The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1880-03-02
A STRIKE FOR LIFE.
Daring Attempt or G. w. Hymer to
Break Jail.

"Aoat VIM 10 uhuCI scHVcucc Vi uedtH lOf
the murder of Thomas X. West at Par
adise last May, was informed that the
Supreme Court to which his case had
been appealed, had affirmed the judg-
ment of the District Court. Pending
the decision Of the Supreme Court on
the appeal, he was permitted to walk
about the Jail during the day, but since
the decision was announced he has been
kept in cell day and night. His legs
were shackled with heavy irons, con-
nected with chain made of half inch
iron. The cell in which he was con-
fined was carefully searched on Satur-
day, but no weapons or tools of any
kind were found. Last night the
wind blew pretty lively and made the
windows rattle. George White and
Joseph Pergue, who were sleeping in an
unlocked cell in the Jail, were startled
by Hymer, who cautiously entered their
cell and told them that he was armed
and that if they opened their months
he would blow out their brains. Dep
uty Sheriff Dav idson, who sleeps in the
Sheriffss Office at the jail door, was
awakened by what he supposed to be
the rafting Of the windows by
the wind, but dropped off to sleep
again, only to be awakened again by
the noise. He finally concluded to get
up, as the wind had gone down though
the noise in the JAIL continued. He
asked George White what was up, but
received no reply. He then said:
There is something going on in there
and want to know what it is." White
replied, II do not want to risk my life
by telling you; come in and see." Mr..
Davidson went to the Jail door but
could see nothing through the bars, as a
blanket was hung UP as a screen inside.
He then went to the Treasurer's office
and aroused William Perkins, who
sleeps there, and sent him for Deputy
Sheriff Pryor, who called Constable
Ruse. The officers then entered the
Jail and found that Hymer had cut the
chain with which he was ironed, and
had pried off the heavy bolt which fast
ened his cell door. He took the mat
tress and blankets from his bed and
spread them on the floor, under one of
the Jail windows, and standing on the
roof of the cell, which is only few
feet from the window, he removed the
bricks from the wall and carefully de-
posted them on a blanket which he had
spread on top Of the cell to deaden the
sound. The pieces which dropped out
while he was at work fell ON the mat
tress under the window, and made no
noise, When detected he had but one
thickness of brick to remove to get to
the outer world. The isil is lined with
heavy sheet iron to within about four
feet Of the ceiling, and his operations
were carried on at the side of the win
dow above the lining and some ten feet
FROM the floor. The cell door was
opened and the brick removed with a
steel pinch-bar, quarters of
an inch thick and sixteen inches
long, one end OF which was fattened
and sharpened like miners drill. No
arms were found in his possession or in
| the Jail, and it has not yet been ascer-
tanned how he cut, his shaekles. He
had written letters to friends. inform
| ing them that he was free man, and
| appointing a place for them to meet
him on Wednesday night. These let
ters he threw into the FIRE, but the
officers grabbed them from the flames
and have them in their possession.
Hymer says he had no assistance from
anybody on the outsi.ls, and taat he
| took the steel bar from the blaSkymiths
who ware at work fixing shutters sn
the Jail windows some time ago. He
remarked that the Lord was against
hin@ Is the wind ceased to blow when
escape seemed certain and shortly after
xyards arose AGAIN Te made n hold