The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1883-03-09

lgusinou< Convicts Apply the Terch = ne
Missouri Penifentiary-A Hold Plan q
Escape Frustrated ~ p~s<rrninsd
Guards.
JEFFERSON cirf. NO.. February -
This city was to-day che scene ~ one Of the
mas' exciting events IN tho states history
. IRE III the pcnitcntinry. attended with :
threatened outbreak o; convicts.
ORIGIN IN rnE FIRE.
The firewa sct BY desprrndo named John
~ johnson. who was sent up Or highway
robbery ~ October. l<--. from shelby County.
lie T. serving q twelve years sentence. HI
object. II appears. was 20 enc.t hi- escape
lie once before tried 20 make his escape. n
December last. by cutting The bars IN che new
cell bulldog. Among hi- accompice- are ".
r. Taylor. who was sent up from Jackson
County for sixteen years. also for robbery.
AMI Perry Martin. who = On twelve years'
sentence from Barry County. for stage rob-
berry also John Williams. lieic for two years,
for breaking jiii IN jackson County A little
alter twelve noon johnson with three n his
afcomplices went int the drying depart
ment Of che straw collar shop and
commenced an assault on Mathew
schinberg formerly 81 Inc collar department.
He made several passes with biz katie.
aiming NJ schinbers's brtast, when the latter
raised his arm 20 ward or the thrust and was
severely cut in two places on his arm. the
gashes going 70 the bone. The deSperatoes
then knocked schinbcrg down, stood him up
again and walked him over into a corner and
coRRALLED HIN THERE.
Having thus fixed schinberg they next az
tackled his partner. John snyder. made him
unsirip his clothes. which johnson put on.
....I
walked ont Of the shop. seized short ladder
and going 70 the northeast angle Of the peni-
tcntiary yard placed the ladder against the
wall. +. ,. Love. guard Of she round
house. not snspecting a convict there IN
square" clothes inquired, VIVA. are You go
ing 70 do with that ladder Johnson an
ssercd that there was a little trouble among
the prisoners IN the yard above and ne WAS
sent there 70 assist in nnar Ting the point.
The guard then threatened 70 shoot him II he
did not get down from the ladder NJ once.
johnson then went back 70 the stunning shop
and with match set frc 90 the loose straw
used ia stniiing collars. He also cut the hose.
and meeting again with scliinDerg be threat
ened 70 KIN him.
HE ARMED HIMSELF
with club In one hand and 4 knife and shoe
hammer IN the other. AMI then ran into Suiii-
vans saddle tree shop. drove IN the guard
and attempted 20 ronse the convicts - re-
volt. and. hal lie succeeded. amid the general
confusion caused BY the fire. he would have
! been successful in making his cscsre. Fail
I ing in this lie went into the old ccli-house.
where he was captured by Captain Eradbnrz-
( lie dropped his weapons on setins bradbury
/ lie was then conveyed with his acc0nplicte
/ into the blind cell
CxrTxrx BRApBrEY's STATEMENT.
Capt Bradbury, the Deputy warden. male
| the following statement The ffe occurred
about y 80 O'Clock. Just a. the time when
nearly all the contractors and foremen had
\ gone 70 dinner. Word Was sent me that there
\ was trouble and mn my among the convicfs
| in the collar department l immedi-
| ately notified Warden Wills and then
I went into the yard. revolver in hand,
and captured al the cnnvict= then
running loose and sent them 20 their
cells. ws- not aware until after thi- that
I . IRE had been Sof. but a. soon n this fact
was ascertaincd turned OUT Al che conyicts
who could be trusted 20 help save the prop
| crty. l was informed that Johnson had
I started the fire. ana in company with num-
Der ~ COME ierafes were doing al in thciI
power 20 keep 4 from being e>tineuished. In
company with Nr. ToIin. captured Johnson
and Taylor. Who were armed with knives
ana had been cutting che hose whenever -
opportunity Afforded johnson failed 70 e.
cape By climbing over the wall. He thez
hurried hack 90 tile GO liar shop and
SIT III o. PRE-
The shop was fun Of straw ana other com
bnst,be matter and consequently burned
very rapidly. About twenty nve d the con
vict- we're n the mutiny ana the number n
creased until they were checked johnson
was the ring leader. and ~ith his confeder
ate< they oyerpowerci the guard, Van Horn
whom johnson compelled % chance clotnc.
with him. thinking no doubt. thar he couls
pass the outside guard without detection /
dressed IN citizens Clothes
Captain Bradbury further stated that John
son was desperate character and would ire
Quently make serious trouble IN the prison
Recently he made an nnsu ce-~tul attempt y
escape. Captain bradbury estimates the mum
Der of prisoners that viii be idle 8 conse
Quencc Of the fire AZ 40,
THE BUILDINGS BURNED
were AZ follows; No. ship. occupied b,
Strauss co. - q collar and harness factory
No. shop. flr-t and second floors occupies
BY strauss 4 Co a. tannerv and whip shop
and third fioor occupied BY the Exce.sio
Broom Company. The east end Of this build
ing also contains the state Carpenter an'
weaving shops. while the basement Il used 4
machine shop. shop No 4. occupied on th
first floor by the standard shoe Company
and on the second and third floors BY th
Cie-ccke Bopt and shoe COMPANY
These buildings have All been erected with
n the last ten years.
THE STATES Loss
on tins property 4 total. and viii foot up 4
Sso.g-l according 10 the inventory b. che ~
prai~ers and reported BY the inspectors % m
Assembly on January Is last of this amour
shops ?. : and represent respectively sl2- 50
81; coo and sisoN. The machinery. boiier
and -haffing stand for $ls.sso. while enc bal
nntc covers che oil house. hose house. waite
tanks. corn mills, machine shops. woole1
factory. carpenter shops and furniture -