The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-21
CAL ARMsTROSG's uEGIRA.
The Tiptcn County EnbezzIer Escapes
from the KokomO Jail.

tht fNoApHto "AAa.
KOKOMO. Feb 13-Special.- Arm
strong. Upton couoty's preacher-pIunger.
and treasury thief. has made a grand
stand finish in his sensational career.
At O'Clock last night. while waiting
20 be taken To Michigan City 20 enter on
his three years sentence for looting the
treasury or Upton county OF $4,000. he
walked from the Howard county Jail
His flight was not discovered until 8
o'clock this morning, and with twelve
hours start of his pursuers. his recapt-
IRE is at the best prOblematic. He has
money, 500 or 50. furnished him by a
Upton friend last Saturday night. This
is Watson Pitzer one of the young men
implicated in the conspiracy that failed
10 release Armstrong from the Upton
county Jail last August. Pitzcr has been
arrested.
The plan Of escape was carefully
planned and successfully executed. Arm
strong. together with a tramp. waiting
trial for assault with intent 10 kill. was
confined in cage on the second floor Of
the jail. which is an unusually strong
one. They sawed a bar from the cage
room, which gave them access to the
corridors up stairs and down. They
reached the lower floor and concealed
themselves behind steam radiator.
When Sheriff Simmons came TO feed the
prisoners at supper time last night he
left the double main doors OF steel open,
surprising the prisoners were safely
housed in the cclI-rooms. When ne went
10 the upper tier the two men simply
walked through the main doors through
the Office and out into the street. \
boy who was confined on the upper tier.
told the sheriff that Armstrong and the
tramp We're in their cells asleep. and he
believed him. He discovered that he
had been deceived only on the usual
roundup this morning. when Armstrong
was called to make his trip to the states
prison.
The wires were put 10 work. portraits
and descriptions of the man sent out.
and the thief-takers all over the coCntry
put on the lookout He is a foxy youth.
IS Mr.. Armstrong. however. and with tho
assistance or friends, who have proven
their loyalty and desperation in two pre-
Vious plots. in which murder was COolly
contemplated. it is believed that he viii
be able TO give the officers the slip.
When Bob Pate started his racing en-
terprise in Mexico it IL said that Joe and
wanted for completely in lOoting The Tip
ton treasury. followed the horses to the
land or the cactus. Both are race-track
touts. and among the securities" Cal
showed for the missing money was the
personal note Of one of them for a large
sum- It il believed that the boys re
mainsd in Mexico after the collapse Of
Pate's institution last December and that
Cal is now on his way 20 join them
The following is the proclamation is
sued today by the sheriff IF this county:
Escaped, Reward Broke Jail on the
evening Of the 18th of February Calvin
Armstrong. under sentence or three years
In the Denitentiary.
Calvin Armstrong is man about
twenty-four o. twenty-five years Of
age. feet 10 inches tail. we'll shaped and
would weigh about 15O or 160 pounds
Hair dark, almost black; wore heavy
mustache Of lighter shade than hair and
II beard is allowed TO grow IL shows
black against the paIlOr OF the face.
Teeth white and even, kept we'll cleaned.
Eyes OF light grey. steely and shifting
Carries himself erect as he walks and
head well up. Chews tobacco and
smokes. When ne left he wore a white
shirt with standing collar; dark tie: black
GETAWAY coat. vest OF same material:
pantaloOns Of light color. ridged or
striped: black derby hat; front-lace