Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-04-17
JAIL BREAKERS.
They Overpower The Turnkey
and Make Their Escape.
Two Of Them Captured at Red River
Bridge by the Prompt Action
Of the Officers.

A most daring attempt to break Jail
was that of four State prisoners con-
fined in the county Jail last night.
Four negroes who were in an upper
cell knocked the turnkey down, took
blanket and put it over his head to
drown his cries, relieved him of his
keys and sought fresh air.
Dorrell Suffer is employed at the
Jail as turnkey, and has been IN the
habit of allowing negro boy by the
name OF Clark to work around the
Jail in the day time, locking him in
the cell with State prisoners at night.
AS usual, about 1880 o'clock, Suffer
went to lock up Clark when the
three hurley negroes knocked him
down, choked him until he was UNI
conscious and left him covered up,
for dead, with bed clothing. They
proceeded quietly to lock their
prisoner securely in the cell,
taking the keys, unlocking the front
door and making good their escape.
The negroes were Scott Bennett,
Henry Clarke, VIM. Wade and Dave
Pitman.
Bennett is the negro who was SEN
fenced to four years in the peniten-
tiary at the last term of the Criminal
court for stealing corn and mules in
the First district. The others were
confined for minor offences.
Sheriff Station had been out in the
country on business and got to the
Jail about three minutes after the
prisoners had left. He acted
promptly. After liberating Suffer he
telephoned Jno. Station and Robert
Robinson at New Providence to meet
the Jail birds at the lower Red river
bridge. They both were on their
way to the place in less time than
it takes to tell it. Robinson
arrived first. He met the ne
groes at the toll-gate and called on
them to halt. They paid no atten-
ton to his call and struck out for
taller timber. The officer fired on
Scott Bennett and brought him to a
stand, putting him in charge of the
bridge-keeper for safe keeping. BY
this time Jno. Station had arrived on
the scene to aid Robinson. They
were attracted by cries from the
river directly under the bridge. An
examination revealed the negro
Clarke standing in water up to his
chin and begging the officers to come
and catch him. When Robinson
fred on Scott Bennett, Clarke shot
off down the river bank thinking he
could hide. The bank was very
slick, and into the river he went. He
was holding on to the bridge pier for
dear life. Jno. Station got a rope,
let it down through crack in the
bridge floor and made the negro hold
to it until they could get a canoe and
bring him ashore.
This made two that were captured
at the bridge, the remaining ones
making good their escape, with
Sheriff Station and Suffer hot in their
tracks. They are still after them at
this writing, and will in all proba-
bility catch both of them. The
promptness with which the officers
acted is worthy of commentator.
Since the above was prt in type
Sheriff Station has returned to the
city, but failed to bring the negroes.
He, however, has them located and
thinks he will catch them to- night.
-------
Commencing the action of the
board in having the electric lights
elevated to thirty-five feet, gentle
man makes suggestion which if
adopted would result in much more
efficient lamps. 1t is the placing Of
reflectors above each burner 80 that
the great waste of light upward
might be turned downward to good
account. Any one approaching the
city at night can see from great
distance in the country the sky and
clouds lit up with a glow that is en-
tirely lost to the town. Even the
Mexican greaser knows better than
to waste light this way and the city
Mnnteznmas reVels under electric