The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-04-06
POISONED THE KEEPERS.
How Mstricile Latimer Escaped from
Prison at jackson.

nv" "h"tr'cide LaSmer Escaped from
Prison at jackson.
JACKSON, Mich, March 28.--Lati.
Ter, the escaped murderer, ia still at
larger, although extraordinary efforts
are being mads to capture him. He
poisoned Keeper Haight with prussic
acIo placed IN a cup of cocoa. The poi.
son was purchased through help of the
piison clerk, upon the pretense that
Latlmer wanted to use it in photography.
Latlmer seems to have got around"
everybody entrusted with his keeping
druggists refused to sell prussic acid for
Iatlmer's use until the prison clerk Ger.
tlicd that 1T was all right. Latimer
maae cocoa aud coffee for ,Halght, Gill
ana the other night keepers. and was
practically allowed the liberty of the
corridors and offices of the Jail, so that
IL was an easy matter for him to secure
the keys aud walk out in the confusion
that followed the discovery that Haght
was sick.
Maurice T.. Gill, night keeper of the
prison, Was tie Indirect means OF the
escape OF Latimer. About 1880 O'Clock
ne and Latimer took lunch together in
the hallmaster's Office. 1t was against
rulos tor Gill TO take convict out of his
cell. Capt. Gill was clearly bamboozled
oY Latlmer, who told Gill that there
was So 800 buried on an island in the
State Of Rhode Island. where Iatiner's
farther lived when Irving was thirteen
years old. Gill was taken with this
story and had Latimer out to lunch
every night to give him details. Gill eX.
pected TO leave prison in three weeks,
Last night Latimer told Gill q lot Of
stories about the buried fortune.
Ii transpired that Latimer had been in
the habit of taking up cup of chocolate
nearly every night TO Gate Keeper
Halght, passing it through a slide in the
grating, which IIaight took with h,s
| midnight lunch. There is no doubt that
Latimer had planned to poison both
Haight and Gill, aud the chocolate at
night was only to gain confidence until
he could get some poison.
AT lunch Sunday night Latimer car.
rled up "a glass Of lemonade to Haloht in .
stead OF chocolate and Haight died in
twenty minutes after drinking it. Gill
also crank of the lie nonade and was at
tackled with spasms almost instantly.
In tew minutes a cry came from the
guard room above. Which Haigh. occu.
ped. II was evident that IIaight was
sick and needed help. Gill was so sick
he could not go.
Latimer said: Il will 90 and whistle
| for DR.. Mason"
NAil right; 60 ahead" replied Gill.
Latlmer then took the keys, but in
stead of going for help he unlocked the
door OF the guard room, passed through
the gates and was tree. lie took the
prison keys with him. The exact time
he lett the prison was 1855 p. m. When
Latimer escaped he had neither coat nor
hat, and 1t is believed impossible that
he can escape. The prison authorities
have offered reward for Lltimer, dead
or alive, and officers are securing the
country.
| Latlmer is one of the shrewdcst con-
vlcts known TO the prison officials. He
had engaged il several plots for an up.
rising OF the prisoners, and once sue
ceeded in introducing a quantity oil
dynamite into the prison. 1t was in.
tended to blow down the walls and free
all the convicts. The plot was dis.
covered. Latimcr, although the leading
spirit IN it, was only temporarily dc
pr:ved of his privileges as a f,vorite
prisoner.
Latimer brutally murdered his own
mother at Jackson on the night OF Jau-
uary 24. 1889. His trial lasted twenty
days and was very sensational. lie was
sentenced to lite Imprisonment. Lati-
me1's father died under Suspicious cir.
cumstances year previous TO the MUIR
der. He was heavily insured in favor of
| his wife and son, and it is believed that
the son poisoned HIM.
| LATIMER RECAPTURED.
| JEROME, Mich, March 20.-At 0
| O'CLOCK last night a man entered a coun.
try store here and asked for a pair of
boots. The young man standing by
whispered in the clerks ear: That is
| Latimer."
The clerk nearly fell down. "Run
out and tell father" he said, family, to
the man who recognized Latimcr. The
young man slipped out OF the store to
inform the proprietor. BY this time
| Latlmer relied that he was recognized.
lie left the store, having purchased
cheap pair of boots, a pair of socks and
pair OF buck miLtens. He passed be-
| tween two stores, struck the railroad
| track, followed it q short distance and
took the travelled road back The way he
had come. Coming to the road leading
to Hudson he started up that. He did
| not run, but walked at a good gate.
Alter a few moments confusion at
| the store, the two young men follo we'd
down the road and soon overlook Lati.
mer. They were walking along by the
side of him, fearing to lay hand on bin,
when constable who had iolned in the
pursuit drove up and jumped from the
buggy and tapped Latlmcr. on the
breast, saying. "You are Latimer; |
want you" "Who ls Latlmer?' smill-
ingly inquired the fugitive.
You are, and want you"
81 never heard of Latimer, that I
know Of" insisted the convict. He
made no resistance whatever, but
walked back mile and half to the wi,
lage with his captor. He was tired out,
and could not have made any resistance
If he had wish to. In paying for the
boots and other articles Latlmer handed
out one of the SIS gold pieces taken form