Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-10-10
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

EDITOR STANDARD: Sir: In your issue
OF the Sd lust. is an account of the cap
ture Of the jail-bird, Jones. It saws
"When searched, he had in his posses
sion hammer, cold-chisel, and las,
but not least loaf of bread" That is
not all true. A loaf of bread was moi
found in his possession. The particu.
lars were as follows: After Vincent
had taken him away to jail, Mrs. Lem
on, Mrs. Lakewood and young lady
stopping there went to the stable. Mrs
Lamon went up on the hay, and found
in Jones's nest small bit of hard dry
bread; she came down, stirred up the
loose trash in the man ger with hel
hand and found nothing. She says if
a loaf of bread had been there she must
have found it. Vincent came, after
taking Jones to the Jail, while they
were mt the stable, and leaned over the
manager for moment, then raised up
exclaiming See here!" and had q loaf
of bread in his hand, saying that he
found it in the manager which Mrs.
Lamon had just examined.
This bread story seems to be what
Sheriff Billings Pounds his opinion on
when he says: There is evidently
some one on the outside who assists this
jail-bird to escape" If he had been
assisted by outsiders they would have
assisted him to remove his irons, which
would have enabled him to make his
escape, notwithstanding the tremendous
efforts put forth to capture him. 1t is
reported that Mossman, with all his
characteristic activity, went after him
like wbirlwind all the way to Tum-
water. 1t is reasonable to conclude
that he looked behind every stump
along the way, up every tree, and under
every chip; but as he was not found in
all that distance, he turned about made
good his retreat safe and sound to
Olympia. We cannot see what the OBJ
ject of throwing out the idea of outside
assistance could be unless intended as
a palliative for the meanness of not pay
ing the reward to the parties finding
him.
The only reason why prisoners so Of
ten make their escape, is the loose and
careless manner in which the Jail is
kept. We had hoped that some man
that would faithfully discharge the du-
ties of Sheriff would have got the nomi-
nation. We still hope that the Demo-
cratic Convention will nominate COM
petent men who the public has conf
dence in, and he will be elected.
Sheriff Billings informed you that lie
has the dcsperado secure now" and
refers to the steel ring and handouts.
After he was taken the other time he
was handcuffed every night, but where
were the handouts the last night that
he got out? will Sheriff Billings please
to tell the voters of Thurston county
After all the boasting of his (Jones) Sc
curity, if he complains that the ring
and cuffs inconvenience him, the ten.
der hearted jailor will undoubtedly re-
move them, and another opportunity
will be given him to escape. viii
Sheriff Billings then have the assurance
to go before the Legislature and ask for
a relief bill to refund the money that
he has paid in consequence of his own
willful neglect and carelessness? We
shall see. A VorER.
D1ssArIsrED.-It is reported from
various quarters that there is want OF
harmony in the Republican party, never
before equaled in its history. In What
com county large number of delegates
withdrew from the county convention,
headed by Mr.. Eldridge, the brains of
the party in that vicinity. In Cowlitz,
Clark, and King the same disposition to
cut loose from party restraint prevails,
in consequence the arbitrary rule to
which the people have been subjected
for many years past. In the latter
county one of the disaffected, Mr.. H.
Van ASSET, expresses his views in the
following terse card to the public:
Having been in the ranks of the
Republican party ever since its first or
ganization in this county, and having
attended every Republican Convention
ever held in the county, except one,
and seeing that the leaders of the So
called Republican party had deserted
their principles and taken into their
ranks the most degenerate secession
Democrats, and not content with that,
had united with men outside of the
party in making up their entire ticket,
and packing the Convention with their
own clique, in such a manner that the
voice of the people could not be heard,
and that there was no other alternative
but to either submit to be led by wire
working politicians, who were ready to
sell the party for less price than that
for which Judas sold his Master, or to
come out from the party, choose the
latter alternative, and propose to vote
for men regardless of party nominations
until such time as the voice of the peo-
pie can be heard in making those nomi-
nations; and I think it would better for
the interests of all true-minded Repub-
lians if they, too could get sufficiently