White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1866-01-25
A LEAP FOB LIFE.

Escape Of a Convict from II"i
Fuji Speed-A long Chase and Des,
perate Struggle-His Recapture.
We have already announced the TACT
that james Lee, one of the convIcts taken
by Sheriff Nicola to the Penirentiary yes
terday. lespsd from the train whilst ct iuii
speed, and was subsequently, recaptured-
From the Sheriff, who returned from Co
lumbus this morning. we have full par
ticulars of the affair.
1t appears from the confession OF the
prisoner subsequent TO his recapturs. that
the escape had been planned for some days
previous to the departure for Columbus.
Lee, who was sentenced to six years IN
the Penitentiary, and Bill Bedford, who
was sentenced for seven years, coDtrived,
whilst lying in Jail, a plan Of escape from
the guards whilst on the way to the Peni
tentiary. Lee bas a remarkably small
foot. and on this fact based his plan =oi
operations. ~.
Before starting. the woman with whom
he lived brought him pair of boots sew,
eral sizes too large for his wearing. but
so padded that they appeared to fit him.
These be put on. aud the shackles were
put around them on his leg. Before
starting for the Penitentiary the convicfs
are chained together in pairs. two men
being fastened by shsckle on one leg OF
each. connected by chain. and also by
hand cuffs fastening one wrist Of each to
the wrist Of the other. The handouts are
secured with patent locks, said to be
proof against the arts Of the picklock, but
the shackles are fastened by iron pins
rivited by a blacksmith. and broken
asunder by the blacksmith at the Peniten-
tiary. 1t would therefore seem as if there
was no possible means Of csc ape for any
one man. ..-..-..'.'.. ....
Lee says it was arranged that a man
should meet him OF the depot and give
him loaded revolver. The Sheriff saw
q man approach the train with something
concealed under his coat, which be en-
deavored to give one of the prisoners, but
was warned off by the Sheriff. who sup.c
posed It to be bottle of uhiskey. To
the failure of this part of the scheme, Lee
attributes his after i'll luck.
1t was arranged by Lee and Bedford
that the attempt should be made between
New London and Crestline, but Lee was
afraid that in the attempt for both to es-
cape, both would fail. and SO he took
time by the forelock, and acted on his
own account. Soon after leaving Cleve-
land be managed to elude the vigilant
watch of the guard, and pulled the pad
ding from the boot around which the
shackle was fastened, dropping the pud-
ding from the car window. He then Slip
ped his foot ont of the boot. Grew the
shsckle off the boot leg. and putting on
the boot again. dropped the shackle into
the leg. whers be tied it with hand
kerchief. to prevent its dropping ont.
His trouser-leg being pulled down pre-
vented the change in the position of the
shackle being discovered. In order to
try the effect of bis contrivance, he went
once to the water closet with his partner.
accompanied by an officer. and nothing
wrong was discovered. He next picked
the lock of the handcuf on his partners
wrist with penknife. the Wanted "pat.
ent lock" yielding with the greatest ease.
Being now ready for trying the expert
ment of fight, when about half mile
North of New London. be again went to
the water closet width his partner, &C.
compsnied by officer Frank. The officer
stood in the outer compartment Of. tho
closet, holding the door. Lee occupying
the inner apartment. and his partner
standing in the intervening door way. so
as 10 block the view. Lee then pulled |
out the shackle, slipped the handcuff from
his partners hand. and jumped out of the
window, the train going abuut thirty
miles an hour. ,ns a-r. =! .t.ila+
His escape was not Immediately no. /
ticed. but officer Frank seeing something /
peculiar about the appearance of the
shackls chain, inquired where Lee was.
when the other convict lsughingly told
him he had escaped ont of the window.
The alarm was given. Sheriff Nicola had
the train stopped. and 6ndings numberof
men in the neighborhood. offered twenty.
five dollars for the capture OF Lee. From
thirty to forty men. under direction OF
officer Frank, immediately set out in
chase, the train proceeding with the other
prisoner. so.d'-- s5HT'asT 0. r'a -
Before long bis trail was struck and
the pursuers were grati6ed with . sight
Of the fugitive. wounded and covered
with blood. but running like deer. The
chase was Q long one. over fences, through
woods, isnd across fields and bitches, but
Lee gsined ON his pnrsuers.. Some wood
choppers joined in the pursuit, and after
q run of about three and half miles Lee
was overtaken and brought to bay He
fought desperately. bot was at last secur-
ID and taken to New London, whence he
as carried to Columbus on 0 freight
rain and placed in the Psnitentiary hos.
oitaf last Friday mig hti to have bis +
xounds dressed. stlirf-3sea C. 81 sroifasfl /;
He Gays that he Had miscalculatsd his I,
esp, supposiDg he eould7jump with the I
rain and 30 light on his feet. The awin.t !
low was 90 narrow that he struck. snd !,
hos lost his impetus. D He thinks be
urned over in the air and msde several Z
ummersets on the ground. striking bim-1'
elf heavily each tims, The seslp was q
orn from his forehead and several gsshes Il
inflicted, his clothes split snd Torn. and .
lis body bruised and gashed. presenting 4
n . a L. HH.. Il ~. y