The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-12-26
Deputies on Guard .Overpow-
cred By Six Christmas
Visitors and Locked in
Cells, While Nationally
Known Crooks Are Assist
ed to Freedom

TOLEDO, Ohio. Dec. 25.-One of the
most daring Jail deliveries ever accom-
plished in this part of the country oc-
CURED here today when six men called
at the county Jail. exchanged Christmas
greetings with three deputy sheriffs on
duty, overpowered and locked them in
cell, then liberated four notorious burg
lars and safe blowers. In the fight that
followed the arrival Of the visitors. Leo
Noonan. a deputy. was shot through the
left breast. Hearing the commotion'
Sheriff John Matthias rushed from bed
to investigate and was promptly car
ried off to the cellar and imprisoned.
out Of the Jail. Although an alarm was
quickly given, no definite trace or them
had boon found late tonight though Two
men suspected OF completely In the
delivery had been arrested
TOLEDO, O., Dec. 25.-Four men
known all over the country as safe
blowers and burglars, were delivered
from the county Jail here early to-day
in an attack by six men upon three
The four men at large are Edward
Meehan. alias D. E West. known ma
! tionally as a safe burglar Albert Loach,
store burglar. known to police under
| six aliases; Leo Mitchell. with eleven
aliases, safe blower; Frank Howard.
| alias Herbert Johnson. alias whitney
! safe blower and burglar
Meehan, on January 20. lSlI. was
sentenced to eleven and one-halt years
! at Fort Leavenworth. for postoffice
! ing year, President Taft commuted his
sentence to three years. He was ar
! rested here for the murder OF James
Manlon, in resort, was found guilty
, of manslaughter and sentenced to 70
years.
Loach was arrested here September
10 last, for the robbery Of silk store.
! Mitchell has served several terms In
prisons In different parts OF the conn
try. His most prominent bit was
Of the Philip Present jewelry store at
Rochester He was awaiting trial here
on a charge Of carrying concealed
weapons
Howard was held as the result Of a
brawl in the underworld in which a
woman was killed. Howard was arrest
ed here last January 8 for Chicago au-
thoritics. He VS. returned there Dut
jumped a $4,000 bond. In August. 1917.
ne was given 10 years in Sing Sing for
holding up a New York gambling re-
sort. He served part Of the sentence
Six men visited the jan this morn
ing and said: Merry Christmas" to the
three deputies on duty. "hlie one OF
the deputies was returning the saluta-
tion the men attacked the guards, lock
ing them in q cell. In the melee Leo
Noonsn. deputy, was shot through
| the left shoulder
:. -- .s..
r Sheriff John Matthias. hearing the
commotion. arose from his bed and, un-
armed. appeared on the scene. He was
promptly taken to the cellar and in
careerated
Then the men departed from tho Jail
and although an almost immediate
alarm was given. no trace has been
found of anyone Of them,
An abandoned automobile was fonnd
near a road house in the outskirts and
il is believed that they escaped in IT.
Two men suspected Of freeing the Jail
inmates have been arrested. Fearing
an attempt to release them police with
shotguns are guarding the city prison
, where the pair was taken.
The raid on the Jail took place short
ly after 3 o'clock in the morning. Tho
jail Is located outside the business sec
ton where travel at that hour Of the
! day Is light. Nobody has been found
who will say they saw the convicts and
their deliverers leave the grounds.