The herald., 1893-07-06
A FORMER REVOLT At YUMA.
A Jail Break Much Like That
at Folsom.
How Warden Gates Overcame the
Fighting COnvicts.
A Battle SIX Years Ago at the Terri
torlal PenItentiary That Cost
the Lives of -Four
Convicts.


San Francisco Chronicle: The sim
ilarity of the attempted break at Folsom
to that in the Arizona terrific
rial prison on August 27, 1887, is very
marked. In the latter there were dis.
played the same ferocity and boldness
on the part OF the convicts, and the
Yuma guards were just as cool and
shot just as straight as did the men at
Folsom.
The reappointment of Thomas Gates
as superintendent of the territorial pris-
on makes the Yuma affair of especial
interest.
Ehe Arizona penitentiary is like no
other. Surrounded on all sides by an
almost boundless desert, when the pris-
oner escapes from within its walls he is
face to face with death in one of its
most horrible forms-death by thirst.
1t is impossible to escape on the train,
and 30 far not single convict has
gained his liberty, though the attempt
OF 1SS7-one of the bloodiest ON record
was made in the face of oil these natu-
ral obstacles and the guns of the
guards, illustrating the chances that
men. even the lowest, will take to secure
liberty.
Thomas Gates was superintendent Of
the prison and j. II. Behan was his as
sistant. On the morning of August 9th
Gates went inside the walls and was
met by Jose Lopez; 30.year man, who
complained that he was not let out Of
his cell early enough in the morning.
Gates promised to look into the matter,
and they continued to walk side by side
until they were opposite the north sally
port.
At this time another 30-year mau,
Librado Puebla, stepped up and took
hold of the superintendent's hands.
Gates shook the convict loose, but Pue-
BILE drew large butcher.knife that he
had secured in the shops, and, putting
its point against the superintendent's
breast. said in Spanish, "You die W
Lopez, who spoke good English and
who did the talking, explained that
seven of them wanted their liberty and
ii the superintendent would take them
over the Gila, he would be spared !;
otherwise he would be killed at once.
Puebla, who was their leader, gave
the order to tie him, which was done
with scarf. Before they had fastened
his left hand Gates said "come or, ;" and
the group marched out through the
sally port and about SO feet from the
wall, still in the range of all the guards'
guns. Puebla had hold Of one arm and
Buatamente, another longtime convict,
the other, while Vasquez and Lopez
walked in front. Gates stopped and be-
gan to struggle with his captors, when
Vasquez and Lopez ran into the Office,
broke open desk and procured pistol
with which they began shooting at the
guards.
While they were getting the pistol
Gates signaled B. F. Hartels, one of the
guards, to fire. About year before
one of the guards had discovered p,o,
by which certain of the Mexicans in
tended to escape, using, theospperin-
tendent as sisbieldi - This led ttodthe
adoption OF signals and all the lguards
were ordered to fire. in such an ,emer
gency regardless OF reHults. s'aniH /.
Upon the signal sHartles said: tsShall
fre?' ande Observation-Disclosures
shouted back Hyes. y9tdg eYa 20 s1Rs
On the instant Haltles beganshooti ting
as did the two oonvicts with the pistol.
Puebla stabbed Gates in the back with
the knife, making q wound four inches
deep and cutting through one lung. II
was evidently the murderer's desire to
reach the heart, as he twisted the knife
around in the wound and pushed it with
both hands.
In the meantime Lopez, who had the
pistol, was shot down by Hartles, the
weapon falling on the ground. Barney
Riggs, an American prisoner under life
sentence, picked the pistol up and shot
Puebla through the heart as he was aim
ing another stroke, which would have
undoubtedly killed Gates instantly.
By that time several of the guards
were firing and the convicts ran. One
went around the wall and was killed by
Dick Reynolds; another ran on the top
of the wall and struck at Yardmaster
Fredlev with a pick, but missed him,
and they grappled, falling Is feet to the
ground, Fredley fell on top and sue.
ceeded an holding his man till assist
ance came. The other running felons
were fired upon with rifles and Gatling
guns, and were either killed or wounded.
Immediately after the killing of Puebga
the convicts Sprague and Riggs, who
killed the Mexican, assisted NGeorge
Gates to stand, one of them holding his
hand over the wound to keep the injured
man from bleeding through it. Then
they carried him to his room and phyei-
clans were sent for. Because of the
bravery he showed on this occasion,
Riggs was afterwards pardoned. Gates
life was despgired of for long while,
but he finally recovered. He has now
been appointed to the same position
again, and Will take Office on July 1st.
He ia we'll known in California, having
lived for years in Los Angeles. The
fight ended with the killing of four and
the wounding of two of the convicts,
and was the best planned and most sue
cessfully foiled break ever made in Ari-
IONA.