Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-09-16
DEFIED IRON BARS
Daring and Skillful Escape of a
Prisoner.
A BAD CITIZEN AT LIBERTY AGAIN.

Fitzsimmons, the Murderer and General
Crook, Does a Card Job i'm Jail Break
ing at Pittsburg-HeIped from the Out
side-The Attempt to Wreck the Can
non-Ball Train-Howard Believed to
Have Told the Truth-A kentucky
Feud-Criminal Notes.
PITTsBURG, Sept. 16-Frederick c. Fitz-
simmons, the murderer of Detective Gill
kinson and desperate thief, escaped from
the county Jail about 2 o'clock yesterday
morning. The escape is the most daring
ever effected in this part of the country
He was incarcerated in cell in murder
ers' row on the first tier, awaiting his trial
for murder, which was to begin next
week. Fitzsimmons had already been
convicted on several charges of robbery.
The prisoner gained the Jail corridor nv
saving the bars on his cell door He then
scaled the walls, reaching the top of the
building, where he used his saw on the
bars of awindow overlooking the war
den's residence.
A Desperate Leap for Liberty.
BY most desperate leap he gained the
roof of that building, thence to the Jail
court by means of lightning rod, and
then scaled the high stone wall by means
of a rope that could have been secured
only by means of outside assistance From
the top of the Jail wall he jumped to the
roof of shed on the Old avenue side of
the Jail. The escape was not discovered till
6 O'Clock in the morning. Warden Barlin
summoned the city and county detectives,
county commissioners and other officials
and consultation was held. AT 9o'cIock
the work of hunting the escaped criminal
was begun in earnest but without a sim
gle clue as to his whereabouts Last Sat
urday detectives warned the auth critics
that Fitzsimmons would try to escape. A
special guard was placed over the prisoner
Saturday and Sunday nights, but Mon
day night the precaution was omitted
Reward offered for the Fugitive.
The escape of this notorious criminal is
the all absorbing topic of interest in the
city. The county commissioners and the
chief of the department of public safety of
the city have arranged for systematic
search for the fugitive The county COM
missioners have authorized a reward s.. 900
for his capture. They have also arranged
to employ the best possible detective tai
ent, and hope to run down their man
within a short time.
Well Heele with Money and Friends
A few days ago Fitzsimmons received A
draft for 5000. He had the draft cashed
. and handed the money to a friend for safe
| keeping Il is also known that early
yesterday morning after the escape Fitz-
simmons was supplied with a suit of
clothes by two lady friends. The women
are now under police surveillance. An
examination of the cell discloses a very
clever dummy occupying the cot. The
iron bars of his cell door show that the
saving was not recent; that the bars had
been only partly severed, only enough of the
iron remaining to hold them in position;
they had offered no resistance when the
I prisoner vas ready to step out.
A Most Extraordinary Feat
The saving of the bars in the window at
the top of the Jail, and how it was posi-
bic for any one either to reach the window
or to remain there unobserved long enough
to accomplish the work, which must have
taken an hour, is mystery unexplained
AT II O'Clock a farmer living out the But
| Ter plank road several miles from the city,
| called the police headquarters by tele-
| phone, inquiring if Fitzsimmons had es-
capped from Jail. When informed that he
had, the farmer said that he had seen the
murderer passing along the highway in
front OF his house. Detectives have gone
| ont to Farmer Frazier's house. This is
the first clue obtained, and not much con-
fdence is placed in it The indications
are almost conclusive that the fugitive had
i able assistance from outside