St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-24
4 Desperate Prisoner in the Saltwater
Penitentiary Killed BY Deputy
Warden Reed.
The Foreman Knocked Down, Valu-
able Machinery Smashed and
Guards Assaulted.
Fate OF a Convict Who Refused TO be
Shackled--Verdict OF the
Coronerss Jury.
His Term Ended.

prison. lie has been worked in the wagon
shop known as shop B for some time past.
Yesterday morning, shortly after o'clock,
he suddenly dropped a wagon tongue on
which be was working, struck Ellar Me-
kellaT, the foreman, in the face. then
grabbed an iron maliet with which he began
demOlishing the machinery, breaking three
different machines in the shop before stop
ping and threatening TO kill several attaches.
y few minutes after o'clock he called
Foreman Mcclellan. who stepped over to
where he was working. when he said:
what is the matter with putting these
tongues over there?" He referred 10 some
he had been working on. Mcclellan re-
ferred him TO Royal Z. orr, one of the shop
guards. Smith, it appears, has always dis
liked Mcclellan. and struck him a stunning
blow on the cheek as he started TO walk of,
which staggered him. He then seized
mallet and broke three machines in the
shop which are very valuable. orr. one of
the guards, then stepped up to him and
told him that he would get into
trouble. and endeavOred to pacify
him, but without avail. He dropped
the mallet and picked up a Ratchet, and
said he would kill the first man that laid
his hands on him. orr wrote out pass TO
the cell room, which he handed to Smith.
telling him to give il to Reed. In the mean
time Reed had been sent for, and met Smith
half way between the shop and the cell
room. when he handed him the pass, saying.
there's your Id pass. l suppose I'll
have To 90 10 the hole nOw?" Reed. per-
fectly cain. replied i'm the affirmative, and
told him 10 follow him to the dungeon,
where all recalcitrant prisoners are sent for
punishment. At tie door, as is customary,
Reed began to search Smith, after which
he intended
To sHACKLE HIM.
This made Smith angry and he rushed
into the dungeon, saying he did not have
anything in his pockets except a pipe and
handkerchief and would not be shackled.
and became very demOnStrative. Reed
warned him time after time that he must
submit to punishment. telling him he had
violated the rules of the prison time after
time and deserved it. Smith then spit on
his hands and started towards Reed, when
he drew his revolver, thirty-twO calibre,
from his hip pocket and fired. He stag
gered and muttered something and fell To the
floor dead convict. The body was then
conveyed 10 a hospital where post mortem
was held by DIS. w. II. Pratt and T. H.
Willard about an hour afterwards, who
found that the bullet entered the left
breast near the nipple, passed through the
heart and lodged near the tenth rib.
They state that he could have been shot
in only one other place that would have
KILLED HIM QUICKER.
Mr.. Reed remained on duty at the prison
ana demanded an inquest examination. The
coroner, DR.. Il. J. Merrill, was notified and
set the hour for d. m. yesterday Sheriff
Charles HOlcomb was also notified aud inn
paneled n jury consisting of Hon. L. w. Du-
rant. Aid. ". 5. Conrad, w. w. Mcpherson,
c.. A. Staples. James ROney and Joseph b.
COsli. The place set for holding
and the coroner, the prosecuting
attorney, Ira W. Castle The jurors, Judge J.
b. Nethaway. Hon. j. y. Castle and the
representatives Of the press all responded ut
the hour set. The examination began few
minutes after ,. Cant j. A Reed. warden
of the prison, was first called, and the taking
OF the testimony began. As no stenOgrapher
was present. il was apparent that much more
time would be occupied than was neceS-
sary. Hon. r. W. Durant realized this
fact, and suggested that in view of the
TACT that all sorts of comments would
be made by the press all over the state, the
duty of the jury was TO ascertain how tine de-
ceased came to his death, that the matter be
investigated intelligently, the testimony re-
ported fully, and u shorthand reporter be Sc
cured. While Sheriff HOlcomb looked up one
ii was decided TO view the body ana the jury
was escorted to a small room in the hospital
where the body lay. Returning TO the ward
ems office the warden'S testimony was fn-
ished and is as follows: Last Sunday he re-
Quested an interview with him. which was
granted. / asked him what he wanted with
me and he said he wanted TO be changed. He
was then working in the wagon shop. called
shop ''B,' which is one OF the best shops in
the prison. He wanted 10 be changed to the
mold shop, near the gate, where
ONLY TRUSTED MEN
arc worked. i saw that he was meditating
and his intention was to escape. / asked
him why he wanted To 20 into the mould shop.
He said he had worked in fOundries and
wanted to continue at il. talked to him and
reasoned the matter with him. and talked on
other subjects in hopes OF getting him salts
fed. When started 10 leave him he said:
Are you going TO change meE' to which
answered am not. He said il you don't I'll
make trouble and enough OF it If you don't
change me. ! told him that If he made any
trouble he would be the sufferer; that he
would have to put up with the consequences
and that / wanted him TO understand that /
was not afraid of him. i saw that he meant
business
Smith wanted to make trouble. l considered
him a dangerous man. and told him TO handle
him carefully and punish him severely IL he
gave him any trouble. On Monday every
thing went or all right and until this morning,
when he was shot. saw ali the time that he
was planning for an instruction and knew
what was necessary to cure him. as my ex-
perience in the past has taught me.
Yes, we have certain rules of discipline
which were established by the board of in
spectors and approved by the governor
Ellar Mcclellan, foreman in shop Ii, was
next sworn and testified as follows: Smith
had worked under me about six months and
never made any complaints TO me. The first
trouble had with him was this morning. As
/ was coming in he whistled TO me and called
frtT aV~lr Nth
these poles down heref" said, II guess that
will be all right. and told him to wait until
see the guard. ASH was leaving him he
struck me in the face. The lick staggered
me and hurried away. After this he picked
up an iron null and smashed the spoke ma
chine and two other machines. In order to
satisfy him / have changed him several
times and never had any trouble with him
before. he was very good workman, but
always thought he was bad man. / always
turn over my men to the guard when they
refuse to do their duty, but never had any
occasion to turn him over before to-day.
THE GUARDS TESTIMONY.
OFF, the guard who has been employed in
shop b for two years, was next sworn and
testified as follows: Smith has been with me
four months. Occasionally l had trouble with
him and had to report him to the warden
several tunes. He worked awhile in irons
and wanted me 10 change him to the bench in
order to keep him away from the other pris-
ouers- He was inclined 10 be troublesome
and was reported several times. He worked
very well most of the time My duty is to see
that they work well. try TO use them well
and if they don't do their duty I turn them
over 10 the deputy warden never carry q
weapon, though have a right TO defend my
self If attacked by prisoner. This morning
about half-past 9 or 10 o'clock I heard
him whistle TO Mcclellan and saw him strike
kellar Just afterwards He saw me approach
| ing and wheeled, picked up hammer and
started towards me 1 thought, though after