New-York tribune., 1912-08-30
WOMAN IN PRISON PLOT
Girl SmuggIes Saws to Prisoner
in TombS.
DISCOVERY COMES IN TIME
Man Held Under Two Murder
Indictments Cuts Through
the Ventilator.

William Wright. Deputy Commissioner
Of the Department of Corrections. learned
definitely yesterday that young woman,
Margaret RYAN, who lives In Kemp street
Brooklyn, was responsible FOR the pres
ence in the Tombs Of three rattail saws
and a bottle OF nitric acid. and that
Reynolds Fosbrey, who is accused OF two
murders and one felonious assault, was
the r.ngleader In the plot for Jail de-
livery that included at least two other
prisoners.
Margaret Ryan confessed her part in
the plot when she called to see Fosbrey
Yesterday and was shown into the office
of the warden instead. Fosbrcy when he
learned Of what the girl had told. readily
admitted that he was the one who had
sawed away a part of the steel casing
about yentilator, but he would not tell
who was with him IN the plan to escape.
Although the plot was discovered early
on Wednesday morning, IL was not made
public until yesterday. Then Warden
Fallon said that a keeper OF the name cf
Gregory had found a piece OF cloth hung
over the vent.lator which opened In Fos-
brey's cell. and removing the cloth dis
covered that the quarter-lnch steel graf
ing had been sawed through for dis
tance of about three inches. Immediately
he searched the cell and found the saws.
one Of them was on the ledge over the
cell door and two We're within the lining
OF FOsbreys coat In one OF his shoes
the bottle of nitric acid used 70 soften
the steel was found.
Tho saving had been done IN cell No.
10. which IS almost directly over that Of
Charles Becker. the police Lieutenant in
dicted FOR completely In the murder Of
Herman Rosenthal, but Becker. II is GER
tain, had nothing 20 do with the jail de-
livery plan. and would not have benefited
by Il had Fosbrey and his confederates
succeeded in carrying out their plan
Had Fosbrey sawed or the venilator
casing he would have opened space
about foot and a half wide by three
feet long. leading 20 an air tube that leads
10 the basement. From there IL would
have been possible for him 70 escape
Charles Wilson. burglar, made his es-
cape iu precisely tho same manner July
last. knocking keeper inseusible, after
h. had reached the jail yard.
II was said yesterday that IN cell No.
-. occupied by n prisoner named Trou-
hev. the keepers also had discovered ev-
dence Of an attempt TO saw away the
grating over the venustor opening.
Commissioner Wright sent Margaret
Ryan 20 the Catholic ProtectOry Society.
Iia said she would not be prosecuted.
Reynolds Fosbrey was arrai gned yestcr-
day before the Coroner charged with tho
murder Of Morris Schwartzkopf. a Jew
cl.cr. Of 80. ; Delaney street. VINO was
killed IN his shop six weeks ago. He was
held Tor the grand jury. Ho IS also
charged with killing Walter Mcseritz, a
Flatbush avenue haberdasher. last Feb
ruary and shooting Morris Katz IN
United cigar store In Cooper Square the
day that Schwartzkopf was killed. when
brought into court yesterday Mrs.
SChvartzkopf became hysteTical. She had
heard that Fosbrey had attempted 10 es
capc. and when she saw the prisoner she
cried 80 YOU would try TO get away
would you. Wait until you sec what they
will do 10 you"
The woman made 50 much noise that IL
was necessary 10 remove her from the
room