Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-09-03

stealing and sent to the reform-school.
He escaped from there and was sent to
! the southern Indiana penItentiary for
II ginver oilense. ! was II guard then,
and took particular notice Of Bill be-
cause he was such quiet and easy-go-
ing fellow. He always kept away from
tho rest, and wanted no man to cell
with him.
| ~ always thought Inc was scheming
to get away. One morning While the
gang were going out to breakfast Bill
sat down and hid behind the door If
the trip hammer shop. When all the
prisoners and guards had got into the
dining-room he crossed the court to the
door he had come out of. Running
from tllat point to the roof Of the main
building which was four stories in
height was cast-iron water-pipe. Bill
Skinned up that pipe like Il monkey,
got. on the roof through n skylight TO
the gllnrd-room and hid there all day
lie was missed early, but not soul
suspected his mode Of escape. That
night he tool Of his striped suit and
taking possession of the uniform Of II
shopping guard, walked boldly down
stairs and ont into the world He was
away for long time before they heard
Of him again A iewelcr ut Terre
IIaute was in the habit Of taking the
jcwclry out Of his store and transfer
ing II in Il satchcl to noighbors for
safe-keeping. One night while doing
this he was attacked by two men who
not only failed to attain their object,
but were captnrcd by tho police. One
of these two was Bill Rodfcr, who,
with his comrade, was tried for high
way robbery, found guilty, and sent
back To tile prison from whence he
had escaped, for n term Of ten years.
THE next time he got away was
tndcr coal-cnrt The guards wereon
the wall watching the carts If Bill
had got inside Of one Of them they
would havc-sccn him. He know this,
and he got right in under the bed Of
ono of them and onto the coupling.
He got two hundred yards away from
tho building, when IA trllsty saw him
and raised nm nnrm, which resulted in
his capture before getting three hun
drcd yards away.
"ln the wngon-shop they finished
spokcs, and these were packed in boxes
xix feet long by two square. Bill got
some of his comrades to nail him M
in one Of these boxes, and they did
this. IL was the custom to stand these
boxes on end aud in standing the boX
which contained Bill thcy placed the
wrong end upnnd Bill on his lcnd. of
course he squonlcd and was Iet out and
punished,
zone day while working with u lot of
men IN The yard, Bill, Mike Collerhan
of the Reno gang, and others got II steel
shaft used for pnlleys, and using il as
u battering-ram ammcd hole through
M eigmecn-incl wall and made there
escape, bat not until they knock
cd one guard down and ran another
oil, They We're all captured before get
ting fur away, He made many other
attempts, and was engaged in many
Happenings too tedious to
Rodifcr was pnrlonod out Of the pen
itcntinry five weeks ago by Coy vii
liams for good behavior At that time
he had served six years Of his ten years
sentence llc was rs Years Old, aud
had blue eyes and white cyclashcs,
making him look more Ikea saint than
II thief.
Mr. Page says lie was IN awful stout
fellow, and hut for luck would yes
tcrdny morning have made matters
more than liycly for DR.. Walker and
family.