Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-11
DESPERATE FIGHT
In the House of Correction at
lonia, Mich.
PRISONERS MAKE A WILD BREAK.

A Rush for the Walls and Liberty Met by
Shot Dead as He Reached the Top of the
Enclosure and Another Fatally Wound
ed-A Hot Hand-to-Hand Fight The
Warden Prepared.
IONA, Mich, July .l.-Fuli seventy-five
convicts at the House of Correction made
break for liberty. They were at work in
the various shops. The first ten or fifteen
left their work and started for the west
wall. The ringleader was Convict William
Smith, known as No 703, a five-year man
sent up from Detroit. Smith has lost time
before, having made an attempt to escape
q year ago last September, and he is a
tough character. Tinsmiths have been at
work on shop No. 81, about ten rods from
the west wall. repairing conductor pipes.
Two long ladders were used and were
standing against the building Smith
started out and was followed by the others
who were in the scheme. He quickly
clasped the ladder standing against the
west wall
The Warden Was Prepared.
Warden Parcell had discovered that
something was coming, over Sunday, and
| had doubled the guard. Teacher Gourley
was watching around in the vicinity of
this building and when he saw Smith aad
the gang come out he fired a shot from his
revolver into the ground and ordered the
men back. Smith urged them on, paying
| no attention 70 the order The men on the
wall and abbut the yard quickly assem-
bled at this point, and were ordered by
Warden PARCEL to stop the break A gen
eral fusillade commenced and hand-to-
hand fight followed. The ladders were
Rocked down, but the convicts replaced
them and Oscar Miller, an eight-year man,
gained the top Of the wall. The guard shot
at him and the ball went clear through his
body and he dropped to the ground dead.
Haad-to-IIand Fight Below.
In the meantime terrible battle was
going on below Convict Smith struck at
! Deputy Warden Rowley with a hammer,
but the latter lodged and escaped death.
| Rowiey struck Convict Charles E. Jones
| on the head and he dropped He will
! doubtless die, as his head is terribly cut.
! William Eager, sent from Grand Rapids,
was badly wounded and his recovery is
| doubtful Re is serving a fifteen-year SEN
tence for msnslaughter. Smith, another
convict, brought into play a long billy
| made out of sheepskin loaded with sand.
| This, with three hammers, large wrench
and round stone, were afterwards taken
from the leaders in the break How thny
got them is a mystery. Teacher Gour Y
was struck on the head with the stone
which was hurled at him., 1t grazed his
skull but GiT not seriously injure him
~ Used Hot Irons with Effect.
1t was only by prompt action that the
| wholesale liberation of the convicts was
averted. Hall Master PARCEL grabbc up
the hot irons used by some local timers
and commenced prodding the COZ ,icts,
| who ran back. a coroner's inquest is in
progress and the convicts are now in their
cells. Four convicts were injured Jones
has conclusion of the brain as the result of
| blow ON his head, and Smith, the ,,:, er,
was found to have bad cut on the lck
of his head On seeing the first ten T.. ow
| Smith out of The shop, the rest Lived
until they were driven back.