Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Jones Breaks Out of Confinement

Daniel William Jones made Caldwell history twice in one day. On Monday, September 22, 1879, he made his first arrest as registered in the court docket. He also got a write-up in the Caldwell Post (Thursday, September 25 issue) but not for this arrest.
+ While on duty that Monday night, he happened to be in one of Caldwell’s “fashionable” hotels (perhaps the St. James, or St. Nicholas, or Pacific House) when he needed a bathroom break. Poor lighting or maybe his haste for relief found him inside the women’s rather than the men’s room.
+ “About this time a lady attempted to enter but was foiled by Dan turning the inside latch,” the paper said. “The lady hastened away, but soon returned with the key (this is not a romance), locked, unlocked, and relocked and finally left to return no more.”
+ Dan Jones was trapped, locked in from outside.
+ “Dan is equal to all opportunities,” the paper continued, “and [he] began trying to extricate himself from his odorous prison. There is a seat in the room just opposite the door upon which Dan sat himself down, put his feet against the door and with [He-man] like strength pushed the door asunder, and at the same instant back went Dan’s revolver down, down to the bottomless – after which a light was brought into requisition. It [the gun] was fished up, a tub of water, barrel of soft soap and a scrubbing brush were readily used up and the pistol looks as natural as ever, and if the street gossip don’t mention this we will never say a word about it to Dan.”

No comments: