The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-16
ACCUSED MURDERER
PLANS JAIL BREAK
Desperate Plot to Liberate Pris-
oners From County Jail
Nipped in Bud.
LUCIAN DRISKELL TRIES
TO COMMIT SUICIDE
Sets Fire to Clothing: Revolver
and Saws Found in Cell; Tracy
E. DriskeIl Arrested.

with freedom almost within their
grasp. seventy-two prisoners confined I'm
the county jail missed liberty by the
oarest margin Sunday night, owing TO
the vigilance OF Sheriff Joseph g Sharp
and his deputies The attempted break
was one of the boldcst in the history of
Utah prisons. and but for the watchful-
ness OF tho guards at the county bastiIc
Jaiicr Carlson might now pc at the
morsue and the county prison practically
devoid OF inmates
Lucan Driskcll. accused murderer OF
Special Officer G. G. Riley, believed by
The members of The sherlns office TO
have been the rInSlcadel IN the bold plot
To break JAIL attempted suicide after the
SAWS WIN which ,r Was To force his way
10 freedom were taken from him by the
authorities Sunday afternoon. DriskcIl
gagged himself with Il sleeve from his
shlrt and set fire 10 the remainder of his
GIothine IN an effort to destroy himself
lie was discovered by Jailcr Carlson in
a semi -comatosc condition and revived.
An ugly looking revolver. obtained in
some unknowu manner by other Dris
kcIl or w lIliJm Morgan, alleged counter
tcit"r DriskclIS collmate. Is now I'm the
nds of the sheriff
Tracy Z. prIskell. brother of the alleged
murderer rs IN a cell in the big rotary,
his brothers cell.
Seven other prisoners arc under strict
survelllance on suspicion Of having been
implicated in the attempted delivery.
Boldest Attempt Known Horo.
Utah's penal history. with all its freaks.
mas not an equal - the break that Tss
planned. For hours following the GUS
tomary Sabbath services the seventy pyo
inmates Of the county jail waited patient
" for the signal thai was TO invite them
hTsIE ihErl.r 11- -lIa MA oil
laid, two of tho boldest OF the bad bunch
armed with saws and Il revolver. were
awsitlng an opportunity 10 sever the
chilled steel bars separating them from
the corridors, and the furtive-eycd CON
vtcts I'm the big circular cage anxiously
listened for the scuffle with tho night
taller and the clsnk OF The lock that
meant their release from the rotary. Sep
drated from each other by steel parti-
lions, the prisoners could not see nor
hear what was being done. All through
not knowing that the five saws to be
used In the delivery had been removed
from The cell OF Driskell and Morgan by
Sheriff Sharp and his deputies.
Monday Long Day.
Monday was a long day for the men
10 attempt would be made during the
daytime, and they iougod for night 10
come. Darkness finally came and brought
With IL renewed encouragement 10 some
prison that the plot 10 break Jail had been
nIpped in the bud.
Monday night scarcely prisoner slept.
All was expectancy in the rotary for it
seemed 10 the inmates that liberty wns
near at hand. But the hours dragged
along and there WAS no sign Of a break.
About o'clock Monday morning the odor
OF burning wearing apparel permeated
the interior of the ccllhousc. The prison.
crS wondered, but made no outcry. think
Ing that this might be a part Of the play
smoke became thicker and thicker and
yet no plalnt from tho prisoners.
Coughing Attracts Attention,
Finally the coughing on tho Inside at
tractcd the attention OF Night Jailcr
Carlson. He opened the door leading into
the dollhouse and was. partially blinded
for a moment. Making his way with con-
sjdcra bic difficulty TO the cell from Which
the smoke emauat"d, Carlson discovered
Lucian DIiskell the accused murderer
gagged with a sleeve from his shirt and
with his clothing on FIRE. In the rear OF
the cell. William Morgan accused coun-
terfeiter, lay with his face to the floor,
Unlocking The cell. Carlson dragged
Drskell outsid" aud resuscltate1 him.
I'm not afraid TO die" walled pris.--
kcll. az want TO die. Leave me alone"
And with that he rolled over and over on
the floor. pleading to be left 10 die.
Morgan was more stolcal He rubbed
his eyes and slookcd around and then
gave vent To an expression OF disgust:
Later search of the cells was made and |
revolver was discovered. The men
were returned 10 their cell after the cor
ridors had been aired. but were carefully
guarded by the jsilers Driskell was
slightly burned. but not seriously IN
jurcd as result of his attempt at self
destruction. After recovering ms com
posurc he became sullen and refused to
answer the questions put 10 him, Other
prisoners in tho jail. with one on two eN- (
Ceptions. were equally reiicent.
Struggled in Food.
II is the opinion Of Sheriff Sharp tha
the sws and revolver were smuGgled !
kcll aud Morgan, Ii Is believed that The /
saws were concealed In food sent into The /,
prisoners from the outside. Sunday aft |
crnoon following The discovery OF tho /
saws, Tracy T.. DNskel a brother Of
I.uciau Drskcl. was placed under arrest (
at the county jail when he came 10 Visit ,
his brother Tracy Driskell protested his |
innocence oi any wrougdoine and de-
clared ne knew nothing regarding how |
the saws We're given TO the prisoners. ,
IT was evidently the intention of the !
sist Driskon and Morgan in saving ,
the bars of their cell and max
Ing their way into the corridor surround {
Ing the rotary. Then. II is believed. the
Jailer Carlson when hc entered 10 inVesu-
gate some pre-arrangcG noise. after which
the lallCr WpOlO nave bGcH renewed Ol MS /
KEYS and the SeNcnty-fWo men IN the
rotary turned loose. This could have
been accomplished without much noise
once Drskcli and Morgan We're on the
outside oI the rotary.
Every effort was made br Sheriff sharp
ana his deputies to keep the attempted
break secret. Th" sheriff was extremely
rctlccnt about giving out details when In
torviewod TUESDAY night, stating that lac
had hopes of learning who We're impli-
Gated in the proposed delivery bcSideS
Dyiskcl ard Morgan.
Jailer Carlson's Danger,
Tie saws were oI hardened steel. minus
handles. ami 1t would not have been d;f-
nculI for tho prisoners TO have severed
enough bars In their cage 30 give thcm
rccess to the corridor after which escape
would have been comparatively easy. for
II would have been no great task TO have
assaulted and oVerpowcred Jaller Carl
son, who never carries q. gun while on the
Inside of the joil, Carlson would have
Continued on Page Sever.