The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-05-06
The Desperate Deed of an Insane
Convict.

A terrible tragedy and one Of the
most serious in the history of the insti-
tuition occurred at the penitentiary
about o'clock this afternoon, resulting
in the death of two convicts John
Smith, of st. Francois county, sent up
for five years for burglary in the second
degree, and Richard Broderick, of st.
Louis, one of the express robbers, were
engaged in the lower part of the yard
making mortar. Brcderick started for
Cooper, Patterson IL Co.'S shop, the
office of which was being plastered, with
a wheelbarrow of mortar. Just before
he reached the steps leading to the
office, Smith, who was coming behind,
raised a spade he was carrying and
struck him two or three times over the
head, intlictlng wounds resulting In al
most immediate death. AS if crazed by
his terrible crime, Smith then rushed
toward the round office in the center of
the prison yard, and, spade in hand,
began to break in the windows He
was halted by MI. John Gates, the
guard, but paid no attention to him, de-
fying him to arrest him, and declaring
lie would die before he would surrender.
The guard finally fred at him, but he
still refused to halt or surrender, and
kept on around the building, breaking
the windows with his spade as he went.
Deputy Warden Bradbury then ordered
L. V,ctao1 oS 1o,nc,
he became still more violent, making an
effort to assault him with his murderous
weapon. AS the yard was full of con-
victs going back and forth, this
open revolt against the discipline was
becoming serious, and, after in vain at
tempting to get the man to surrender,
Capt. Bradbury fred two shots at him.
At the second shot he fell, and died
from the wounds received in about an
hour afterward. 1t is not known
whether there was any quarrel between
Smith and Broderick before Smith
struck him. They had both left Cooper,
Patterson Il Co.'S Office but a few min
utes before laughing and talking to-
gcther in the best of good humor. If
they quarreled, so far as is now known,
no one was witness to it. AS soon as
possible after the terrible occurrence,
the prison surgeon, DR.. w. g. Winston,
was sent for, and when he arrived he
had the men conveyed to the hospital.
Broderick's wounds were examined and
found to consist of deep cut on the
right cheek two inches long, the spade
cutting entirely through the integu-
ments, but not fracturing the bone; one
extending along the right side Of the
head, cutting through the ear and frac-
turing the skull; the other cutting the
integuments of the neck and fracturing
the base of the skull for nearly two
inches. He never spoke after he was
struck. Smith was shot in three places,
one in the upper left part of the
stomach, passing through the body and
coming out above the hip bone; the
second in the upper part of the thigh,
passing inside the hip bone; the third
entered under the collar bone near the
shoulder blade. He lived about an
hour. Smith has always been regarded
as dangerous convict and has been
closely watched. His manner OF killing
Broderick and his conduct afterward
give rise to the belief that he was not
altogether in his right mind. He was
sent up here short time ago from st.
Francois, and while on the way here
made break for liberty by jumping
from the train at Pacific. Broderick
has been regarded as quiet, well-be-
haved convict. He was well known in
st. Louis for his boxing propensities,
being regarded as very expert boxer.
He was concerned in the express rob-
berry in st. Louis, and had three years
of his sentence yet to serve.-Globe-
Democrat, April 6.