Weekly Phoenix herald., 1882-10-27
Tucson Criminals Escape.

From the Citizen we clip the fol
lowing particulars of the escape OF
the Tucson prisoners, dispatch cen
ccsaing which appeared in the
HERALD of yesterday:
shortly af.er 6 o'clock last ever
Ing. u report was circulated that
nine of the most notorious criminals
conf ned in the county jail had e.
capped, viz: Murphy, Meyer, Gibson
Hurley and Morton. indicted IN
murder; Casey, Mahoney and
French. for highway robbery On
inquiry the report was fou"d 100
true.
The iaior, George Cooler, states
That Murphy feigned sickness and
asked permission to go to the water
.closct in the corridor, all being al
lowed to do So remained but short
time before returning to be admitted
sto the cell, in which he wi h Gibson
nd Meyer, was confined. The jail
>or. " no was entirely alone, e--tsr1d
the c. rrId IT, for the purpose of I'M
lack ing the cell door, when Murphy
siezed kffh with one hand and with
sthe other covered his mouth. He
was then bound and gagged, "iS
sarms thrust through the iron bars,
and in that position bound with
towel. They then took his keys and
unlocked the o:hcr cell and let out
all the other prisoners confined in
thnt ii r ef tanks. Their next move
was TO secure a key hanging in the
iailor's Office, that opened an iron
door in the rear of the corral, lead
ing to the street.
The jailor then atatcs that as soon
as possible he freed himself from
his bandages and ran 10 the main
building for the purpose of firing
the alarm and also for the purpose
of informing the police.
Whatever correctness there may be
in the statement above given, the
Tailor is guilty of gross disooedl-
ence of positive orders against the
TAILOR undcr any circumstances
whatever, entering the corridor fac
ing the cells, without anoth guard
eiug on the outside of the door, fer
he purpose of locking it after him
Cooler not only knew his orders
I1t the conviction is that he design
div violated them, well knowing its
innate result. Every fat since
ought to light, conclusively proves
lat careful preparations with that
n ma in view, had been made. Not
bnly did the prisoners know the key
hat would give them access to the
strcet, but where to find it, and, fur
thermore, a portion of them knew
where, near the gas works, on South
4 Never street, four horses, in charge
of two Mexicans, stood ready, sad
died and bridlcd, with n roll or
blankets strapped behind each sad
die, brace # revolYcrs and Win
chester riff, together with cartridge
belts hanging from csch pommel-
On gaining access to the street
the prisoners, with the except n Of
the four for whom the horses were
intended, are supposed 10 have sea-
tered and portion of them are yet
believed 10 be in the city. The four
4 In question, said to be Murphy, Mo-
n yer, Gibson and Morton, where first
seer, that is to ba noticed, was at The
store q, Max Zier, on the corner of
Meyer and Telles street, where they
momentariiy hesitatcd, then turned
and went to the house of Gibson, on
or near the corner of Council and
Court streets. After remaining
there for short time they contInu-
ed 10 where the horses were in
waiting, anil when last seen were
riding fast toward Point of Noun
tain.
D Sheriff Paul unfortunately Is pros
trated by an attack of malarial fever
srd was not able to be at the Jail
4 Under Sheriff Ward mounted
force of men and started in pursuit.
but with what success is not ut pres
ant known. Every effort possible
for their recapture will be made,
hut It is beyond probability that all
can again be brought within the
reach of the law
Whatever there may b, in the be-
lief so currently afloat, Ind strongly
corroborated by all available insor-
nation, that the escape was prear-
ranged AMI premeditatci affair.
made practicable only by and
through the contrivGnce and con-
sent OF tie jailor, later events must
observation-disclosures.