Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-04
A Cell Leek which Invited Esoape aud a
ea, Couple Of Drowsy Watohnen
bgas{sf ON Guard.
THE R ATTEMPT.

y ooN NlVuCu0N Will ul0 U1uI0cEOu6 8004ILe
ant. who sprang upon him Immediately af-
ter he had dealt the blow and endeavored to
secure Swansoh's revolver, which was in
his hip pocket. Swanson backed up
against the grating and called to Beebe, an
other prisoner confined under charge Of
murder. Who was inside the grating, to Sc
cure the revolver. This Beebo finally &C.
complished and leveled 1t to Ere on Han
son. then changed bis mind and dropped
the weapon. Hanson freed himself from
the ja,lor, sprarg through the open door.
made his way through the gate, which was
unlocked, and escaped into the street with
Swanson in close pursuit. The shouts of
the jailor soon brought q crowd into the
street, which rapidly increased as the pur-
sued and the pursuer passed rapidly north
ward along Douglas street. DR.. Livingston
heard the uproar and saw the crowd and
divining the cause thereof Tell into the
ranks of the pursuers with bis team aud
buggy. He very quickly overlook Hanson
and collared him and took him back to the
jail and turned him over to the jailor. It
was then discovered that Hanson's shackles
had fallen off when he made the first attack
upon Swanson. and an investigation resulted
10 the discovery that they had been careful
y sawed in the jointe, leaving just enough
of the original iron to hold them together
until the wearer desired to part with them.
Sheriff Baker arrived about this time aud
Hanson was taken into his office, on the
Jail fl ,or of the court house, and stripped of
bis clothing and subjected to a rigid ,nspec.
ton. No tools or weapons Of any sort were
found upou him and when Sheriff Baker
became convinced of this fact he permitted
Hanson to put on n psir of drawers aud a
shire, fastened some handouts to his wrists
and consigned him to the dark cell for the
night and placed Deputy Sheriff Elliot and
David Donelson on guard in the corridor
wh'ch surrounds the row Of high cells aud
passes in front OF the dark cell. Jailor
Swanson was unable TO be in attendance on
account Of his Wounds, which were painful.
During the evening Sheriff Baker visited
the jill and sgain at one O'Clock this morn
ing ana on both occasions found his men
on the alert and everything secure.
THEsECoND ATTEMPT
at escape proved a success, and Hanson the
murderer, is at large. Little is known
about the details OF his iii breaking, as The
two watchmen detailed to stand guard over
bin during the night we're both asleep at
the time OF The delivery. 1t is easy enough,
however to trace the operation through it's
several phases. The cell in which be was
confined Is called the dark cell and is used
tor the temporary confinement OF refractory
prisoners. 1t Is located on the south side OF
the Jail aud separated from the ordinary
cells by q narrow corridor. 1t is built en-
tirelv of brick, with very heavy solid walls
on the sides. ends top and bottom and con.
tains neither furniture nor bedding. In its
front is a heavy wooden door. shutting into
a wooden casing. In the door is q small
hole which furnishes ventilation. The door
is locked by . heavy burglar proof paddock,
q hasp and q staple. The staple through
which the paddock fastens is q heavy iron
bolt with it's outer end shaped for the re.
ception o! the lock. The bolt. passes through
the door casing and is held In place by a nut
which screws On from the inside. The
door hinges are fashioned after the same
manner. All that Hanson had to do was
to unscrew the nut from the end OF the sta.
pie bolt, which was on the inside of the
cell, push gently upon the door and draw
out the staple bolt bv the weight of the
swinging door. This he did and was in.
stantly released from the cell. By some
mysterious means be had procured q knife
and . piece ofbar lead. With the knife he
whitfield the lead intoa wrench,which fitted
the nut and by aid of this rude implement
unscrewed it from the end of the bolt. This
could have been accomplished without the
aid Of q wrench BY the persevering efforts
OF q strong man. but the piece of lead aided
him To expedite matters. After opening
the celtdoor, Hanson passed along the cor.
rider to the sherif's Office; In front, where
he bundled up bis clothes and shoes and
thrust them through the bars Of one Of the
front winoows into tho area
outside. whore they were found
this morning, he having omitted to take
them in his fight. Hanson then made an
effort TO cut his way through the board cas-.
ing which surrounds the stairway leading
70 the door above. While all this vas 20.
ing IN the two vatchmen were .weetly .lun.
bering ii the other ED Of the Jail, vher.
the man they were watching could zee them
through the bars Of the heavy iron grating
which surrounds the prisoners rooms and
the cells. He evidently abandoned III. At.
tempt to cut through the stairway casing
aftsr . lev misuts labor Noting .he qui..
attitude Of the vatchucn he passed down