The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1875-10-28
Montgomery, Alias Dunn, the
Famous Lawrence Jail
Breaker,
Has Been Sentenced to that Num-
Der OF Years in the State
Prison.
The Story Of His Life, rs Given
to q Reporter.

spectively; Alcn1o Dufheld, highway rob
berry, twelve years; May, grand larceny,
stealing a coat, two years; E. Z. Mont
gomery, alias Dunn, one Of the culprits who
broke Jail at Lawrence some time ago,
which attempt ended in the death of the
leader, Wm. McDaniels, was sentenced to
nineteen years at hard LABOR. Montgome-
rvs career has been a chequered one, and
full OF daring deeds. The following histo-
ry of himself was given by him to re-
porter:
In the month OF October, 1867, when
eighteen years OF age, l went to the city OF
Fl. Scott for the purpose of getting work,
and was soon successful in securing posi-
ton as clerk in the post-ofice department
under Deputy Postmaster Clark. In this
position remained until April, 1865, at
which time / returned TO my home in
Nashville, Tennessee, remaining only about
two months, when i went again to Fl. Scott
and entered in the book and stationary
trade. Here j was doing very well, when
Deputy Clark came TO me and insisted upon
nv going into the Office again. Here it
took me but short time to see that Clark
was tampering with the mails.
Upon one occasion lady gave me, for
registration. a valuable letter, which gave
to Clarke as it was my duty to do. Clarke
put the letter in a drawer. l thought
nothing more of the matter until inform
ed by the lady that since the letter left her
hands it had not been heard from. This /
made known to Clark, and he promised to
have the affair attended to. Again tie
lady complained to me, and feeling certain
that the letter was still in the office, / told
what thought to fellow clerk who had
a key to Clark's drawer, and together We
III ade an examination which resulted as
had expectedrthe letter lay under some
papers Just where il had been put on the
first day. / went to Clark and told him
what had discovered, requesting that he
would forward the letter This he did,
and in due time the lady reported every
thing all right.
Shortly after this occurrence, Special
Mail Agent Murphy was sent TO examine
matters in the Fort Scott Office. This
frightened Clark, and one day he took me
TO his house and made a clean confession,
begging me to take pity on his family,
and help him out of this difficulty by con-
Tossing TO the crimes myself. The plan
was TO have me come before Judge Bassett
in Lawrence, plead guilty to the charge of
robbing the mails, and be liberated on bail,
receive 81 500 for myself and the whole
matter to be kept perfectly secret. To this
plan very fooiishly agreed. Postmaster
Blair, Clark and myself came to Lawrence,
and the affair was consummated, but no
sooner had we returned to Scott than Clark
set in circulation the story that l had plead
guilty to robbing the mails, and had heen
liberated on bail of $4,000. An article to
this efiec; was published in the Fort Scott
Dispatoh This seemed to crush
NE. For the first time l realized
what i had DONE Unable to bear the ter
rible modification, which | could not but
feel, l left Fort Scott and went TO complete
nv knowledge Of dentistry in st. Louis
with DIR. Herman. From St. Louis | went
TO Colorado. and then to Arkansas, where
i set up an office for myself. About this
tiuue my friends in Fort Scott wrote me 10
come back and have the whole matter sat
isfactorily settled. i hesitated, and they
sent deputy Marshal Houston to come and
bring NE. Those who sent for me were my
best friends. Van Fossen < Britton, bank
ers went with me TO Topeka, and secuted
bail to the amount OF 81, 800. After which
they offered me situation in their bank
until time for trial. Not accepting this Of
fer started for Illinois to see my friends,
and on the way, at Mexico, Mo-, purchas-
ed a carriage and span OF horses,
with which continued on
my journey. Between Louisiana and
GAINESVILLE, was overtaken by two drunk
en- men on horseback, who kept close by
me, until finally one of them rode in front
of my horses and appeared to be medita-
ting some mischief. / struck my horses a
smart blow and they started SO violently as
to run the carriage tongue into the flank of
one of the horses. A word-quarrel followed |
and he kept up with me to Clarkville |
when he tried to prevent my going aboard |
the ferry-boat. He drew a revolver and /
did likew sc, shooting him in the shoulder. |
For this, through prejudice in the commu- |
nifty, l was Immediately tried, convicted |
and sent to the penitentiary for two years. |
As soon as / stepped from the prison a free |
man / was arrested on the old count and |
brought TO Topeka, and advised BY the |
lawyers to plead guilty to a minor Of |
Tense and go to the penitentiary for one |
year. This my Fort Scott friends would |
not let me do at first, but when / did so |
my sentence was put at three years. This |
term l served. Leaving the penitentiary l |
went to Topeka and obtained situation
as book-keeper in the Kaw Naliey Foundry. |
When that institution collapsed l could |
get no more work, and came first to Law
renee, and then went TO Missouri. Going |
to the place where my dental instruments |
had been left, l got 500 for them, and |
finally found work with a cattle dealer of |
named Furguson. i made a trip |
Or two for him and then settled. Hardly |
had left his home on my way to Kansas |
City when l fell in with the man who had
Col. Beams horse. ! bought the animal
and went on to Kansas City, where Chief of |
Police speers arrested me and i was
brought TO Lawrence. McDaniels and l |
were together in Jail. He per-
suaded me and the task was
not difficulty that considering my
former record and the fact that could not |
get a reply from my letters to the man who |
had employed me in Missouri, l would |
without doubt be convicted and receive
heavy sentence. Further than this l Was
unable to get change of venue and as
result was desperate. We made our es-
cape and of course it became me to get of.
For two or three nights We lay in the
waods unable to get away from the river,
nearly starved and utterly desperate.
inally left McDaniels for dead. The next
night as was coming along the road,
hardly able to walk, met Ledford and
ingalls,. / knew them by their voices
They were riding Browns horse, and learn
ing my situation they gave the animal to