The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-03
APRIS0N KEEPER MURDERED
sHoT BT zN ESCAPING CONVICT ar
TRENTON STATE PRISON
The Prisoaer Hns Sawed the Bars Or mis-
Cell and L--soes Another Ke.per-Bid
not Get Far Was I.ee.iou. nsd Bargain

The Prisoaer Has Sawed the Bars Or Hi-
Cell and L--soed Another Ke-ser-Bid
not Get Far Was I-eesiou, r.d Rursi.r
TRENTON. March FLAMES b. Lippincott. =
deputy keeper in the State prison, was killed
at half past 1 o'clock this morning by Joseph
Waiwitz. alias John Mllwoth. a prisoner, who
had escaped from his cell in the vest wing.
overpowered his keeper. james Waters. aud
was on his way TO the centre. or adminlstra-
tive hall ofthe prison.
Walwitz had cut three OF the bars from the
door In his cell leaving hole about ten inches
high by fourteen wide He lie a largo and pow
eriuly built man. weighing about $50 pounds.
and It is a wonder to tho prison authorities
how he got through the aperture In the west
wing OF the prison there are three tiers OF cells
over which Keeper Waters has charge at night.
Armed with an ugly looking black jack. Wall
witz, after escaping from his cell. waited until
Keeper Waters was on the north side OF the
upper gallery Then he secured from one Of
the windows a strong cord used to lower the
upper sash. With this he made a moose. and.
stealing up behind Waters while the latter was
getting a drink at tho hydrant threw the
moose over the keepers neck and wound
1t about his arms Waters is a small man. but
he struggled to get loose. and the noise
awakened Prisoner Edward W. Steward. who
began to shout " Murder" to attract the other
keepers.
wslwitz was alarmed. and taking waters's
revolver. he left him and rang the electric bell
which communicated with the centre hall
Deputy Keeper Lippincott. who was In charge
OF the centre. answered the call. As he un-
barred the door separating tho west wing from
tho centre he was confronted by walwitz who
levelled the revolver at his head. Lppincott
drew his revolver, but before he could use IL
the the coGyiet qTed three sh9ts; Two Of them
knees and shot Walwitz in the head. The COM
Wet ran into the centre, hill where he en-:
IRE on him and forced him to retreat behind =
desk. Thcre he was secured by Head Keeper
been awakened by the firing.
:, deputy Waters by this time had succeeded
had been roughly handled. Denuty LlppIn:
Sott crawled into the centre. where no fell
the side and seVered IN artery. '' The convict
II was found. had been struck In the head. but
sS sns az nIs %
and the he M,Sd Gsd f%Ss a. ths p5:
1t was found that he had made three bullet
lot Of newspapers and magazines These
he had suspend ed over his. breast, across his
strings. In his possession were found a knife
made by grinding to keen edge screw
cut the Dars from his cell
Walwitz 10 undergoing . twenty years. sem
tence for breaking. entering. aud larceny. He
says he 10 30 years old but lis apparently older.
county in June. 1901. having been convicted
OF burglaries at Summit. Westheld. Railway.
and other parts OF the county. He was cap.
turad In the woods near Summit BY Edward
u. Kelley. Chief OF the police there. He had In
besides i'm pl ements Of his profession. inoiud.
ing two cartridges filled with pepper. % D:
while he Nas rSbeing thsir homes. and . bot
Aboai Z. year ago. while employed. in the
had q light with another prisoner In the
mating shop three or four prisoners worked
without deputy to oversee them. After the
fight. Deputy Keeper Speck made an investi-
cation and found under the floor In tho cellar
q great number OF tools OF all kinds which
walwitz had made from materials he had
stolen from the s shops He had also made :, z
the prison machinery. and by means of It had
These lnstrum ents. Deputy Keeper Keeic
says. were as hne as any he ever
saw. Besides these. many other tIinkets
were found, Deputy Keefo reported Walwitz
moved from work and has since bean kept In
his cell. w hen question ed this afternoon
about his plans. he said he intended to get
into the prison yard and scale the walls. but
when Prisoner Steward began to shout he
abandoned his plan and took his chances OF
Coroner Bower will hold an Inquest to- NOR
row. Prosecutor stockton has begun an In
yestigation. and Walwitz will be tried for muir
der In the Mercer county court In May.