The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-28
EXCITING MAN-HUNT.
A Chase Amer Escaped COnvicts Through
Swamps and Canebrakes.


Helena tArk.) Special to St. Louis Globe Democrat.
Your correspondent is able to present a
clear account of the convicts escape and the
hunt of the murderers-which up to to this
time has been unsuccessful except as to five
as he was in the hunt, and to-day, in COM
pany with Others, is feeling the wearisome
effects OF the ride through sWamps, morasses
and canebrakes. There were a few errors of
detail in the last dispatch which are cor
rected. There were two guards, as has been
stated-Rankin and Hill. The latter had
laid his gun down, was sitting with his back
to the prisoners, when the weapon was
taken from him, and he threw up his hands
and cried, please don't shoot me-" Rankin
was then approached and made to give up
his gun, and it was in attempting to save
Rankin, who ran and refused to give up his
ammunition, as well as in endeavoring to
capture the prisoners, that Mr.. Cant was
shot, Rgdon Laville who it was reported
gave himself up voluntarily, did not do so,
out was captured by Mr.. Dunlee. 1t was not
Sullivan who killed Cant, but one Mccarthy,
who was in for murder He is large, red
faced man, with whiskers and the other
man who is armed is named Mccoy. Ed.
Davis, colored man, regarded by Colonel
zep Ward and his subordinates at Little
Rock as the most dangerous man of the lot,
i
vent Mccarthy from firing the fatal shot.
The hunt was kept up in the canebrakes
and swamps between the river and the hills
during the day, Saturday, all that night and
| Sunday morning until some time after sun
rise when it was discovered that the tugitives
had gone to the hills about $50 on the even
ing of the day of escape. They had been
| traced as long as daylight lasted and all ave-
| nues of escape guarded, and, having cap
| tnred three of them-the last two as late as 8
o'clock P M.--the pursuers concluded they
were still in an almost impenetrable cane
brake, marshes and Jungle At all events,
| they could do nothing more than beat up
these places upon horseback, when possible,
| and on foot when otherwise, and wait until
morning for further facilities. Morning came
| and then it was that the whole force OF
| pursuers was turned to the hills. In the
| meantime Sheriff Turner's forces had done
excellent work, and upon several occasions
Saturday afternoon kept near the fugitives,
| but the awful obstacles referred to retarded
| their progress. Early in the action the con-
| victs threw off their suits and kept nothing
| on but their shirts and drawers, and except
| in the case of the murderer of Mr.. Cant,
| threw away their shoes also Thus attired
| they waded through the mire and water, ran
| through mud swamps small lakes and bay
Gus, and crawled through the cane subject
| ed to almost as much danger from under
| growth and the cane which tends to cut
ones feet as though with knife, as from the
officers and their aids, About O'clock Sat
urday they endeavored to go to the hills but
were fired upon One of the scenes of the
hunt in the canebrake was when Sheriff
| Turner said: NOW, boys, | want nine men
to go with me, on foot, to patrol this cane
brake, which, as you say, is almost impossi-
BILE even for wild creature. All who choose
do so may follow me, as | feel it TO be my
duty to take this course, but will not order a
| single man to go. 1t is no special feat of
bravery to go, and those who stay need not
think they have done wrong" In an instant
ten horses were hitehed and the terrible
march was begun 1t was not long ere a
NOISE in the cane soon convinced the pursu-
| eFs that their difficult objects were near bat
difficult to see, so thekly grown was the
brake. Soon the red features of Mccarthy
were seen through small open
| ing. and crack went the needle
gun in his hands, the ball
| grazing the hair of the sheriff, whose COM
| handing appearance and front position made
him a desirable object for the murderous
| aim. The sheriff returned the fire, but could
not use his gun as quickly as he wished on
| account of the cane, and his usual good
craftsmanship failed him. Then there was
a good deal OF noise by the conyiets. and no
| further opportunity was presented for rifle
| practice, though the officers could often re-
alize that they were near by the sounds. No
! doubt feeling that they would not be safe
any longer, even in that awful place, thus
| hunted down, they determined to fly to the
| hills that night come what might One, a
negro, was captured by Deputy Lindsay neal
Lambs store, and three white men were
taken in by E. d. Pillow and party in the
bottom, and one by Captain Turner'S
immediate force just on the verge OF
the bill. The wretches presented q
horrible picture shivering with cold, with
little clothing on, terribly bruised and two
of them with their feet cut badly by the
cane. Among them were neither of the two
who planned the escape and killed Mr.. Cant
! Sunday morning an extra force was sent out
| to the hills, but nothing resulted from their
| efforts but to learn that the convicts had
avoided the roads and stopped at several
houses asking for food, but were not success
| full
| The sheriff and his aids have gone far into
| the county, the people generally are rising
| up, and though nothing has come to us as
| yet of their apprehension, they certainly
cannot escape. A reward of $500 has beer
| offered for them. and the same sent to every
! point where they would be liable to cross.