The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-10
SHERIFF FO|LS
PLOT To OPEN
DOORS Of JAIL
Weiman With Pistol and
GhoISton With MaChete
Head Scheme to Liberate
All Who Wished Freedom.

A jail delivery " n would have been
the biggest everf e in Shelby
county was thwsrted Monday night by
Sheriff, Perry and Jailer Reeves when
they placed special guard on the Jail
and broke up the plans OF escape OF
some OF Shelby countys most danger
ous' criminals. Murderers under sem
tence, others waiting for trial. highway
robbers already convicted and other
persons considered dangerous men had
cleveriy planned to break jail and gain
their freedom.
A pistol smuggled into the cell of
l., II. Weiman, convicted Of highway
robbery in connection with the theft OF
the weekly payroll Of the Green River
Lumber company, was the chief weapon
to be used by the prisoners in their
night. In the cell of Hamp Gholston,
alias Will Brown murderer of Isaac
Levy, jeweler, was found an improvised
machete, made from a bunk spring,
one end being wrapped with bed cloth
ing for a handle.
The prisoners whispered from cell to
cell early last week and planned the
getaway. No sooner had the plan start
ed than Jailer Reeves got on to it. He
notified the sheriff and plans were
made to break 1t up. The sheriff se-
cretly placed extra guards around the
Jail to watch and allowed the schemers
to continue to plan their diabolical work.
Then last night. the date set for the
wholesale deliyery, the sheriff got busy
and broke up the nicely planned
scheme 1t had been planned to empty
the jail of all prisoners who cared to
get away.
Among those implicated in the pro-
posed jail delivery was z. F, ketchens,
sentenced to serve a sentence for life
in the penitentiary for murder in the
first degree; Hamp Gholston, alias Will
Brown slayer of Isaac Levy, South
Main street jeweler; Tom Hill, negro,
under sentence of 30 years for murder;
Wheeler Stockley, negro, convicted Of
assault to murder and larceny from
another youth at Dinstuhrs restaurant
and sentenced to, serve years in the
state reformatory LII. Weigman, under
sentence of from five to Is years for
Highway robbery, ard John Pickett, as
sault to murder and highway robbery.
The plan was well worked out. Ghol-
ston, according to the sheriff, was Ia
ask for something and when JaiIer
Reeves got into his cell he was to knock
him ins the head with the improvised
I, nachete. The pistol, the sheriff says
WAS Al weinnagiss cell.
Warner Chandler, mere boy, was to
slip out and open the doors and HaTmI n,
pistol and naachete and hold back any
one wishing to interfere until all per.
sons connected with the delivery, had
escaped and then make their own get
away, - q
The jail delivery was planned BY
weiman, the leader, the sheriff said
Monday. Others, according to the
sheriff, who aided in the plan were
Ketchens, Chandler and McAllister.
The sheriff says he understands
weiman paid $50 to get the pistol. How
he got it is a mystery. The officials
believe some one may have slipped it tc
him when he was on trial in First Grim,
his shoes, taking 1t to Jail with him II
is a 32-caliber revolver.
II was aware of what was going or
all the time and felt sure there woulG
be no delivery" the sheriff declared
Tuesday. Il have special guard or
now and will keep one on until some Of
the convicted murderers are safe, II
Nashville or have answered their las
call in the electric chair"