The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-07-14
A BATTLE In PRISON.
Convicts at Ionia Make a Des-
perate Attempt to Escape.
They Are Frustrated Only After Fierce
Fight with Guards, In which One
Prisoner Is Killed and Three
Others Wounded.
FOUGHT FOR LIBERTY.

IONA, July IA daring attempt to
escape from the state house of correc-
ton in this city was made at $3.50 Mon
day morning, and as result Convict
Oscar Miller is dead and three more are
seriously wounded, one probably fatal
ly. The leaders were five of the most
desperate men in the institution,
who already have a state reputa-
ton for crime. Those who reached the
wall were Oscar Miller, from Detroit,
serving a seven-year sentence; William
Eagan, sent from Grand Rapids for
manslaughter for fifteen years; Charles
E. Jones, a five-year man from Detroit;
Michael Lynch, who has spent large
part of his life in prison, and William
Smith, the leader and desperate char
acter, a fve-year man.
Two timers had been at work on
shop 81 on the west side of the prison
yard repairing pipes. They had two
long ladders placed against the roof.
The convicts were at work in the
furniture shop and Warden Parsell
was on the lookout. Deputy War
den Rowley having been informed at 0
o'clock that something was going to
happen. Consequently, he had sent a
guard outside the walls with orders to
| shoot If it was necessary and had sent
Teacher Gourley to the vicinity of the
| ladders.
At $3.50 Convict William Smith left
the shop and was followed by four
more. They went out and around the
building to the west side and took the
ladders and placed them against the
west wall, which was about 10 rods dis
tant. Teacher Gourley was stationed
near the shop. When he saw the con-
victs acting in this unusual manner he
ordered them back and they not obey
| ing he fred shot from his revolver
into the ground. This did not affect
the men, who were bound to escape.
| He fired twice more without effect.
Smith was at the foot of the ladder
when the shot was fired.
The other officers about the yard ran
to the scene and a life and death strug-
| gle ensued. Warden Parsell and Dep
uty Rowley were quickly on hand and
as Miller mounted the ladder Guard
Thomas Mitchell came up and,
after warning Miller to go back,
he fred shot from his Win
chester. The shot pierced Miller's
heart and he dropped to the
| ground dead. In the meantime a
terrible riot was going on. Smith,
the leader of the uprisers, was all the
time urging the convicts on. The
prison officials knocked the ladder
down and had the best of the situation
from the start. Smith, who had ham
mer, dealt a murderous blow at Deputy
Warden Rowley, who saved his life by
lodging. AS Rowley lodged this blow
he struck Oscar Jones blow in the
head. The wound caused conclusion
of the brain and he cannot live. Eagan
was also badly cut on the head.
That the attempt to scale the walls
was prearranged was very evident from
the fact that five of the leaders were
armed with different dangerous weap-
ons. Seventy-fve or a hundred con-
victs stopped work as soon as they saw
Smith and his pals leave the building,
and it is generally supposed that had
the first few been successful and
scaled the walls the rest would have
followed.
1t was only by prompt action that the
wholesale liberation of the convicts
was averted. Hall Master Parsell
grabbed up the irons used by the local
timers and commenced prodding the
convicts who ran back. Gradually the
convicts were forced into their cells.