The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-19
DESPERATE JOHN CLAY.
.,.1zoyl CONVICT WHOM THE DARE
=" CELL FAILS 10 SUBDUE.

! =
r..,,,nti.ry which = Desert eusrss-su-
..s,,t.ndeut Oates nud Hir Bosrssrs.
V,-,,, March 12.-Ths Arizona penitsntlnry
=, mis- place 10 now the scene OF one Of the
-, ,,ubborn contests between . criminal
~. ,,son officials ever seen in this country.
~. C1aya convict. recently capitulatsd to
S.oaaeisis after enduring term OF solitary
uss,.ment in the dark cell for LOT days.
~. dusl between the convict and his keepers
l ant OF the determination OF the prison
.sssl. to enforce discipline. The principle
,'.olv.d was so important that the officials
...Msd il petter TO kill the convict rather than
s,.d a, any concession to him would have
,.tsl 10 prison discipline. After . stay OF
~. ,bsn three months in the dark cell. on
az, a, bread and water. Clay finally made an
uS;..t surrender. but when he recovered he
.s,,o became mutinous. and lie once more in
NJ. Ala Mace in solitary confinement.
r, sppreciate this remarkable case. II
%, he remembered that the Yuma psniten-
49,, contains nearly 100 conylcts. more than
s.,of whom are serving long terms for very
ss.ve crimes. aThey are NEARLY all frontiers
90 oulck with the pistol. and ready to take
"a, risks to secure their freedom. Fully one
,r,r,sr OF them are Mericans or half-breeds,
..dthsre are at least a score OF Apache In
,l,,s who are regarded as more dangerous
Mar oil the OIneT inmates. lhebo lelOWb
az. against confinement with the passion OF
-iid beast In a cage and we're II not for the
extraordinary isolation Of the penitentlsry es-
..n.s or attempts at escape would be re-
,orded every week. As II Is the convicts know
! a.. almost absolute certainty OF capture
.hould they get beyo nd the prison gates
The Yuma penitentiary IL unique among all
ana prisons OF the country In its situation. il
A, the usual prison wall and the customary
ru,rds but these are merely for dumb show.
IN. eonyicts who come from various parts OF
| I,,ona know that In the thirty years Of the
| PRISONS existence only one man has reached
fr..dom across the fearful deserts that sur
sound the prison. while the bones OF at least
sity brave and hardy men who have tried to
rain old Mexico now lie whitening In the des-
ert The prison stands on high blufr at the
iuuction Of the Yuma and Colorado rivers. The
hnly feasible avenues ofiescape to civilization
Ire along the line OF railroad or by the Colorn-
Ia River To follow tho river 10 c.bs certain
III capture before the convict has gained dis
lance Of fifty miles To 20 up or down the
liver IL to be sure OF recapture. for with the
telegraph and tho telephone the authorities
nav head OF any fugitive In q few hours.
The only chance for the desperate man who
| ssarns for freedom Is to strike across the des-
srt to the south OF Yuma and make for the line
o Old MEXICO MS 10 ulbthnCo VI nehED lOO
miles over the most Godforsaken territory In
fuded within the bounds OF the country. The
mercury even In the winter. rises to So or 9o'
In the shade. and in summer It frequently goes
IN 10 1872. There is absolutely no water. save
ta few points which can be reached only By
ono intimately acquainted with the country.
TO add to the terrors OF pursuit across this
dreary waste. the prison officials Keep
Under regular pay two or three trained
Apache trailers who are notorious for
their bloodthirsty character These fellows
receive the same pay for bringing in the ear or
the scalp OF fugitive that they get for return
Ing him alive. The consequence is that when
their passions are aroused by pursuit. they
Invariably stalk and kill tho fugitive The
convicts are fully aware Of this deadly Apache
trait and they fear pursuit by these savages
moro than they dread the heat and thirst Of
tho desert
No one has ever escaped these pache fiends
except . haIi-breed Mexican. who. about Ave
years sSo escaped from the prison ground.
threw the traiiers Off his track By devices
which outWitted even their native cum
I hing. and reached sid Mexico after
almost unsndurable hardships. This fellow.
Who was q man OF unusual physique.
and stamina. owed his escape to the kind
hsartsdnsss Of an American rancher. who
lives near the line. This ranchmsn. In telling
ne story, said that one morning. he was SUR
phsed In going out to his cattle corral to find
mummy and with clothes hanging In tattsrs
about him. standing Dy the corral fence enaw-
took the fellow whom he suspected at once to
BE- an escaped convict from Yuma. fed him
tho ias.iTs k had and .sp SranSy aRS
hour, EXTRACTED from him the story OF his
ha.dships He had absolutely nothing to eat
the yucca plant and q few Of the beans that
ErO. on the Mesquite. His. water WAS ex-
Elevate hi. thirst, by chewing on small peb-
s. We ss en- ne s ssMthsTsd along Ms route He
h.. result Of his hardships.
Discipline has always been enforced in the
aizoaa psntentiary By humane methods. de-
The onlr punishment permitted is incarcsrR-
ZION in the dark cell. No foGginG is. permit
DAYS On a Diet Of bread and water serves ste to
btsak the spirit Of the most hardened Grim
eal: The case Of John Clay. therefore is note
srAl nile
Cls vas received at the prison In May. 1892.
seven years on two convictions Of grand lar
ssoy he was only II years Of age at his
powerful phSsiaus. oner r six tsst IN SsisSs
SS sssxs he does So6 a9s
.ed his mental peculiarly consists in remark,
sols self-wlil and obstinacy when he has once
,eu lmpulsve, he is more often wrong In his
Ieneus!ons than right but his companions
pnk ago abandoned any hone OF convincing
mn o. any OF his errors. This trait was Illus
Ssu 10 striking manner on his trial
tnoegh possessed Of only smattering OF legal
.noNledge. he hatly refused to accept the at
RR.neJs selected by the Court to defend him,
,nse3nlucted his own case with the natural
Issut mar. though the proof against him was
~. osIp0Werlng, he was convicted. This
, Ihsao MIN bitter. as he has always maintained
hn ne was innocent OF the charge brought
stHnst Nun, which was horse stealing.
l,Vm me day Of his arrival in prison. he has
zee Isen moody and taeiturn, HIS cell adjoined
NSIsAtlers Of several Apache Indians. for
ss nUm ne has as great a contempt as for tho
tSne lie Is particularly bitter against their
Ms st ior hquor, and he once eynically re-
NAKED that the Apaches were a great and
S, UsS race Tor they feared nothing but prohi-
stiiSh lay was closely watched by the oifi-
Sn Hs on MS arrival. because they feared some
St'saA due to his peculiar tenn permanent.
~ atet several months strict surveillance
80 IeaNeL On Oct. %. last year Clay was
anew s o, with several other prisoners to build
ne oven Tor the bakery. The foreman OF
Eoussag happened to be convict named
iotsai.u hllhToW. negro ClAy's AntipAthy
tos Ho eyl0red race led to trouble with With
~ ~, anu tae negro complained 10 the Super