St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-13
WHOLESALE JAIL DELIVERY.
Six Dangerous Prisoners Escape
From the Ashland Strong Box.

Six Dangerous Prisoners Escape
From the Ashland Strong Box.
Special to the Globe.
ASHLAND. Wis.,. March 12.-Ashland
county's fine new Jail was, at s:45
o'clock tonight, delivered of six of the
worst criminals ever placed behind iron
bars. Chief of Police Montgomery was
in his office at the city hall when he re-
ceived telephone message from Hans
Olson, the jailer, who said he had been
assaulted by the prisoners, his keys
taken away and that the birds had
flown. He was in the cage, letting a
truSty prisoner in, when one of the
prisoners made rush at him, knock
ing him on the head with some instru-
ment that bereft him of his reason for a
few minutes. When he had sufficiently
recovered to realize what had hap
pened the birds had left. They took
the jailer's keys and had no trouble in
passing through the outer doors.
THE ALARM WAS GIVEN
within very few minutes and both the
police force and the sheriff and his
deputies are out in force. Upon cxami-
nation it was found tnat Daniel Ritchie
and Louis Burke, held for murder; Lou
Williams and John Martin, burglary:
John Mcdonald and William Graham,
assault with intent to kill and rob, and
Jack Heslap, larceny. were the men
who succeeded in getting out. Ritchie
is the man who so brutally shot down
and killed young Billy Amrine in
Second street saloon last August. He
was the late Jack Mahoney's right
hand man, and is
THE WORST DEsPERADo
int ri Of tl,n 81
was to come off at the coming term of
court, he having been granted con-
tinuance. Louis Burke is only of re-
cent residence at the county Jail. About
three weeks ago, at Highbridge, he
bdtchered man named Alex Mont
gomery with an axe because of alleged
improper relations with his wife. Mar
tin and Williams are two burglars who
ramsacked Ashland from top to bottom
few months ago and were also await
ing trial. Mcdonald and Graham are
well-known footpads. Two years ago,
during Sheriff Breen's administration,
they broke Jail. Mr.. Breen, just before
his term OF office expired, traced them
to Spokane Falls, w. r., and brought
them here last December. Taken all in
all, it is the most desperate and whole
sale delivery of tough prisoners in the
THE LAST SEEN
of the convicts they were in the vicinity
of the Lake Shore round house, headed
in a southerly direction, and it is be-
lleved the chances are against their
recapture, as most of them, especially
Ritchie have the strong support of a
tough element. Friends of Ritchie
have Indicated by their actions since he
SO foully shot Amrine in the back, that
no effort would be spared to free him.
1t is likely he will have some assist
ance in getting away. This is the
second time Heslop has escaped from
Ashland officers. A year ago, while en-
route to Waupun to serve term for
theft, he jumped from moving
train and was not retaken until
last week. At late hour
tonight the opinion among the officers.
who are baffied, scenes to be that
Ritchie has been secreted by friends,
and that the arrangements for his es-
cape are so complete that they will
never again see him. He is regarded
as great hero and king among his
class. The assault upon the jailer has,
without doubt, been delIberated,
planned and executed by Williams and
Mcdonald, who are rated as the most
successful crooks in the Northwest,
Olsen is green Swede, who was
formerly employed by Sheriff Mattson
while in the saloon business, and was
an easy victim for such old hands. He
was severely injured when he was
knocked down with some heavy weapon
lying close at hand.