The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-14

Escape of Two Of the Baton Brothers
from the PenifeDttary.


SUNDAY night James 7. Baton and Al
bert G.. Baton, white prisoners convicted
of killing their father, made their escape
from the penitentiary. These brothers,
with a younger brother. .. W. Baton,
were confined in cell on the third or up
pcrmost tier on the western side OF the
prison. As MANY Others before them have
done, they cut their way through the slate
roof and got on the top OF the building.
Thence they descended into the outer yard
between the wall and the building) by
means Of the lightning-rod. They took
with them into the yard rope made OF
blankets, attached 10 which were pieces OF
their bedstead fashioned 30 as 10 operate as
a hook.
This rope they threw over the wall. The
improyIsed hook caught OH the parapet
and was held in place firmly. and by that
means they climbed TO the top OF the wall
and lowered themselves into the open lot
on the Hollywood-side Of the penitentiary.
They passed within Il short distance OF the
sentrv-boX on the wall, in which there was q
negro guard-asleep, it is supposed. The
escape was not discovered until about z
o'clock yesterday morning.
The history Of the crime Of which these
brothers were convicted Is as follows On
Nav I, 1879, James Baton, q well-known
citizen Of Princess Anne county, while on
his way TO Norfolk in wagon. accompa-
MED bv one OF his sons-a youth about
eighteen years old--was cruelty murdered
and his person robbed Of about $500. The
bows version OF the affair was that he and
his father were riding along the road about
eight miles from Norfolk Gust before day
break. when they were set upon by men
in ambush. who shot and dubbed his Ia
ther. killing him instantly. He escaped
uniniurcd and gave the alarm. When the
neighbOrS reached the scene they i0lnd the
horse and wagon hitched up to the fence and
the body OF the father dead in the wagon.
The authorities set TO work to lind out the
guilty parties, and their Investigations re-
suited i'm the arrest Of q. W. Baton, VINO
accompanied his father on the fatal trip,
and two elder brothers. James and Albert,
AZ the perpetrators OF the wicked and un-
natural murder. At the time OF the mur-
der james Baton was twenty-five years
old. Albert Baton twenty years old, ana
%. w. Baton eighteen wears old. They
were tried 1T the June term OF the princess
Anne County Court, found guilty, ana
sentenced to eighteen years each III the
penitentiary. They were brought 10 Rich
mond and entered upon their term OF SER
vice in that institution on the 23d of June,
1919.
Some idea of the character OF the men
NAV be formed from the following tele-
gram which was received by the Dispotct
from Norfolk shortly after their conyic-
tiOn:
"That desperate gang of parricides, the
Baton brothers, arrived at the city Jail last
night about s o'clock, guarded by posse
of ten men. tied and shackled in such a
manner as TO make it impossible to get
awav, such precautiOn being necessary,
owing to an assault upon the iailer and at
temut TO break Jail at Princess Anne Court
house Yesterday morning. 1t appears that
the taller visited the cells early in the
morning armed with pistol, and rs he
opened the door he was set upon by the
Young ruflians and had TO halloo for help,
which. fortunately for him, was heard al
the hotel, and party went to the lailcr
assistance"
James Baton was caught and brought
back TO the penitentiary yesterday AFTER
noon by Robert Pearman and William
Perdue. lie was found about three miles
west OF Richmond, on OF near Lindsey''
I farm.