The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-07
SPRAGUE IN STRIPES
The Notorious Ex-w ichitan in the Penitentiary
at Last.

Dave Sprague, formerly of this city, who
has made himself so notorious since be
lived here as a ethiet and Jail breaker
is in the penitentiary at last where be will
board for long time for his many unlaw-
full deeds. The Topeka Journal speaking
about him says:
Jack Sprague, the most noted of Kansas
horsethieves, is in the penjtentiary once
more. and Governor Humphrey this morn
ing aid the reward or 800 offered for his
capture 10 Sheriff j. VI. Freedom of Nc
Pherson county, who presented receipt
for Sprague from Warden Case Of tie
penitenlIary, who presented him with
suit Of striped clothes yesterday about
noon
Sprague has broken Jail more times and
escaped after being captured more times
tisan any other criminal ever arrested in
Kansas
His desperation was always with him,
and just about daylight yesterday morn
ing, while handcuffed and with MS legs
bound with shackIes, he jumped from a
Missouri Pacific passenger train near Har-
risonyille, Mo-, while the train was run
ming not less than thlrty-hye miles an
hour and received serious injuries. Sprague
was srgested last Friday at CartersTil.e,
No, for stealing harness from livery
stable. When arrested ne gave his name
as John johnson and was soon discover ed
to be the notorious Kansas desperado and
Sheriff Freeborn OF Mcpherson was Motif
ed of his capture
When Sheriff Freehorn arrived at Car
tersville, he found Sprague had three
stolen horses in his possession, besides
lot Of harness and several wagons. After
obtaining IA requisition, he Al once started
with his prisoner tor Leavenworth, where
he will stay eight years on sentence he
received at Mcpherson last April FOR
horse stealing.
He was standing near the car door
warming his hands at the stove when near
Harri-onvllle. He watched for an oppor-
tunity and when Sheriff Freeborn's back
was turned. he opened the car door with
his hardcuffrd arms and like flash,
jumped from the moving train
The train was stopped at once and
Sprague was found to be seriously hurt.
He had jumped Into cut about ten fact
deep and struck the frozen ground IN such
a manner that his right arm was broken,
a deep cash cut in his head, most of the
skin taken off his face and his leg and
shoulder badly bruised. He WAS put on
train again and in few hours turned
over TO the penitentiary officials
Sprague boasts that he has broken Jail
ten times. He escaped from the McPher-
sou COUNTY Jail four times: several tim IS
from jaIls in Iowa aud Nebraska. His
crimes are always confined to stealing
horses. saddles, harness and wagons
He was arrested in Topeka in Novem-
Der, 1890 for stealing harness and was
turned over to the Mcpherson county
officials, who wanted him for horse steal
ing. He now has enough crimes hanging
over his head to keep him in the peni-
Tertiary the rest of his life. He mas served
two terms prior to this one. The first was
for five years from Allen county and the
second five years from Sedgwick county.
both for horse stealing. Sheriff Freeborn
paid Ed jackson, city marshal OF Cartee
vile. $50 for making the arrest. Sprague
has several aliases, including John john
son, Jack Jones and Jack Sprague. His
real name is Dave Sprague.