The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-30
LAT1MER,s STORY.
The Murdsrer's Account Of Els Escape
From tbs Jackson Prison.

JACKSON, Mich, March 2o>-R Irving
Latimer is again behind the bars His
capture, as related In these dispatches las,
night was effected near jerome, about
twenty miles from this city, Latiner
was brought from Jerome In q carriage,
arriving at the prison at $40 o'clock this
morning. The scene at the prison door
when the vehicle dashed up was one of
the most dramatic episodes that ever oc-
Cured in the history of the institution.
A large crowd was gathered in front of
the building as the carriage was seen in
the distance, and an expression Of general
satisfaction was heard when it was dis
covered that the vehicle was headed
directly for the prison front door. The
occupants Of the vehicle sprang out, and
in trice Latimer was marched through
the front door. He seemed calm and col
lected, and when some one started to urge
him on, he remarked: "Oh, It's all right"
This was said in the tone of one who
wanted to have the whole affair handled
with proper decorum. Latimer decidedly
objected to being showed. The crowd
passed up within the hall.
As Clerk Taber drew near Latimer, he
glanced at the clerk and said significantly:
II want to have talk with you rs soon
as can"
Taber's face was white with rage. His
hatred for Latimer is something supremely
bitter He said, with Indignation: "Yes,
1 presume you would Ike to talk with
me'
The deputy warden and the prisoner
passed quickly through the corridor, and
in few moments Latimer was separated
from the crowd by the grated gate.
During the long ride from Jerome to the
prison Latimer told the story OF his escape
and of the elaborate plans by which it had
been made possible.
Il had been working and thinking out
the ways and means Of the attempt" he
said, (which at this moment is proving a
failure, for nearly year. / started with
a fundamental scheme and have never de-
waited from my original plan from the
time Of its conception. 1t should have
succeeded, but 1t miscarried. and that, too,
in a most woeful manner. l made care
full and exhaustive study of poisons ana
their effects. That book will readily prove
that I did not intend murder, and you say
that poor Haight is dead. would rather
have remained there until rctted than to
have murdered him, And to think that 1
murdered him by blunderingl poisoned
him with a glass Of lemonade. I never
thought for one moment 1t would make
him sleep over half an hour. Gill said
that might carry some of our luncheon
up to Haighr. Before taking it up made
the lemonade and put in the powder.
After he drank the lemonade came down
and Gill got the same dose. 1t was my in
tention to treat them both alike. Gill can
be accused Of anything but negligence.
The same may be truthfully said Of every
one.
do you know what made my plans
miscarry? 1t was the crash of a dish. 1t
brought Rice to the scene, and he spoiled
everything. Haight was quiet; Gill was
nearly helpless, and l would have had
everything all to myself if it had not been
for the crash of that dish. would have
locked the guards all in; l would have
had three hours the start before they could
have made any effort to pursue me. l
would have LEFT the prison with a valse
two revolvers and good cloth
ing, and before they could have been hard
after me l would have been 200 miles
away
''The poison which 1 used was a mixture
OF opium and prussic acid. 1t was GER
tainly not intended that there should be
enough prussic acid to be fatal The logic
of the mixture is this: The opium secures
the useful sleeping effect and prussic acid
secures an immediate effect. That was
the whole scheme of the mixture, and I
cannot imagine why it went wrong. In
very wet, and while splashing around
slipped and sprained my ankle. Last
q light Mrs. Tryon, near Jerome, gave me a
Moore's to get some clothing, and he ad-
and here am. The lame ankle laid me
o,rt J,