Arizona republican., 1918-08-13
STAbS DEPUTY
 AS OTHERS TRY
 ID BREAK JAIL
Ival McCann in Plot to Els
 cape from Prison. Wound
 ed Officer Fights Assail- ants Until Help Arrives

Tn an attempt by more than 30 pris- oners in the county jail to escape last night. Deputy Sheriff J. E. O'Neil was stabbed in the back and seriously wounded.
 O'Neil. unarmed, went behind the bars into the corridor of the jail to lock up in his cell for the night Wal McCann. under life sentence for the murder of Kenneth Folston. when liar vey Ward who tried to commit suicide in the jail Saturday night by drinking a throat wash, sprang upon O'Neil and stabbed him in the back with a knife. O'Neil turned and grappled with Ward and called to Acting Night Jailer Joe Balsz. Before Balsz arrived. several of the other prisoners sprang upon O'Neil and tried to shove him into the cell occupied by McCann.
 Gun Quels Outbreak
 Balsz leveled his revolver at Ward at the jail door and at the sight of the gun quiet was gradually restored and O'Neil was removed to the sheriffs office where he was attended by Coun ty Physician A. B. Nichols.
 That the plan of the prisoners was AO lbLh V -Ntll III d cell ldht lllb Jdl keys away from him and escape through the main entrance, was the conclusion reached by the authorities after a thorough investigation.
 Late yesterday afternoon and early last evening several of the prisoners asked who would be the jailer that night in the absence of Charles Mus grove. the regular night jailer. whom the prisoners fear.
 Figured on One Man
 The prisoners concluded that Jot Balsz, who is a sparsely- built man would be alone for the night and would come into the jail to lock tip McCann he having had the privilege of eXercis' ing in the corridor daily when he wis tied with his mother and others. Tht prisoners planned, according to the au- thorities' conclusions. to either xii BalsZ or overpower him and lock hin in a cell.
 But orders from Sheriff Wilky ar for at least one man to stay with tn night jailer, and O'Neil was on duty Balsz. being busy, asked O'Neil to g in and lock up McCann.
 O'NeiI Makes Statement
 ONeil in a statement afterward said: When l entered the jail notice all the prisoners were quiet. which unusual, and I became suspicious. was about ready to lock up McCann i the tank when Harvey Ward seize me about the neck from behind an stabbed me. l turned and grapple with him. A number of other prison CTS sprang at me and tried to shov me into the tank and were trying { get at my keys. I called to Joe, an Inc next 1 knew Joe had the whol bunch covered with his gun. Then a was quiet again"
 Dr. Nichols said after attending { O'Neil that the knife, possibly a pocke knife with long blade, entered nea the spine in the upper part of the bacl and that, while the wound was seriou O'Neil was in no immediate dange O'Neil declined to go to hospital an was cared for by friends at the dorm tory of the deputy sheriffs.
 Jail Not Secure Enough
 Sheriff Wilky last night, in con menting upon the attempted jail brea1 said: The jail is in a crowded cond tion. It is nothing more than a chicke coop and very risky place. Facil ties for caring for prisoners are gross H inadequate and something should | done But that is up to the tax pa, CTS. I must do the best I can with wh; the people give me We are fortuna that Mir. O'Neil was not killed, whit would doubtless have led to the escaI of many prisoners"
 When asked by Balsz why he stable O'Neil, Harvey Ward replied: "B' cause have been in here long enoug That's why"