The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-06-04
HOW THEY GOT AWAY.

A reporter for the STATESMAN took
in the county Jail in his regular
rounds yesterday. Among the pris-
oners was short, thick set young man,
about 25 years old apparently, with
black hair and eyes of the same color,
who was pointed out by Doc Owens,
the polite and clever jailer as George
Cook, one of the convicts who was
liberated along with thirty-six others
from Clay's farm on the BraZos few
days since.
1t will be remembered that the af-
fair, from the boldness of the scheme,
and its successful execution, created
excitement all over Texas, and it was
with a view to learn something
of the details that Cook was approach
ed by the reporter. He has by means
a bad countenance, and though at
first rather reluctant to talk, soon
threw off his reserve, and commenced
an animated account of. his release.
"There were thirty-seven of us divi-
ded into plough squads and hoe squads
attended by six guards. We were
working on Capt. Clays place, not far
from The BraZos, a new farm opened
up last January. 1t was about two
o'clock in the afternoon, and very
warm. One of the squads was near.
ing the fence that bounded the field,
when two men with Winchesters
jumped over the fence and ordered
the guards to throw up their hands.
They did SO, and five or six men
were turned loose, and a
pistol given to one of them.
There was really no resistance. Only
two or three Shots were fired, and the
whole thing was over. Nobody was
hit. The story have since read in
the newspapers. that Assistant Sar-
geant Vasser had his horse shot, was
not so. | was with him and ought to
know. Another report about B. T.
Lee, one of the guards, making brave
defence, is also a fable. Lee pulled
his hat down over his face and begged
the boys not to kill him. There was,
however, nothing to prevent the
guards making good resistance.
Two men got away with all of them.
After getting inside they were seen
coming through the field for over two
hundred yards in plain open view.
."Who were these two men ?" asked
the reporter.
II am not giving them away to-
day." said Cook with a laugh. "You
- can't find that out from me; may have
been bad manI,b am not mean
enough to tell on my rescuers.
swell, after being freed we DIVIDED
into a number of groups. /, with
four others, got to the river that
night, and not knowing much about
the country we got lost. We came to a
ferry, but the ferryman was on the
opposite side and would not come over
to take us across. About noon the
next day we swan the river on ouI
horses. No sooner had we landed
than volley of shots from the other
bank Whistled among US. There must
have been fifteen men in the crowd
that was in pursuit. We
fired back on them, but DOM
know whether any of the shots tool
effect. One of my comrades was hi
IN the leg, and two horses were slight
ly wounded. They did not follow u
up Rand we never saw them again
We didn't want to, either.
Which course did you take then?
We kept going west, and knowing
that parties were pressing on us al
the time, urged our horses for all they
were worth. Mine gave out first, ant
my companions had to ride on an,
leave me. This led to my arrest.
was captured in Hays County, not ia
from the Perdlnales."
How do you like the idea of goini
back to the penitentiary
Cook shrugged his shoulders an,
made a ordnance. swell, frankly
the prospect is not at all captivating
Life in the penitentiary is not path
way strewn with roses. l was sen
up for eleven years, and you can i'm
aging my anxiety to be a free mar
l had already served out two year
and half, and was pining for
change. When such golden oppor
tunity to gam freedom was offered d
you blame me for taking advantage {
it? 1 hear that several of the boy
walked back and gave themselves u
In my opinion they acted like set {
fHfnfC