The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-14
Got Twelve Hours the Start of the
Sleepy Sheriff and Thought to Be
Oh His Way to Mexico.
FIGHTING TO CLEAR OAKS
The Prisoner Takes the Stand i'm
His Own Behalf at Lebanon.
Charley Burnett Lays i'm Wait for a
Muncie JanitOr-Death of Chap
lain Strouse-0ther Items.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

KOKOMO, Ind, Feb. 13-Calvin Arm
strong, the defaultng Upton county deputy
treasurer who was sentenced here yester-
day to three years for embezzling $4,000 OF
the public funds, broke jail last night and
is now a fugitive. His trial closed Saturday,
lasting nearly three weeks. Monday after
noon the prisoner sawed off a two-inch bar
of his cell on the. second story of the Jail,
and, sliding down TO the first floor, secreted
himself behind the cage at the far end of
the corridor, taking a section of the bar
two inches in diameter and two feet long
with him to use a weapon. He remained
there until the sheriff came in TO feed the
prisoners, and when that officer went up
stairs with the supper Cal and a tramp,
indicted for stoning a train, made a rush
for the open door, brandishing the iron bar
with a determination TO kill who ever at
tempted to stop them. The officer upstairs
did not hear them. and by combination of
singular circumstances the noted embezzler
escaped unnoticed
The most remarkable feature was the fact
that the escape is alleged not TO have been
discovered until this morning, giving the
fugitive full twelve hours the start of his
pursuers. At the moment of the escape the
other inmates of the ian informed the Off
Knowing he was feeling badly over his con-
victton and sentence. the sheriff says he
took the statement for the truth and made
no further investigation. Another astounding
feature is Calls getting out OF town without
being recognized. The streets were filled
with people and his face was familiar to
everybody. Getting outside the Jail, the two
men ran to the river bridge. where they
sem Tod Arm nd no
tramp in the opposite direction Neither has
been heard of since.
This is Armstrong; third attempt to break
Jail. Two efforts were made at Upton. To-
day Watson Pitzer son of DR.. Pitzer. one
of the most prominent residents OF Upton,
was arrested as young Armstrong; accom-
plice. He is charged with giving his sport
ing associate the saw used in escaping and
also roll of money. Last Saturday even
ing Pitzer visited Armstrong in his cell, and
1t is believed he handed him 500 and the
saw. The Upton county people, whose
money the gay young deputy treasurer had
squandered the track and in gam
bling rooms are furious over the escape.
They were indignant over the mild sentence
given the einbezzler, and the escape has in
tensifed the feeling to the lynching point.
a liberal reward is offered for his capture.
He is twenty-four years DID, weighs $50
pounds, has very dark hair, large brown
mustache, large steel-gray eyes, fair COM
plcxion. white. regular teeth, wore a black
cutaway coat, derby hat, wide-collared
heavy ulster of dark brown Irish frieze
cloth. He walks with his head erect and
has naughty air. 1t Is believed that Arm
strong Is headed for Mexico, as he has
sporting friends there.