The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-29

JACKSON. Mich, March Pr. Irving
Latimer. the Jackson matricide. is at lib
erty aud is armed with rife. He es-
caped soon after l o'clock this morning
after drugging George w. Haight, who
had charge OF the gate upstairs. Haight
died at 3 a. m. as the result Of the poison.
Capt. Gill. night-keeper, is under arrest,
charged with being Latimer's accomplice.
Latimer tried to release the prisoners
near his own cell, but failing. made his
own escape by wav of the front gate.
He secured rifle and quantity Of am
munition before going, and will surely
make desperate resistance. Those who
know him say there lie not one chance in
a thousand of ever taking him alive.
There is the most intense excitement and
hundreds Of men are searching the city
and surrounding country. kilograms
have been sent all over the state and it
seems impossible he can escape.
Latimer has for some time occupied the
cell nearest the door to the guard-room,
and it is stated he has been allowed GER
tain privileges by Night Capt. NJ. p.
Gill not accorded by the other convfcts.
and on several occasions lately he had
Capt Gill in the lower corridor. About
O'clock last night Lstimer and Gill had
their lunch and it is not shown that the
prisoner was ever in his cell after that
time. About midnight, after having
drank several glasses of lemonade pre-
pared by Latimer, Gill was taken sick.
Keeper G. L. Rice and Latimer took care
of him. Soon afterward noise of a heavy
fall and the rafting OF dishes was heard in
the guard-room above, and Latimer, it is
supposed, took the captains keys and
rushed up to see what was the matter.
Rice claims to have gone to the guard
room with Latimer, but this is thought TO
to be impossible under the circumstances.
George w. Hsight was keeper of the
guard-room and he had just sat down to
his midnight lunch when he fell TO the
floor in fit and died ten minutes later.
Latimer murdered his mother at Jack
son soon after l o'clock on the morning
of Jan. %, 1889. He evidently shot her
while she was in bed asleep. The wound
was not fatal. and she sprang from bed
and attempted 10 make her way 10 the
window with the intention OF crying for
help. Lstimer then shot her again, and
beat her over the head with the butt of
his revolver until she sank TO the floor
dead. Latimer owned a drug store in
Jackson, and was one of the society
youths OF the city at the time His father
had died some years before the murder
under very suspicious circumstances, ana
there Ia but little doubt that Irving
poisoned him.
On the afternoon before the morning of
the murder Latimer completed his prepsr-
atoms for the terrible crime. He took the
cellar door KEY from his mothers house
and locked the door from the outside, so
that entrance to the house at any time
was certain. He then told his clerk he
was going TO Detroit TO funeral, aud on
the afternoon went to Detroit as an
nounced. lie arrived at the Griswold
house early in the evening and engaged a
room and retired to it. He instantly made
some changes in his personal appearance
and caught the 10 o'clock train for Jack
son, arriving there at 1890 the next day.
He immediately went to his mother
house and murdered her and caught the
train back for Detroit, arriving at 9:3S.
he tried to make il appear that he had
been in bed all night, but the chamber
maid was ahead of him. He was arrested
here on his return, and although he made
q hard fight, could not explain his where
abouts during the night OF the murder
and was convicted and sentenced to jack
son prison for life. Latimer is twsnty-six
years old and has mustache and short
side whiskers. weighs l65 pounds, has
hlua ax,aa and IiOhk plavinn