Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-08-22
A Battle With Convicts.
THE ESCAPED KENTUCKY MURDERERS
ARE SURROUNDED BY A POSSE AND

THE ESCAPED KENTUCKY MURDERERs
ARE SURROUNDED BY A POSSE AND
KILLED.
A Lexington Ky special of the 18th
says: This evening an unusually quiet
and peaceful Sabbath was rudely disturb
ed by the report of terrible conflict be-
tween the now noted convicts, George
Alsop and Theophilus Graves, with the
sheriff's posse sent out to capture them.
1t will be remembered that on Thursday
morning last there was an outbreak in the
Frankfort penitentiary and John Wolfe.
forger sent up from this city for forging
check on a Georgetown bank, was the
with package he asked permission to
send 1t to his friend, the chief of police of
Georgetown, Ky. The unsuspectiDg guard
let him pass and turned to speak to some
one, when Wolfe struck him with police
mans billy, which be had on the top Of
the buAdle. Wolfe cried to the convicts
within, Come on.'' Only eight respon-
ded. Among them were George Alsop.
Theophilus Graves and W. q. Grant, ali
three murderers. In a desultory fire
Wolfe was shot down, and Alsop chival-
rously agreed to carry him, but ne would
not hear it, and babe him look out for
himself. Five of the eight convicts were
recaptured, but Alsop, Graves and Grant,
who had procured arms at the penitentia-
ry arsenal, began using them, but failed
to hurt any one, while Alsop received a
wound in the shoulder from citizen.
THE CONNECTS FLIGHT.
The three convicts made their way
hn afru ny1t cor tod
from them going toward his home in An
derson county. He has never been heard
of since. Graves and Alsop started to-
ward this county, on their way to Eastern
Kentucky. They capturned two horses,
but lett them after riding about twelve
miles. Yesterday they came to resi-
dence several miles from town and asked
| for food and also a newspaper of Friday.
They received the former and were told
| the latter was not to be obtained. After
| breakfast they asked the way to Winches-
! ter, and stopped at a toll-gate and demap-
ded 81. telling who they were. The news
was sent to town and sheriff posse was
formed. Among them County Attorney
S. G. Sharpe and George Caldwalder, who
separated from the posse and went out on
the Walnut Hills pike. After going out
about eight miles they caught sight of
| two armed men in hemp field, some dis
lance away. They eluded pursuit, and
Mr.. Estill, just then driving up, told
where they had gone. Accompanied by
| Mr.. Estill the trio drove through Mr..
Walter Scott's place, and Sharp being on
horseback, galloped on ahead.
| Aa .ATlBAY.
! He discovered the fugitives and adj
vanced to within sixty yards, when they
| turned and presented their guns. Sharpe
slipped off his horse and took refuge be-
| hind a tree. The fugitives did the same.
Graves left his tree and was fired at by
Sharpe. Then Alsop left and had gone
some distance. when Sharpe, resting his
rifle on q fence, fired, and Alsop was seen
| to stagger. They kept on and were lost
| to sight in a corn field as the posse came
up. Sharpe then galloped around the field,
and hearing they had crossed ravine,
| followed and saw them enter another
| corn-feld. Then, riding back, he had the
posse surround it. About this time, two
| farmers, George Cassell and James Veal,
road up and joined the posse. The affair
was no child's play, and all had prepared
| for the worst. Sharpe, Veal and Cassell
entered the corn field, following the trail
for some distance. The first Elimination
of the whereabouts of the convicts was
two shots, which ratified out sharp and
J clear. Cassell fell to his knees moaning,
$50 Steve o Steve!" and second volley
| from them brought Cassell to the ground
second bullet passing through his head.
| Veal discharged both barrels of bis gun
and retreated, and Sharpe sank to the
ground, though uninjured. Hearing one
of the convicts say, 81 killed him u
| Sharpe lifted his head and, seeing one of
| the convicts, fired. All became still and
| Sharpe retreated, crawling back to the
posse.
| THE DEATHS.
| All advanced, and they came on the
| body of Cassell lying in the corn-row dead.
| AS they advanced Alsop raised on his
shoulder and tried to discharge his pistol
at Deputy-Sheriff Rogers, but it snapped,
and Rogers and three other of the posse
fired at once Alsop, riddled with bullets,
| fell back. Even then be was not dead,
but with CLASSY eyes, was still defiant. He
| died. however, in few minutes, and kept
his oath mot to be taken alive" Graves
was already dead, having been killed by
Veal s bullet. The weapons of the con.
victs were half covered with blood, and it
was horrible sight. Alsop's brains spat-
terlng his weapons and Graves blood
covering his gun. They were well-armed
having two needle-guns. five Colts army
revolvers, one Smith & Wesson improved,
and two knives. AS they lived so they
had died, and but for the death of George
CasselI. the affair, though horrible, would
| not have been thought so bad.
Wherever negroes in the South have
had the power to control their administra-
rJynd hu ho hr, fo1