Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-02-22

The Portland (OregOn) Bulletin gives
the following account of the re-arrest
of Baker, an escaped convict from the
Nevada State Prison:
During the month of November,
1870, the stage was robbed on the road
between ElkO and White Pine. Wells,
Fargo & Co.'s treasure box was broken
open and considerable sum OF money
abstracted therefrom. Daniel Baker
was arrested and charged with having
hand in the affair. He was tried,
convicted and sentenced to thirty
years imprisonment in the Peniten-
tiary at Carson. He was sent thither
in January, 1871, and during his con-
finement was considered trustworthy,
and gained the esteem OF the officers OF
the prison, as well as his associates in
durance vile. In September of the
same year, an outbreak occurred, and
between thirty-five and forty of the
convicts managed to escape, Baker
being among the number. After roam
ing around California for some time,
he went to Oregon and took up his
residence at Corvallis, under the as
sumed name of John Bent. He had
been working around that city for
about two years, and was considered a
sober. industrious citizen. He secured
work in a saw mill, and was, to all APP
pearances, laying up some money.
About three months ago he married a
respectable young lady, and since then
his actions have been such as to COM
mand the respect of a large circle
of friends and acquaintance. 1t
seems he had relinquished all fears
of recapture, and attended strictly
to business, endeavoring to earn
livelihood for himself and family.
The fates, however, decreed that his
happiness should be short-lived, and
on the I'd instant the blow fell like
thunderboldt. While quietly seated
in store in that city, officer Mccoy
touched him on the shoulder saying,
"You are my prisoner" The man
never uttered word for some seconds,
but started vacantly forward, his teeth
being clenched in vise-like rigidity.
He finally groa ,ed and said, ooh, my
God, this is, terrible.u After taking
leave of his family he was conveyed to
Albany and placed in Jail, completely
broken down in spirit, and reckless
enough to take his own life, if such a
thing was possible. A guard was
placed over him, but even under these
circumstances he endeavored to open
an artery in his wrist with nail, but
owing to the bluntness of the inn
promptu instrument he only succeeded
in making an ugly wound. On being
conveyed to the Albany depot he
evinced strong desire to commit sui
eide, and in fact openly av0wed his in
tention of doing SO at the first favor
able opportunity. His every action
was, therefore, carefully watched lest
he should in some way carry his reck-
less threats into execution. While
standing near the track as the train
which was to convey them to Portland
was rushing toward them, Baker, by
an inquiry regarding a certain locality,
managed for an instant to divert the
officers attention, and endeavored to
throw himself across the track in front
of the advancing engine. He was,
however, snatched back in time to
save him from so terrible fate. On
boarding the train he was again seiz-
ed with fit of dependency, and cried
like child the most of the way down.
On his arrival he was furnished with
safe quarters in the City Jail, to await
the departure of the steamer for San
Francisco, where he arrived on Sun
day. He was taken in charge by
officer Hume, and yesterday he was
brought to Sacramento and lodged in
the City Prison. BY the overland
train he was taken back to Carson
City, and when this article is being
read, he will have taken his place
again among the felons in the Nevada
State Prison.
The man seems bent upon taking
his own life and will probably succeed
in doing so. His future is dark enough,
all the more dismal indeed for the
years of liberty he has enjoyed since
his escape.
4 The shame is so strongly fixed upon
him that he seeks death as happy
release. He admits the crime for
which he was convicted, but insists
that he was compelled by his compan-
ions to take part in the robbery, and
dare not refuse for his life. At the
time of thes break at the prison he
took no part, he says, in the murder
Gus affray, but when the cells were
thrown open by the desperadoes, like
others, he seized the opportunity to
grasp liberty. Distance and correct
department in life seems not to have
: kept the officers off his track, and at