Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-06-04
BATTLE WITH CONVICTS.
Running Fight Between Officers and Es-
capped COnvicts.

Running Fight Between Officers and Es-
capped Convicts.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, May 30.-This city
was to-day the scene of most exciting
and bloody fight between two escaped con-
victs and the police. An officer was NOR
tally wounded, and one of the convicts
shot dead.
Thomas and Jackson, the two negroes
who escaped from Trenton jail after sand
bagging Keeper Parker, were discovered
by Officer BOughan in the northeastern
section of the city. They opened fire on
Officer Barber, who attempted to arrest
them, and seriously wounded the officer,
who may die
A detail of mounted police Immediately
started upon their track. They were over
taken, and one OF the fugitive convictS-
.Jackson-was shot dead. The other es-
capped, though holly pursued by the Off
GERS, who are on his track and expect to
capture him to-day, dead or alive.
Thomas, the convict who escaped, was
subsequently captured near Holmesburg.
superintendent of Police LamOn, yeSter-
day, received official notification from
the New. Jersey state prison au-
cape of Thomas and Jackson. The
superintendent at once sent word to the
outlying districts that the men were sup
posed to be making for Philadelphia, by
way OF the pixies; and he asked that they
be apprehended.
At o'clock this morning Officer Henry
F. Barber, of the Fifteenth Police District,
was stationed ON the Bristol pike, when
two suSpiciOuS-lOOking negroes approached
him. Surprising that they were the men
sought for he accosted them. when one OF
them pulled, revolver and free, at the
right side of the abdomen, inficting dam
gerous wound. Officer Barber was found
unconscious, shortly after the shooting,
and conveyed to his home On WiSsihoming
Avenue, near Newkirk Street, by the pa
troll wagon. The bullet, passed clear
through the abdomen, and the wounded
man is in a precar10uS condition.
The superintendent was at once in
formed Of the shooting. He telegraphed
word to the various station houses to take
the desperate cOlOred men dead or alive.
Every district in the northern part of the
city sent out squads of extra men to patrol
the highways.
Nearly an hour afterwards, the reserves
from the Frankfort sub-statiOn ran across
the two men. They started to run, with the
officers in hot pursuit. Finding that the
convictS were getting away from them, the
wards found to be Henry Jackson, fell
dead, a bullet, believed to have been from
the revolver of Officer David Smith,
having struck him in the back pene-
u dIluS Guc lIcdIl. dC W DIS COdtloSS, udFlU0
after the shooting OF Officer Barber,
thrown away the blue coat with brass but
tons which he stole from the prison. This
coat was found on the pike and in one OF
the pockets was the revolver with which
the officer was probably shot. The other
negro succeeded in getting away after the
death of his pal.
The body of Jackson was taken to the
suburban police station, nearest the place
at which he met his death. The pursuit of
the other convict was kept up, all possible
avenues of escape being covered.
About l o'clock this afternoon he
was discovered by squad of policemen
huIrying along HOneySuckle Avenue, near
Decatur Street, In the direction of the
open country. When called upon to
surrender the negro threw away
revolver which he carried, and gave
himself into custody without a struggle.
He was very much frightened, and was
arrested by Officer Smith, who had pre-
viOusly shot the other convict. He gave
his name as Thomas Thomas, and said
that the shooting of Officer Barber had
been done by Jackson. This the officers
! believe to be the truth.
Thomas was very mnch afraid Of bodily
| harm, but after the officers had conveyed
him to a cell in the station house he be-
came less nervous and told the story of
| the plot to escape from Trenton prison, in
which he blamed his partner for the whole