Minnesota weekly times., 1857-03-14
Escaps efa Prisoners from the 81. raul jail =
4 Murderer Turned Lesse

xseaps Il Pr,sssers from the s.. raal Jaui -
4 Murderer Turned Lsese:! Is
During Monday night the two prisoners . dou-
BILE murderer and burglar, cut their way from
our city Jail where they were confined (?) and are
now At lasgsl The burglar was VIM. Brown. the
negro Who riasd house in upper town month
ago, the other Vas ono Rufus Dresser-who re-
Gently killed two men at Wabsshaw.
We oondsnss statement of che crimes charged
upon the latter, from the Wabsshaw Journal
Early in November last, young man named
Alexander Beard jumped claim in the Zumbro
valley, six or seven miles from Wabashaw, be.
longing to ono George Hayes. On the 7th OF
November, Hayes pulled down his claim shanty,
and drove said Beard from the claim, On the
9th, aided BY this Rufus Dresser, resident of
the Zumbro valley, Beard again erected his
shauty. On the 9th Hayes raised posse Of or
men with the intention of driving the intruder
from bic claim but they resisted with FIRE arms
and one of tho posse, named Wildes, was kill.
Cd. Beard was arrested, but upon examination
was acquitted. Dresser escaped, but was after
wards arrested BY Sheriff A. A. Weston, exam
iued and lodged in the Territorial prison at Still.
water, to be tried for the killing Of Wildss. Du-
ring his confinement, the contest about claim on
the ''orand Encampmsnt," between the En-
wrights on the one side, and Weston and his
friends ON the other side, developed itself. first
into paper war, then bullet war in the quiet
streets of Wabashaw. Dresser had, previous to
his arrest, defended and fought for the Enwrghts,
90 that at his arrest and commitment they were
highly incensed, and deadly hostility seized the
mind of Dresser against Weston.
But Dresser escaped from the prison at Still
water month since, and his former friends, the
Enwrigbts, rallied around him, and emboldened
him. Threats of vengeance against the officers
of the county, and especially against A. A. Wes-
ton, became abundant and alarming, and they
were put in fearful execution by diabolisal at
tempt to murder him, on the evening of the 10th
Of February, by shooting him down, through the
window of his own house, while securely reposing
in the bosom of his family. A prattling child
was in his lap, and his wife leaning over his
shoulder talking :o her babe. The shot was fired
through the window, and the slug passed entire
ly through his body, lodging near the backbone.
s'Thus," says the Journal, 'shas the black
ed assassin stricken down in the dark, one of the
most peaceful and substantial citizens of Mime.
sota!" Suspicion naturally fell upon Dresser,
the fugitive criminal, who had been prowling
around the village, and he was hotly pursued by
the citizens, who discharged about twenty shots
at him, until he was compelled to yield. "War-
rants have been issued''-we quote again-'sfor
the arrest of the Enwrights and others, but--what
is the result? When the Sheriff goes to serve
the warrants, he finds them with thirty five or
forty others armed and fortified in twu-story
log house, the windows and chinkings between
for port holes, commanding him and his posse
comitatus to halt out of bullet range, parleying
with him on degrading conditions, and bidding
defiance to the power Of the county. Thus, then,
we have in this infant county open insurrection.
The peace-loving citizens of Wa5ashaw deliv-
cred Dresser, with the greatest confidence, into
the hands of the authorities, trusting implicitly
to them for the administration of strict justice,
and redress Of their grievances.
The double murderer was brought to this city,
and lodged in our "jail'' up back of the Court
House. This constitution" was built of green
pine which is now rotten, and has shrunk so, that
a moderately lean prisoner could crawl out Of
the cracks. The two prisoners were confined in
dirty crib about feet square in the corner of
the shanty. This Public Institution is presided
| over by Mr.. and Mrs. Heal--who on Tuesday
night, slept two rooms distant in the opposite
ner of the structure, but they had, with wonder
full fore-thought, taken the precaution before re-
| firing to lock on one. of the iron bars which
guarded the cell door. The other one they left
unfastened trusting to the infinite strength Of one
staple about the size of the little finger, and to
the good moral character of the gentlemen that
| they would not get out What was their surprise
then, to waken the next morning and discover
that their guests had departed abruptly without
| their breakfast!
We find, on examining the premises, that the
fugltives made q mortice into the pine casing of
the door with knife, thereby releasing the bolt
and themselves. The door which guarded[?]
The cell is made Of soft pine, yet had the other
bar been secured, the villains might have been
retained. We would respectfully suggest to this
Mr. and Mrs. Heal, that the next time any crimi-
mails are deposited with them for safe keeping. it
| would be we'll for them to set up stick of wood
against the door, to prevent the prisoners from
getting away! We do not learn that any very
vigorous attempts have been made to re-capture
the fugitives. p.s 43
The citizens Of St. Paul must bear their quota
of the censure for this escape. We, as public
journalist, have frequently and earnestly call
cd public attention to the filthy and insecure con-
dtion Of this pie-crust Jail! Our streets reek
and seethe with gambling, rum m-selling. and vice
| in all its hidsous multi-forms-one scamp COM
mits burglary, another strikes dagger to the
heart Of his fellow in open dAy-both cut their
way from our priaons, and swagger through the
Territory, waiting with hungry nav to wreck
their vengeance ON you or on as! Then, if men
expose and strive to reform these things, some
body raises the sickly cry that we are '.libeling
our city!" The murderers are abroad, reader,
and We have no defence. Look out for them
| 81. Paul Seen By the Witches!
| We are indebtedfor the last put Of our city to
"Airs. Hayes, Clairvoyant, No. l76 Grand street,