Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-03-11
"HORSEHEAD BILL" AGAIN
ATTEMPTS 10 ESCAPE
THE GALLOWS.

LYSCHBURG PRISONERS MAKE a BREAK
EoR LIBERTY-TuEY ASSAULT SER
GEANT JOHNSON AND TuEN SCALE THE
JAIL WALLS.
One of the most daring attempts
at Jail breaking perhaps that ever oc
CURED in Lynchburg was made yes.
terday morning about half past seven
o'clock by three negro convicts con-
fined therein, two under sentence of
death for aggravated murders, and
the other under sentence for fcloni
GUS assault on officer Adams of this
city. They were respectively Viii
lism Robinson, of this city; Bill Da
Wis alias George Gunter alias Horse
head Bill, Of Pocahortas, Va, and
Lemon Jackson, notorious thief
from Amherst. The fact that they
should have conceived the idea of cs-
Gaping from the jail, much less at
tempting to put into execution II
scheme SO daring, shows at once the
desperation of the parties and their
Willingness to take any risk to escape
the Punishment allotted to them, by
enlarging their area OF liberty even
at the expense of other lives than
their own. In attempting this tar
ing feat, to which no doubt they
were nerved by desperation, they en-.
countered the city sergeant, MIR.
Samuel III. Johnson, an officer of
wonderful nerve and great physical
power. 1t was owing, no doubt. to
the stout resistance offered by the
sergeant to an attack totally uncX-
pected that the outcome in success
was so much less than the imprison-
cd felons had hoped fol.
M In the lower tier of cells at the
city jail No. 8 is regarded us perhaps
the most secure i'll the building,
though all are more than ordinarily
substantial. No. 3 is ut the rear end
of the corridor, and fronts the fur
mace, which furnishes heat TO The inil
proper. IL was tenanted on this oc-
casion by Davis, Robinson, Lemon
Jackson and Jerry Moore, the latter
Ii negro sent from Roanoke for safe
keeping, and awaiting trial for n lar.
cony alleged to have been perpetrnt-
ed there. Ali OF the prisoners save
Jerry Moore were secured by tho
usual irons made for such purposes.
and were deemed to be held fast.
Sergeant johnson, who lives adioin-
ing the Jail, had been notified carly
IN the morning by procurement of
three OK the inmates OF the cell, that
the sewer connected Herewith had
become clogged, and water was flow
ing thence into their room. They
knew that Jailor Gouldman was not
about at that hour, and it was no
doubta part of their plan to deal
only with ono of the officials at n
time SO as to increase their chances
of escape. The sergeant repaired di.
rectly to the Jail and passing from
the Office into the area on which all
the cells front, proceeded to No. 3,
it being his intention to make the in.
mates assist i'll flooding or washing
out tho alleged clogged sewer. He
applied the key to the lock and was
pulling back the heavily grated door
to allow them egress when Davis,
Robinson and Jackson rushed out
and commenced a violent assault.
Taken thus by surprise the officer
did got lose his presence of mind but
commenced to make the best resist
ance possible to tho three sable Sam
SONS who had grappled with him.
The game of "three pluck one" lasted
for perhaps Ten minutes when he fell.
There was heard the voice of Horse
l"ad Bill ordering his fellow felons
to take Johnson's pistol and shoot
him.
The officer had by this time re-
gained his footing and was exerting
himself to the utmost to keep the
scoundrels from getting his weapon.
TV
lie reasoned that some Of the other
jHilors might happen along in time to
render effective aid. Talton Hail.
from an upper cell, cried out to John
son; Captain shoot him, the thing
lie most desired to do utcouldnt.
The sergeant called to his assist
ance colored prisoner, but the fell