Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-04-14
PRISONERS HAD ACID.
Frank Turner and Mart Hopkins In
tended to Break Jail.
(Anderson Mail, April ~

Sheriff w. B. King and Deputy NJ.
nj. Stewart nipped in the bud about
noon to-day one OF the most cleverly
planned jail deliveries ever attempt
ed in Anderson county, and are this
afternoon working on clues that may
lead to the arrest of those outside,
who are bound to have aided the two
white prisoners in the Jail, Frank
Turner, a white man. arrested at Pei
ger about twn r,onths ago on an un-
mentionarie charge, and Mart Hop
kins, who has about completed
sentence for blockadiug, having been
sent here from Oconee county, in the
plan.
The officers learned that one OF
these prisoners had knife in his
possession that had been left with
him some time yesterday, and fear
ing he might injure some of the
other prisoners, decided on a search
of the Jail. They went to the cell to-
day, and after finding the knife in
the possession Of Turner, decided to
press the search further. In the
corner Of the cell, beneath box,
were found three small vials, con-
tanning about an ounce each Of
liquid.
The bottles were shown to lead
clared them to contain sulphuric, nj |
trio and hydro-chloric acid, three Of
the most powerful acids known, and |
in sufficient quantities to eat away
the bars of the cells when placed so
that there would be constant drip |
ping, within about twenty-four hours. |
1t Is believed by some that the knife |
was to have been used as a saw, and
applied to the bars after they had
been almost rusted away by the |
acids.
The officers who thwarted the |
plan, believe firmly that the escape
was planned by Turner, whose iden- |
tity has never been fully established |
since he was arrested at Pelzer. On
his legs and arms at that time We're
shaclile marks, indicating that he !
had recently done time somewhere, !
and 1t has been thought since that !
he Is wanted in another section. No !
one about pclZer was able to give ,
any light as to his identity. He has |
the appearance of shrewd, daring !
fellow.
One of the three bottles found in !
the cell to-day bore the name Of a |
leading local druggist stamped in the |
glass, but all Of the labels had been !
carefully removed. The bottle bear !
ing the druggists name contained |
sulphuric acid, but he says this acid |
is usually handled by plumbers. Sev- !
eral days ago woman of about 40 |
years, rather shabb'ly dressed, says I
the druggist, called II the store sew |
eral times and askei for the acid. |
the name of which she had rather |
mixed, but none was sold to her, and |
she went away, supposedly to a |
plumbers.
An odor OF burning rags was de-
tccted in the jail yesterday by those
in charge there, and this has in a ,
manner led to the discoveries to-day.
When the search was made, many !
fragments of burned rags and a num-
Der of matches We're found conceal |
ed with the acids. This is explain !
ed by the officers, who say that the !
fumes from the burning rags were !
intended to overcome those which /
came from the acids working on the ,
iron bars of the cells
\ partial investigation was made |
at the Jail to-day to see if any OF the
effects OF the acids on the bars could
be found, but nothing has so far |
come of this. The drugs may not vet
have been applied, those who planned .
and were TO execute the jail delivery
preferring rather to work in the
night time, or it may be that a suffi-
cienl amount OF the acids had not
been used to produce an impression.
1t was said this afternoon that
detective will come here at once, and
an effort be made to establish the
identity Of Turner, who is believed to
have laid the plans and directed the
purchase of the acids from the cell.
He Is about 35 years old.