Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-03-17
E. NJ. YEaGER's ESCAPE.
How He Scaled a Fence Twenty
Five Feet High, at Daybreak.
Captured a Horse on the Highway
and Vanished.
Part played by the sheriff.

The jackson Clarion of the 18th con-
tains an editorial and more minute state
ment of facts as to the escape of z. NJ
Yerger from confinement II is as fol-
lows:
The public was somewhat surprised, at
an early hour on Sunday morning last,
BY the announcement that Z. NJ Yerger
had escaped from jail, and various and
contradictory we're the conjectures and
rumors that prevailed during the day
concerning the event
1t appears that the prisoner had be-
come impatient under the several post
ponements Of the hearing of his petition
for bail under writ of habeas corpus,
and vas especially indignant toward his
counsel on Saturday last for having
agreed to the postponement of the case
for still another month. He determined
to make his escape, and intimated as
much to his counsel, and perhaps to
others. When the prisoner was placed
in the custody Of the sheriff he was con-
fined as other prisoners; but the rules Of
the Jail were greatly relaxed in his favor
on the pledge Of his counsel that he
would not attempt to escape, or avail
himself of any opportunity of doing so.
After the proceedings of Saturday, and
the threat of the prisoner to escape, the
sheriff was notified by his counsel that
they would no longer be responsible for
his remaining in confinement Acting
npoa ibis notice, Sheriff Lake and his
deputy visited The jail about eleven
o'clock on Saturday night, with a .ieg
to securely locking up the prisoner.
They found him insensible from drink,
or feignedly so, and could not remove
him 10 q cell without lifting him bodily.
They very reasonably concluded that he
would be harmless until morning, and SO
left him. For all this, and the geneva!
management of the Jail, Sheriff Lake
has been made the subject of much
gross and absurd abuse. We are
no chappigp of his or Of any other
appointee Of the late 1enesal Ames, but
occupying an important public 9ihce az
he does, we are surprised to see such
wholesale denunciation of him from a
aasrter where his loyalty should have
been better understood and better appre-
ciated The appointment Of Mr.. Lake
to the Office of sheriff was oaiy obe Of
many other outrages perpetFafed upon
our people, but that he has not been eff
cient and faithful in the discharge Of his
dsUieg has been first discovered by
brethren q III own political household.
In our opinion, Mr.. i.a,.e did precisely
what any other sheriff would have dODs
with any other prisoner alike charged
bescEe the law, when importuned by re-
spectacle eaa responsible counsel, and
when like pledges for sool ieith on the
part of the prisoner were made him.
he was, nevertheless, legally responsible
for the safe-keeping Of the prisoner; but
csrssiGlY there appears no ground for
criminal c0nLiyaece on the part Of the
sheriff as has been automatically. ard, we
believe, unjustly insinuated against HIN.
The prisoner left the jail about five
o clock am, having evidently scaled the
iagh glapk fence by the aid Of barrel,
box and bUoast placed against it. The
fence is about twenty ieel high. ltseems
that he had prevailed on the jaiior 70 20
10 the market house near By 10 procure
him a cup Of coffee, and during his ab-
seaoe made his escape. He proceeded
az President street, to the residence of
Mrs. Buck, wtaet be entered, visiting
several rooms and inquiling icf irie$d.
He continued up that street, ana Nbeg
inst north of the penitentiary wall, met
a gentleman on horseback This proved
10 he Mr.. wilson, now occupying the
residence Of Mrs. Cinst. He was on his
way to market He spoke ~ yerger,
asked him how be was getting along.
etc. supEosing that he had been ad-
mitted 20 Bail. he asked Mr.. Wilson to
dismount, 10 which tue laties objected,
remarking that sickness 10 bis family
required him TO hasten back from mar
ket Yerger then ordered him 20 dis
mount, and getting On the horse rode on
with all possible speed.
As soon as the sheriff was informed of
his fight. eOuriers we're dispatched in all
directions. and armed guards were en-
ploved during the day in searching PR
vate residences under the belief that he
was yet within the city limits. A liberal
reward will doubtless he offered for his
apprehension. and no etf0r yil be
spared to obtain IL
NJ Herger certainly could nc. have
been advised BY any Of his friends 10
take a step 50 exceedingly foolish. All
the probabilities were that in n few
weeks be would be admitted TO bail until
such tins Is the crime Of which ne
stands charged couia be- fairly and dis
paszi0nately considered by jury Of his
] eeouniTymen he now occupies the un-
Gi-uihed and unenyisble attitude Of fu-
gitive FROM Justice with the chances ofar-
rest and re-incarcsration greatly against
him.