The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-07-21
EXPLOITS OF A CONVICT.
KestcrsOn, Who Recently Escap-
ed From the Prison South.

ed From the Prison South.
Bosh From the Indianapolis Sentinel.
JErFERsoNvILLE, July lathe escape
from the Indiana prison south OF Samuel
kesterson on the night of July 10th re.
calls the exploits Of one OF the most dar-
ing and cunning convicts that has ever
been confined within the walls of that
institution.
His first escape from prison on the
night Of November 10th; his wild ride
to freedom, and bic subsequent capture
ct Edwardsville, shows him . criminal
above the average. 1t was the intention
Of convicts Carroll aud Pinnick to scale
the wall with Kestcrson, but they we're
less daring when they came in contact
with Guard Andy Whceler's Winches-
ter. Carroll. who is now dead, and who
IL remembered AS the convict that mur.
der0usly assaulted Guard Aaron Apple
gate, aud which finally resulted in his
death, was . seven-year man. Pinnick
is liter, aud 10 also regarded as danger.
ous.
The story Of Kestcrson's first escape is
as follows: The sight Of convict in his
prison garb, Astride q horse riding 1t
break-neck speed and flourishing Q knife,
created excitement at the time. Twenty
five men joined in the chase, but the
horse. though hitched to . grocery wag-
on, carried its rider to place Of safety,
aud under fire Of bullets the prisoner
in the darkness.
Al 40 o'clock four shots from tow erl
No. 3, in the northwest wall Of the pris
nR0 III A~xl
Wheeler stood there with bis Wiuches.
ter 1t his shoulder, sending the bullets
after man who had ascended the wall
on ladder within . few feet Of him, de-
climbed over the wire nettingI
which surrounds the wall and leapcd to-
the outside, a distance Of thirty feet. The
man was Sam Kesterson, who was serv.
ing life sentence. and who 10 regarded
IS one Of the most desperate men ever
in the penitentiary. How WE'LL
be sustains his reputation is learned from
what follows: Kesterson had been en-
ployed in the foundry department, and
on account Of his vicious disposition al
close watch had been kept upon him.
lust at dusk, twenty minutes to the time
when the co0victs complete their tasks
and are taken to supper, Kesterson, an.
noticed, made his way 10 the machine
shop, where long ladder is kept to be
nsed when the puIleys require oiling.
Seixing this be ran TO the wall and begsni
his ascent. Although the bullets werel
burying themselves in the wall near him
be bounded to the top like . squirrel and
made his fearless leap. Alighting on bis
|eet. be ran in the direction OF the falls |
He knew BY reason Of his tell.tale clothes
hat bis detection was certain, and tol
svsde his pursuers, who had by this time
eft the prison and were close after him.
he must take desperate chances. Stand
Ing close BY was the delivery wagon of
Pat Tracy. In 1t were two young men, J,
one Of whom was Isaac Morrall. tbeI
driver. Into the vehicle Kestersou jump-|
ed, nd ct the same time brandishiug .
knife and Threatening to plunge II into
The drivers heart IL be did not carry him
to . place Of safety. With pluck and
presence OF mind the young grabbed the
reins and ordered the convict 10 get out
Of the wagon. Seeing that he had NO
coward to deal with, Kcsterson placed
the edge Of the knife 10 Morralrs throat
Still the driver did not finch. With q
quick blow the convict then struck him
down.
The other young man had in the mean.
time deserted the wagon and left his
10 bic fate. Flat on his bsck,
Morrall retained the lines until the con-
vict severed them with knife. He then
climbed on the horses back, and. urging
the animal into dead run, started across
10 Claysburg. Beisg uuacquainted With
~. surrommdsoU K>.s>..c~ -. -
reached Claysburg, believed that be wasl
still in Je0ersOnvillc. aud abandoned theI
h0rsc aud wagon In which Morrsll wasl
still sitting. In the darkness he was lost
sight Of and searching parties failed to,
locate him at that hour. lie was subse-
quently cspturcL at Edwardsville and re-
turned TO prison
The crime for which he was convicted
wss the killing Of his step father, John
at LIillhann, Dubois county.
They quarrelcd over family matters, and
one day Kesterson shot the old msn'sI
head of. The citizens were indignant,
and the officers had TO exercise precsu.
ton to prevent them from lynching the
young murderer. When his trial came
or the jury sentenced him to hang, but
on rehearing he was committed TO the
for life. lie began his term
October 25, 1890.
The grain Of truth In ell the above lei
that Kesterson did escape last Novem.
Der, but be was not shot ct by : guard
any more than he was the last time,
when probably the Warden and Gov
crnor and guards were oil drinking
together, and having . good
time, which Sam took advantage Of tol
make good bis escape. lie IL only the
seventeenth convict who has got away
from there this year, showing the laxity
aud incspacity Of Pstteu for the position
be IL fattcning on.
The Sentinels correspondent is mis-
taken in saying that Kesterson had any
quarrel with hii step father when he|
murdered him. lie went to his step.
fathers that night, and after talking In
q good humor In the house. dscoyed him