The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-06-30
The Convicted Murderer of Annie
Lundstrom Receives a Package
of Poison from an Admirer.
Strychnis and Opium the Combin4-
ton, with Note Advising Him
TO Take the Pill
Facts Connected with Brysoa's Recent
Attempt TO Escape and How IL Was
Frustrated by the SheriG.

BOULDER, June e29.-ISpeeial TO the Inde.
pendent Brown, the 15-yeAr-old kid sent
up from Alhambra, passed Jailer Ellis
book to-day with the request that he hand
it 70 Bryson. Ellis shook the book, and 9
folded note with pill enclosed dropped
out. The note said: instantaneous poi
son; G. ID. Bryson, cheat the gallows. This
is quick" The writing was evidently in q
woman's hand. The pill, analyzed by our
druggist, was a compound Of stryehnia and
opium.
The facts in BrysOn's attempted escape .
few days ago are such that what little
sympathy existed for him on account OF his
conviction solely on circumstantial eYI-
dence is gone. Now not even the weak
sentimentalist questions either his guilt or
that the decree of death is not just pen
atty to be inflicted ppon him. To thorough
ly understand his recent effort, a short
description of the routine of business con-
nected with the jail and also how the cells
are situated, is necessary. In the jail are
two Pauly cells, surrounded by a cage in
which the prisoners take air and exercise
during the day. Outside Of the cage is the
corridor where the prisoners eat their
meals and are allowed TO exercise one hour
in the forenoon and one hour In the after
noon. Bryson is confined in ne FIRST cell
and is never allowed 10 leave il.
Mr.. Ellis, the jailor, always feeds him
first, going TO his cell when all the prison
eTs are locked up. Then, stepping out he
unlocks the other cell and also the door to
the cage and allows the other prisoners to
come into the corridor to eat and exercise.
AfseT their hours exercise they are round
ed up, noses counted and returned to the
cage. Bryson never being out of his cell,
is not counted with them, il being sup
posed that he is safe.
The plan originating with Bryson was
that on the morning of the Fourth Of July,
after the jaiior had iet the prisoners out IN
the corridor, Bryson was to work through
this hole that he had made, into the other
cell, and from there into the corridor there
was nothing but open doors. Then he was
70 conceal himself on top Of the cage, di.
rectly over the door to IL, and, armed with
twelve-inch butcher knife, WAS 10 drop
down on Mr.. Ellis as he was locking the
door, kill him. and then secure the night
watchman or kill him, and take possession
OF what guns and ammunition there was,
and make for the hills. together with such
other persons as desired to leave. Bryson
is reported as having said: "They may
recapture me, but l will never again be
taken slive.'
Sheriff HalfOrd had been aware for the
last ten days that something was mp, but in
spite of search could detect nothing, their
work and tools were so carefully concealed.
One of the prisoners inside gave Mr. Hal
I'd fha eli fHa -
his officers worked up. The large butcher
knife was concealed in the water closet,
and so cunningly done that it took Mr,
Ellis nearly an hour to discover and re-
move it. Two of the saws were secreted
in Bryson's butter and one concealed upon
his person. There is one more saw still
missing, but unless destroyed 1t will be
found. Previous TO Bryson's conviction q
revolver containing three cartridges was
discovered in his cell This gun was
brought into the jail by Mcmahon last fail.
Once previous to this knife was found on
BrYson, but where he gets his tools OF
knives no one can guess
Our officers can use the utmost diligence,
still with the small and poor accommoda-
tions here for the detention of prisoners,
aid can be procured from the outside. The
county needs more cells, 80 that prisoners
OF Bryson's stamp can be 90 isolated from
the other prisoners that no conspiracy can
be entered into. The experience that Silver
Bow, Lewis and Clarke and Jefferson
county has with the Psuly cells should
condemn them in the minds Of all Through
the effectiveness Of their work, If Bryson
had escaped, one If not score of lives
would have been sacrffcad
News Prom Engineer HArIow's Party.