The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-03-17

An attempt of Aida C. Shaw, con-
victed of completely in the murder Of
Jailer Reeves, of Shelby county, to
saw his way out of the Upton jail
Sunday night was foiled by the alert
ness Of Sheriff G. N. Volz.
Shaw is among the prisoners con-
fined on the second floor of the jail.
The cell doors were not locked. thus
allowing the prisoners freedom Of the
steel cage. Two Of the bars of this
cage were almost severed when
discovered about $3.50 Sunday night,
and needed only shap twist to dis
place them. Three saws were found
in the cage after the attempted Jail
delivery was frustrated.
Had not the plot been discovered
in time, Shaw would have had only
brick wall between him and free
dom, and this wall, it is believed,
would have proven flimsv obstacle
to the man who is an expert in jail
breaking.
Shaw's demeanor had changed
notably during the last few days,
and this aroused the suspicious Of
Sheriff Volz, who kept close watch
on the prisoner. Shaw had been sui
len and registered many complaints
no to the latter part of last week.
Without any apparent cause he sud-
denly seemed to become very affable
and contented. This led the sheriff
to suspect there was plot in pro-
gress of formation.
Sunday night Sheriff Volz and two
of his deputies were at the prison.
The sheriff did not leave when the
deputies did, but concealed himself
to await developments. 1t was not
long until the rasp of the saw was
heard. When the sheriff reached the
second floor Shaw had retired to his
cell The prisoner stoutly denied
that he had anything to do with the
attempt to break jail, accusing
dope addict who was released several
days ago, The sheriff, however, Is
nositive that the work was done by
Shaw after the deputies left the
building Sunday night.
Shaw is under a penitentiary sem
tenence of % years, having been
convicted Of conspiring to kill Jailer
Reeves, of Shelby county. His PAL,
e. B. Kelley, convicted of the same
offense, is now in the penitentiary at
Nashville.
Sheriff C. N. volz is Of opinion
that Mrs. Shaw had no part in the
attempted escape of her husband.
He has learned all details of the
plot. Shaw, it is said, sent Jesse
Smith, 17-year-old negro, an inside
trusty, to Mrs. Shaw with the re-
quest that she give him rs cents with
which to buy tobacco Smith in turn,
gave the money to John Hall, another
negro boy, who was an outside trusty,
and Hall bought the hack saws at
local hardware store. This trans
action took place Friday, and it is
believed that Shaw had been work
ing on the bars Of the cage since
that night. Blankets had been soaked
in the disinfectant used in the Jail
and then wrapped about the bars in
order that the iron would more read
lily Weld to the teeth Of the saws.
The negro Jesse Smith said that
for his part in the plot Shaw promis-
ed to give him the checkered suit
worn by the prisoner in Memphis
and also silk shirt. Both the me-
groes have been deprived of all lib
critics heretofore allowed them.
Sheriff Volz says Mrs. Shaw seemed
surprised that her husband had to
ask her for money with which to buy
tobacco and asked him about it Fri
dav afternoon. This leads him to
believe that the woman knew moth
ino of the contaminated iail delivery