The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-03
|Up From The Death Cell

| turned to that window where an end of the bright saw was showing, and l felt that even if they would not call attention to the thing-at least not just then.
 Fred and I were standing together talking. He had just explained to me that We would be taken in sets of | threes to the dining room, where we would remove our clothing for the search, when l heard the sheriff.s voice behind me.
 You three fellows nearest here just step this way And we two and another passed through a gate to the dining room.
 The sheriff spoke to me first.
 This jail life has its drawback and inconvenience. Jack, but I sup pose we have to take every preeau- tion. Just undress and lay your clothes there on the end of that table,"
 There fitted through my mind a mental inquiry as to whether or not l was under suspicion. I took off my clothes. however remarking as I began that perhaps the inventor of jails intended them to carry incon- Veniences
 The Picture Is Gone.
 After our shoes and other clothing had undergone careful scrutiny we | Ntit loiu lO remain Tn the ulnln2 room for while; then the other prisoners were searched and herded over at one end of that room with us.
 Following a searching of the cells which took place while we were held in the dining room, we were moved back into the corridor. I had left that tube, pencil and the addressed sheet of paper lying on radiator just inside the bars from the office corridor. They were still there. but a glance told me that the paper had been taken out, then careless stuffed back into an end of the tube l saw two deputy sherffs further down that outer corridor going from window to window and peeping down between the window sash and I-the bars.
 What's happened here~ I asked the question aloud and of no one in particular taking up the tube and withdrawing the paper. Someone has taken out my picture"
 Fred approached me. What did | you have in it?" he asked
 "Oh, just little old picture of a | thing that l was going to send to a l friend l answered. Somebody has played me a scurvy trick"
 The deputy sheriffs were getting close then.
 Whats the trouble with you, Jack inquired one of them. good naturedly. stopping near us.
 Maybe I've been giving you fel- lows calling down, MT. Lore." I forced smile and spoke to him. Did you take my picture out of here?" And l held up the tube.
 Your picture?" He looked doubtful. pulled piece of light wrapping paper out O that-but there was no picture
 Then someone else got it,"I re- piled. T asked the sheriff to mail the thing for me after it was ad- dressed-suppose he'd have thought l was looney wanting to mail this" And l withdrew the crumpled paper The Saws Are Found
 The deputy and Fred both laughed.
 Looking beyond them 1 could see the other deputy sheriff approaching that window where the saw was in sight; and the next instant 1 saw his head kind of dart forward like a chicken sighting a grain of corn. l | knew that he had discovered the saws.
 l did not know at that time why 1 the deputy sheriff was so anxious to call the sheriff. At this day, how ever, happen to know that no great CT satisfaction can come to any un- l der officer than to do something ! haps praise of his superior. He feels, no doubt that that will stand as another efficiency feather in his cap.
 The sheriff had gone back to the office. The deputy who had made the discovery walked across the cor ridor and spoke to the day jailer just beyond the bars.
 Have the sheriff to come in. will you. Joe?
 l seemingly paid no attention to their movements, beginning to tell Fred some kind of a story.
 Sheriff" the saw-finding deputy addressed that officer; here in this window l find something that doesn't look just right"
 That SOP" The sheriff led the way to the designated window. well, I should say so. Ring the prisoners to their cells"
 No One Notices The Tube
 As l started toward the rotary bars entrance l took the tube and