The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1871-03-03
LOCAL NEWS.
JAIL DELIVERY.
Escape OF Littleaeld, Hughes, carp, and
Thompson.


Thompson.
On last Friday night, Charles Littlcflcld
undcr sentence Of two years for horse steal
ing; Samuel Hughes, one year for shoo,u:
John o'Neil; James carp, one year for lar
cray, and james Thompson. one year fo
stealing horse from Chas. Mccartney
broke jail There arc two prisoners re
naming -Shcchan Of Gallatin and Dorar
Of Cable. They could jus, as well have gon,
had they wished. The escape was made by
saving through the solid timber floor into
the privy vault, thence drifting horizon
tally through the stone foundation ant
two or three feet Of dirt until past the outc
foundation logs sufficient to let them u,
outside the Jail. The remaining prisoners
cay the work has been goin. on some tire.
or four months, Littlc!cld being the lead
Ing spirit. Our readers will remember the
repeated attempts made and frustrated; the
ironing Of Littleficld; the saving off OF
door bolts with watch spring saws snug
gled in; the twisting off Of bars, breaking
shsckles, fina! plea of pcnitcncc, and sub.
sequent mirroring of Littlefcld. Under.
Sheriff Dickinson, who has made regular
search Of the jail examined the cells, doors,
gra,imgs, season cracks and furniture. be-
iievel The prisoners secure. and on Friday
night was in town, for I'll. first time, we
believe. this winter, leaving the Jail in
charge of Glenn 1870. Daring the night
they escaped, their departure being prccipi.
;alcl by learning it was the intention to
scrub the Jail cut the mex. day. II appears
.acir efforts for escape had never slacScnel
Four months ago small file was stuck in
the hail. some eight feet outside tho door
grating. With portions of the window.
strips, broom stick, and . twinc snare, it
vas taken in. A small lap strip of the in.
ncr sheet iron casing of the cell door was
removed, ncked with the file, and they had
nav; removing tho sink box, in the dark
esacr Of the Jail season crack was found
and work commenced on the heavy log
ao,r, the box being carefully replaced when
sny one approached. Finally. they had to
saw beyond the box. The saw crevice was
concealed by little strips fitted in, and the
in,ers,iccs filed snd colorcd with boiled pc.
a.oes, bread and floor dirt. With these
arrangements discovery was oil they had TO
:car, and it was well provided against, rs
tue corner was dark, and one worked while
the others carouscd, all the work Of saving
being done by day. Some two weeks ago
sarsc enough hole had been made to ad.
nit access to the privy vault. On Tuesday
he 24th excavation began, and on Friday
light the crust of earth was broken, the
our went down. Hughes having to strip to
e. through the floor, and the birds" were
liberty.
This 10 the best planned and executed cs.
ape that has occurred in the Territory. It
|rqlired slrcwd, cunning, and persistent
industry, and Littleficld was equal to the
'ccasion. lie is an old jail.bird, and u bad
nan. lie proposed to come around, over
power the jaier or kill him, and procure the
srnis, but the others threatened to give the
flarm if he did SO, and that project was
lbandoncd
The escape was not discovered until their
breakfast WAS taken in on Saturday morn.
1g. Mr.. Dickinson deputizcd q number Of
assistants. offered a reward Of $500, and q
borough search is going on in oil dircc.
ions. The trail Of each, We believe, has
been struck-thrcc Of them cndcavoring to
Procure food aud arms.
We regret the escapc-the more that Sher.
Jones is absent. Mr. Dickinson las
nsdc hermit of himself this winter in
guarding these Territorial prisoners, and
'lshough this jail delivery came in confounc.
my ma!'apropos to tho first time We have
AIKEN occasion TO speak Of his efficiency,
sc re assert il here, that Montana has not,
md never had. more competent and faith
ul Under. Sheriff. Four of his prisoners,
sowcvcr, arc gone. just as those of Virginia,
helena and Missoula have gone within
sw months. We know that every cxertion
'eeng made for their recapture. Itremains
be seen what success will attend their eff.
urts.