.
 To test the improvised tool it was tried by Chief Deputy Sheriff Lucen Brown on an iron poker. The saw cut the iron very rapidly.
 Colonel Higdon talked to the prisoners in the jail yesterday afternoon and warned them against any such further ac- tions He will, as he announced yester- day. from now on deny the three men involved in the affair any rights, corridor or otherwise. They will be kept confined to their cells.
 Had Burns succeeded in saving the bar in the bath room in two it might have meant the escape of a number of desper- ate prisoners, and with this thought in mind, Sheriff Higdon will at once take steps to avoid the repetition of such cases.