The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-05-02
Set Free.

A convict at the state Penitentiary named
Richard y. Lucas, was suddenly released
from confinement in that institution ycster-
day morning, and sent before the Supreme
Judge without moments warning. Jesse
Ellis, the murderer, Is a young man DetN'seh
seventeen and eighteen years o. ace al -
now serving out sentence OF seven years
for burglary and grand larceny, which n
tence is very apt TO De prolonged some" nht.
The cause of the crime, according 70 the
murderer's own testimony, was thht tile VIC
I'm had renorted on him, and II was 10 get
even with him that he killed him.
THE MURDER
vas committed between ten and eleven
1 o,cIocl< Yesterday morning, in shop No. Z, the
d.cs.sed was walking from the water buck
| 81 10 that part OF the shop where he was
working when the prisoner picked up the
hound and struck him on The rlght SIDE o,
Ibe neal the blow causing complete insensi-
biliry death ensuing IN a very short time.
THE PRISONERS TESTIMONY
is in substance, that he asked Lucas in the
shop Yesterday morning why ne told on him,
hur the deceased made no answer. he then
hit him with the hound on the side Of the
the head, and Lucas Iell. He had told
a fellow-workman that morning, and also
the foreman OF the shop, that he would
knock Lucas head II for telling on him.
COLD FLOODED CRIME
From the testimony of the murderer him
SELF and those VINO were witnesses of the act,
IL was an entirely cold booded and deliber-
ate murder, the sole object being revenge.
Ellis told several previous To the commIttal
OF the deed that he would kill Lucas, but il is
probable that no one believed him, or that
he would De 50 rash as TO carry out his threat
when he knew that there was no chance of
escape where capture was a dead certalr y.
The murderer seemed perfectly cool and = IN,
and showed no regret for the terrible deed
COMMITTED.
The murderer was committed by the cor
oner to the custody of the warden, until he
can be taoen before an examining magistrate,
which will prob ably be next Monday HIS
chances for residing for life IN the Peniien-
itary are the very brightest, If lac Is so lucky
as 10 escape the rope.
THE MURDERED MAN
was a quiet, inoGensve man; was trying to
svosd a row or quarrel when he was struck.
Ellis spoke 10 sim short time before the
murler and asked him what he had told on
him for, but Lucas, 10 avoid WORDS, uld mol
relly The manner in which the murder
was committed was most cowardy, as Lucas
back was turned to his assallant when the
blow was struck, and frOm the testimony OF
the examining physician il is not probable
that Lucas saw his enemy al all, or, after he
received his death wound, even knew what
hurt him. Ellis was heard frequently TO say
shat he would skill the 3 of a b." and the
sequel showed how much lac meant by the
threat
This is the first casualty which has occur
red at the penitentiary for a long time, and
being so sudden and entirely unexpected, it
was one OF those things which could not, In
the nature of events, he prevented. IL was
about four years ago that a wringer burst
and killed one convict, and MORALLY wound
ing another, and il has been as long, II not a
longer time since Jack Fletcher made the
well-nigh deadly assault upon his keeper.
The discipline of the institution Is so strict,
rigid and perfect that such occurrences are
infsequent, and il was through no fault OF
either the warden or any of his assistants
that the tragedy was brought about.