The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-08-21
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Atssnpt = the coaviets 81 the Ks.s.ssslxs
Peafteus1arv to zscape 81
LOUISVILLE, Aug. 14--A FtankGoS5
special g the EssnIag Times says be
most desperate ontbseak knows 6 ne
history q the penitentiary took place
thIs morAing about $50 O'Clock. The
alarm was given by one of the ',lrustys'
riding through the city on horseb1ck
and calling upon the citizens TO go to
the rescue Of the guards, The excitement
spread and the citizens, arms fu hand,
poured cut Of their houses and ran with
the greatest speed TO the penilenIiary.
In the meanwhile Q brisk firing was
heard. The alarm bell on tine engine
house rang and the ''trustyH messenger
ON horseback was stopped several times
At the point of pisto! for an escaping
| convict. By the time aid arrived
at the PRISON the terrible struggle
was over and nothing was to be seen but
Q great number of bullet holes, the blood
of wounded men and thousand PANIC
stricken citizens at the gates. The gates
| we're locked and barred but when the
authorities were satiefleu, thai ali was
quiet and all the convicts placed under
| lock and key in the calls the outer doors
| were unbarred and admittance of = few
persons granted. Capt. Edward John
son. who Is guard ~ the gate. says he
had received Intimation OF u conspiracy
| on foot for the past two weeks, and had
1 been very watchful and careful IN lock
ing and unlocs ing the gate. Il had
been the custom TO allow the prisoners
10 make ct leisure hours little
/ articles Of various kinds for friends
and relatives, and when John Il. Wolf,
son of the county clerk of Scott, who
was recently sent for ten years from
Lexington for forgery, drew near the
gate with box and asked permission to
set Ii outside that she clerk might have
1t shipped TO Georgetown. Capt. john
son opened the gate, told him 10 step
out and put It down in the doorway.
James Cunningham, 'trHsty," IN for
life, from Hickman county, fourteen
l years ago, for numbering q man who Sc
duced his sister, was within the gateway
but little removed from the gate at the
time, and just as johnson ops ned the
gate he turned and spoke Ia sime one,
when he, johnson, fell seneeless from q
blow, struck by bottle
which Wolf had concealed about him
Eight other prisoners pushed the gate
open and made rush for the arms which
are kept in one of the rooms near by
Cunningham ran to the rescue of John
son and dragged Geo. Alsop, a hIe prIs-
, ontr sent from Jeffei son county, of JUS
J as he was IN the act of pluBgiDe a knife
into the fallen guard. In the meanwhile
d. o. Robinson, a guard from the shop
: came TO the gate and the fir
ing became brisk and general
} While Cunningham was wTest
J ling with another prisoner Alsop drew
i, a pistol on Capt. T. d. Holloway, prison
, clerk, who jumped out of the window
= and ran into the street Wolf, VIII
7 with arms had gotten into the street
: was firing at Capt. II. q. Payne, one o
: the guards, who returned the fire, ans
3 although fully exposed 20 their assault
! was making brave efforts to drive tn
q prisoners back. Captain Holloway
{ who was unarmed, was describing
: circle in the street, while Alsop wa
d pouring volley after Yolley at HIN
:. when from behind q tree, Bud Smith,
q young man who CHANGED to have q gul
: in hand when the alarm was given
3 took aim at Alsop aud it lie believe
t hit him in the shoulder. The two cor
e victs then attempted to cover their II
treat by rapid firing on Payne; but th
/. brave boy from behind the tree she
/ Wolff in the leg, who fell and was cap
: tured. Alsop, Theo. Graves and w.
! Grant started on run, met farms
g coming into the city IN buggy, force
q him to give the buggy up and escaped.
e More than thirty armed men gave pu
# suit, but no id!ngs has yet been re
Q ceived from them. Each of the escaI
D ing conVicts Is armed with more tha
3 three revolyers. All are regarded as th
y most desperate men under sentence {
d confinement.