Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-04-29
Broke Jsll but was kM.,cd.,

.)ohan Koch is nooodys fool, if he is
horse thief, house breaker and an
all-round bad man. He got out Of
jail last Friday night. He asked jailer
Grant to get him clean pair of stock
ings which were KEEP. in the cell far
thest from the entrance to the Jail.
Grant had very thougbtlessly left the
doors unlocked. Soon as he was in the
cell looking for the stockings Koch i'm
proved the opportunity and flew.
Sheriff Gitfora's revolver was hanging
in the hall way and Koch grabbed it
as he passed. Grant was upon his
heels by this time, but Koch had the
muzsle Of the gun in hls face and held
him OFT. Koch rushed on through the
sherif's living rooms and had the mem
bers of the family move out of the way
in hurry at the point of the revolver.
Sheriff Clifford was away from home.
Koch was bare footed, had on only un-
dershlrt and pants, but he got outside.
and the way he flew through the mud
and snow drifts would have made
grey hound Jealous. He was out of
sight in an instant. Next morning
Bob Connor was down town iii mourn
| ing for his fancy driving nag, which
had been saddled, hridled and taken
hence during the night. Some one
had unceremoniously called upon some
men i'll a caoin near Mr.. Connor's
about midaiglt, and finding that *here
were men in the building the intruder
allayed their suspicious by inquiring
the road to Buffalo Gap. They told
INN and he left--taking Bob's horse
with him. Sheriff Clifford wasn't long
in notifying officers in neighboring
towns to look out for the fellow, offer
300 FOR his capture. Sunday word
was received that he had been captured
on sqHaw creek, near Hermosa. Mr.
Clifford went up and got his man Mon
asy and brought him back that even
ling and johaM is now at home again
in his cell, crying and hlubbering worse
than ever.
Koch says that he got a pair of
gnnny sacks for his feet. and an old
overcoat. in Bob Connors stable, and
) started out in pretty comfortable cir
cumstances. but he started wrong and
got nearly to Cascade before he real
lied it. He tl:cn turned round and
came back through town after day
light, and went out or the Buffalo Gap
road, until he reached the Custer road {,
where he Turned aud went On north
He reached The ranch OF !: w. Bishop.
for whom Koch once worked, about
dusk Saturday evening. Mr.. Bishop
had been in tlermosa during the day
and heard of koch's escape, and the
reward for his capture. When Koch
rode up TO Bishop the latter saluted
him in his usual pleasant manner and
AS he had gone there hoping that
nBishop would befriend and shield
re-, he told his whole story, of how
hsvhad escaped Jail, only he claimed to
own the horse he was riding. MIR.
Bishop gave Koch his supper and told
him TO sleep IN the stable and he would
call him early in the morning. as his
pursuers would doubtless be after him
soon. Soon as he was asleep. Bishop
. went after couple of neighbors,
named Fay. Bishop went inside the
stable to wake up Koch, while Fays
renamed ontside prepared to grab
!. their man. Bishop called him saying.
, get TIP john and start or they will be
, after you.' John thought morning
had come and gathered \ ) his blankets
and started ontside. Ths Fays grab
bed him, threw him. and he was soon
bound hand and foot-once more a
prisoner. The poor fellow wilted com
pietely. and set up most piteous ap.
peal. He told Mr.. Bishop he didn't
think he would do that for a thousand
dollars.
The STAR man called on young
Koch at his cell Tuesday. Although
he is deserving of punishment we have
considerable sympathy for the fellow.
He has of late been much in the com
pany of a couple Of fellows, named
John Wilkes and Charley Oleson. and
they have led Koch to follow them in
their theiying JOURNEYS over the
country. Of course, Koch naturally
knew better than to steal. but they in
veieled him into it. They deserve
greater punishment than Koch, If they
could be captured.
EnR CuI1RCH cnrDS