Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Courier, March 7, 1899, p. 2. A BOLD SCHEME Practiced at the County Jail. Nipped in the Bud by Women Dectectives. >From Saturday’s Daily. The prisoners, who languish behind the bars of the Monroe county jail, have been having things their own way for same [sic] time. One privilege, which is allowed the inmates to the jail, is to occupy the long corridor that leads from the north of the south end of the jail. Here they can tip toe the large iron bars and gaze out upon the city. It has been noticed for some time that certain individuals about town have made frequent trips to the jail, and from the outside a conversation has been carried on with the prisoners. Those who act in an official capacity about the jail have thought nothing serious about the matter, and have allowed the prisoners the privilege of talking to any one on the outside. Yesterday morning a tall smooth faced man came to the south door of the jail and requested the privilege of going in and talking with a prisoner. The sheriff and deputy erew [sic] both absent and Mrs. Butcher told the man that the doors were never opened by the ladies for any one. The man left and went around the house. Mrs. Butcher and the other ladies watched him from the inside. The fellow appeared at the iron bars on the south side and in a few minutes a long string was let down from the window. On the end of the string was attached a pocket, the whole thing being made out of a blanket torn to pieces from a bed in the jail. In this pocket, the stranger placed a quart bottle of whiskey, which was drawn up through the bars. The whole proceeding was watched by the ladies and Mrs. Kinser immediately telephoned for Marshall Johns to come to the jail. Mr. Johns soon arrived but came too late to secure his man, for he had fled. However, Mr. Johns went into the long corridor where the prisoners were and had them all “line up” against the wall. He then went through the pockets of every prisoner. When he had finished his task he found 1 pint of whiskey, ½ of a pint, and a pint bottle half full, and two empty bottles in the pockets of the “boys.” The marshall wasn’t at all mad but he nevertheless left that impression on the jail. He at once had every prisoner caged in separate cages, and it is needless to say that all were nearly scared to death. None could imagine what the outcome would be, and all expected very severe punishment. Sheriff Kinser is glad that the whiskey smuggling scheme has been discovered, the credit for which he proudly gives to “his woman detectives.” Constance T. Shotts, Ed.D., CG(SM) CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluations by the Board and the board name is a trademark registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.