Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-23
BRINN PREVENTS
A JAIL DELIVERY
Detective Corrals Crook as He
Is Preparing to Decamp
From City Prison.
WORKS WAY OUT OF CELL
Goes in Hiding in Adjoining Room,
Where He Is Found by the
Officer.

One of the smoothest crooks that
- police have had in their clutches
for years came near breaking Jail last
night in a most anectacular manner,
and today the police as exercising
great care to see that no ohe else
makes use of the means of getting
out from behind the bars which he
discovered
The mans name is J. E. Morgan and
he halls from Chicago. Last night
about 8 o'clock he was arrested with
another stranger registered as George
Williams. the two of them being caught
while attempting TO enter the SchrOe-
der meat market on Twentieth street.
They had broken in two windows, one
on the side and one at the rear, and
were about to enter. They had been
noticed in their operations, however.
by people living next door and the
police were hurriedly notified by phone.
Officers Bennett and Frankhauser re-
sponded and arrested both men, third
members of the party escaping up the
alley.
Finds Way to Escape.
Morgan was placed in cell and
Williams was locked in another part
of the station. Cell is in the new
portion of the jail, the part which was
added with the remodeling and rebuild
ing of the city hall and armory some
time ago. Half the cell consists of
raised section which is used for sleep
ing hunks. II appears to be of solid
concrete, but that it is not, Morgan was
the first to discover. On the side of
this raised section is a cold air regis
ter and this received the attention of
the smooth fellow. He discovered by
means of this register that the raised
section was not nearly as solid as it
appeared to be, and he made use OF
his knowledge at once.
Caught by Accident.
Detective James Brinn heard of the
important capture and at 9 o'clock he
visited the jail. After learning what
the desk sergeant knew of the details
he decided TO take a look at the two
fellows and he walked up to the cells.
They are arranged = d row running
east and west, and a hall with a steel
door runs in front of all of them. This
Slttl hOOI dS OJSl anu as 'AAN .NAAANA
came from the sergeant's room he no
ticed a shadow jump back from this
door He suspected al once that some /
thing was wrong. though just what he /
could not see He hurried into the /
hall and examined the door TO cell s /
and it was all right. but. strange to .
say. there was no occupant. He went /
to =. towards which the shadow had /
and there croucheG in one .
corner was Morgan. with his shoes in .
his hands. No questions had to be .
asked him. as his mode of exit from
No S into No. was clearly disclosed.
Had Removed Registers.
Morgan had removed the steel reg
listers from the thin concrete sur
rounding it and this had allowed him
to crawl into the hollow raised sec
ton. This section led into a SINH
lar section in the adjoining cell and
there it required but a little strength
to push out the register and allow
him to get into the cell proper. The
cell was unoccupied and the door was
open. He pulled off his shoes.
rrawled out to the door leading into
the Jail and was ready to make his
getaway via a back door when the
arrival of the detective ruined his
whole plan. He was Immediately
placed in the bull pen" from which
heir is no chance to escape.
To Be Tried for Burglary.
Morgan and Williams are to be
.ried tonight on a charge of bur
ylary and the police feel that they
an fasten enough evidence on them
o assure their being held under
heavy bonds to the grand jury. Near
V 20 men were gathered in and held
asst night on suspicion of being the
bird one of the party, but examina-
ion of them today showed that most
IF them were merely hoboes.