The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-18
A DESPERATE ACT.

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Escape Of James Loe, an Ohio Convict.
from n Train Running Thirty Miles en-
H0mF1-He s1tps his shRekIes, UnIOcks
his wrfstIet. ann Leaps Through the
SALOON wtndOW-He is Badly Isiured,
Y - Captured, but Asks his Captors TO
XIII Him. ... .
Sheriff Nicola left this city on Friday morn
Ing with sixteen convicts, bound for the State
prison. Among che number was James Lee
who was secured to his partner in crime, Henry
'Clodden, by shackles binding the feet and
wristlets OF iron. Atthe Union depot the sheriff
saw man approach Lee, and put his hand in
his side pocket preparatory to giving Lee some
thing. The sheriff supposed It was flask of
LIQUOR and ordered hin away, as II was against
the rules 10 give prisoners anything OF the kind.
It turns out that II was loaded revolver, which
Lee through the mediation of his woman
had engaged this man TO furnish him for use on
1.-THE way to the penitentiary; for he had made up
his mind TO escape from the tram, and kill him
self before he would return to that I" dreadful
place"
" All the prisoners were put on board, the rear
door OF the car locked, and the cOnvicCs watched
! by considerable number OF guards. All was
going WE'LL apparently but the officers in charge
knew little Of the desperate purpose of two meu
in that gang, and Of the strategy they had used
and we're about to make available for their
escape with life or death.
We cannot be logical in telling the story but
must begin really at the end, with the tale Lee
tells and read back wards as if it were Hebrew
book. 1t appears that Lee has foot so small
that he wears No. two and a half galters, and
has no heel to speak of, so that no common
shackie could hold him. He had his vile"
bring him at the Jail large pair OF boots
and lot of rags, etc, with which to stuff his
feet and ankles when inserted in the "gun-
boats"
The shackles were slipped on these dipped
legs without exciting the suspicion ofthe officer.
So far so good. Bill Bedford had played the
l. r.~,1A 10. from,
the train ifthey killed themselves in the attempt
1t was Lees intention to Jump from the car
when near Crestline station, and effect hls
escape to Pittsburg or Chicago. Before they got
to New London he picked the ''stufing" out of
his leg padding, slipped of the boot, and as the
shackle had been accommodated to the aItif-
cial ankle, it fell off the real ankle without
trouble. He then put on the boot again, tucked
the snackle into the leg of the same and tied it
in place with his handkerchief and slipped
down his pants leg so that the hoax would not
De easily discovered. With his penknife blade
he touched the spring in the wrlstlet on his
partner, and with smart blow with a pop
bottle sprang the lock. Lee carried the irons
on his wrist
Lee and Clodden, thus divorced in fact went
forward and entered the saloon Had not the
sheriff been sitting on the front seat, Lee would
have darted through the door of the car upon
the platform. The train was then about one
mile This side OF New London, and running
nearly thirty miles an hour. Lee had mistaken
the station but he plunged out of the saloon
window. Clodden remained there long enough
to give Lee tine to pick himself up and hide
when he came out OF the saloon and gave a
hearty laugh, with Boys, Jim Lee is gone !"
The sheriff instantly ierked the bell-rope, and
the train was stopped as soon as possible. "Here
are twenty-five dollars for any man who will
capture him" said the sheriff. He left policeman
Isaac Frank with three of the guard to catch
Lee, while he went on with the fifteen. Bed
ford's chance of escape was gone, and his curses
were loud and deeD.
actrrr on his inHi a fu
wound on his forehead, and was other wise badly
bruised. His clothes were nearly torn off him,
and his side and one leg were perfectly black
and blue. He lay senseless a quarter of an
hour, but then got up and staggered against the
fence, the blow knocking HIM down. Reaching
pool Of water, he washed and was refreshed.
He soon recovered strength and steadiness,
when he ran for the woods After long chase
he was finally come up with by man living in
the Ieighborhood. He had drawn his knife and
held the man at bay till one of the guard arrived
when, presenting revolver 20 Lees head, he
said, 81 surrender to you, but not to this Hoo.
sier." He was put on board freight train, anC
reached the State prison at eight o'clock Friday
night. He tried several times TO throw himsel
out of the car on the way down, saying that hC
wanted to kill himself He had been in the
penitentary before, and preferred death to
return. His guard were importuned, as also the
sheriff afterwards, to kill him. He was com
pleteiy crushed, and in the deepest dependency
and misery.
When brought into the Penitentiary the
Warden asked the name OF the desperate man
flames Lee,n was the answer. That officer
said, mo his name is Somers. He has been
here before" Lee then gave the Sheriff sketch
of himself and his career When mere boy hC
stole 500, and was sent to the Pententiary from
Akron where he belonged HIS father, he said
was brutal Irshman. and abused his mother
He inherited his fathers disposition to crime
and although he had made many attempts t.
reform he could not resist the temptations to d'
evil.
Tha sharif saws he was the most miserable
pitiable man III the world, having only on
desire and that to die. He was sentenced for
term of six years imprisonment.-C Cleoelan
Leader.