Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-01-20


Keaton and VIM. Eutxler, near Red
Rock In this county, some two years
ago, was tried during the recent term
of the District Court here. a. men,
toned In these columns last week,
convicted by the Jury Of murder in
the second degree, and sentenced 10y
the Judge to twenty years confine-
ment In the penitentisry. His bonds
men were then released and he was
delivered TO the custody Of Sheriff
Crozier. That we may not be accused
of partizan feeling or bias la the mat
ter, IN against the Sheriff or his dep
uty, We quote from the Democrat of
this week the story OF Williams es-
cape:
"Ou Saturday morning between
midnight aud fiveo'ciock, Horny vii.
iiams escaped from the persons In
whose custody he WAS, and no trace OF
him has been discovered AN yet.
Great indignation WIS felt and freely
ex pressed by our citizens ut the man
ner in which he had been kept In cus-
tody, by the officers. When the evil
denee WAS closed during the trial
| Williams bondsnlen delivered him
over TO the sheriff who placed him in
charge Of Frank Duncan. who hal
charge Of him until he escaped. Dun
can permitted Williams to go about
the streets q good part of the time
unattended, and with no setback els or,
aud W. suppose the only reason VIII
liams did not leave sooner was because
he did not care to 20 Just then. On
the night of the escape. Depnty Sher.
| iff Ssrver and Duncan, were both
guardingt?l the prisoner at the ho,ise
OF his father-in-lsw Mr.. Samuel Iinn
| In the east part Of town. Thers were
three beds in the room In which tie
prisoner WAS confined! One wAs oc-
cupied by Williams and his wife, one
was occupied by Mrs. Williams' ais.
ter. and the other by Harver and Dun-
eau. The prisoner was not ironed, the
door was not locked, and the quarts
say they slept from mipDight untii
fivc o'clock next morning when they
awoke aud found Williams gone"
People are earnestly inquiring: or
what use are our Courts and Jurirs To
try criminals. at the expense OF thous-
aphs Of dollars. II no punishment II io
follow conviction and sentence?
What protection has society against
crime ifby intention or criminal care
iessness upon the part Of the of'iciais,
con victed niurderers are thus tn bc
turned loose. This In not the first nor
the second escape that officials In this
county have permitted In the past
year. They were not all chargable 10
Democratic officials. No matter
whether those at fault were Democrats
or Republicans, every man OF them
should be prosecuted and punished, "
IL be possible, for their abominabls
carelessness, or something worse. il
is high time We should have a jail.
aud that the people should, as we be-
iieve they now will, see the import
ance OF choosing between bsss-wood
and oak In the election OF sheriffs and
constables. Had the men who have
recently escaped been Ia custody Of
such men as ex-Sherifs Kelly and
Jones, or constabIes Shields aud
Ream. they would have been In irons,
and the county would not have been
bumiliated as II has been by these
shameful escapes. IL II suggested
pretty generally that q few Tesigna-
tions might bs very appropriate, and
bs heartily approved by those who
pay the taxes.
A reward of $500 has been offered
for the apprehension Of Williams.