The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-06
PEPPERED lis Eyes.
A Prisoner Throws Red Pepper in
a Deputy's Eyes.
He THEN DASHES UP AN ALLEY.

Ane blinded OmCeE Fires Two shots
After Him and Beings kim 70 a EAnat-
Sidney Pickens, the young scamp who
was found guilty OF burglary in the dis
trict court this morning, made desper-
ate effort to escape from Deputy Sheriff
Dan Jones as he was being taken to the
county jail. shortly before noon today.
At the alley which separates the county
jail from the city prison. Pickens sud
denly took handful of cayenne pepper
from his right hand coatpocket and
dashed II into the officers face. Shouting
.1Pm gone" Pickens ran north up the
alley. Jones was blinded for a moment
and the pain was terrible, but he drew
his revolver and started after the young
desperate. Two shots were fired, the
first striking a brick in the wall of the
stoneyard and glancing over Pickens'
shoulder, and the other passing through
the left leg of Pickens' trousers.
North of the Jail Pickens turned west
towards the new court house. This was
his great mistake, for Jones was able TO
get clear shot at him. Pickens real =
lied this, and as Jones was in the act Of
firing a third time the prisoner stopped,
and throwing up his hands. cried: "I'm
dOnel Don't shoot!" Jones didn't shoot,
but after the excitement was over and
the pepper began to more forcibly get in
its work, he almost wished he had shot
again, view IN which his friends agreed
with him.
Pickens trembling in every limb from
excitement was taken back to the county
jail His chagrin was great and he said,
sullenly, IF the pepper had done its
work, l would have done mine-"
Later he tried TO square himself with
Jones and said:
Il hated to throw that stuff in your
face, Dan, on the square l did"
''What did you do it for, then?" Jones
demanded.
because | had to-"
''No you didn't
s'Well. l wanted to escape. / didn't
get fair shake at the trial."
''Well, that wasn't my fault, was it?"
Pickens was searched thoroughly be-
fore being locked up again, but the only
things found in his possession were a
cigar and large pocket-kn
The shooting attracted large crowd,
and Sheriff Burdge was on the spot a
short time after it occurred.
Pickens is IA soE of Policeman Pickens,
and has been in the penitentiary before.
The Trial of the Case.
The jury returned IA verdict of "guil-
ty" at 1920 this morning after being out
an hour.
The evidence and arguments in the
Pickens case we're completed late last
evening. The offence consisted ia burg
larizing Culver s. Bailey's hardware
and razOrs. Con Ryan is said to have
been associated with Pickens in the
theft
The prosecution was abIo to trace mi
nuiely the journey of the young men
from Topeka TO Leavenworth, which
they made in a buggy. They stopped at
Osawkee, Meriden and Oskaloosa. At
Leavenworth the young men attempted
to sell their stolen razors to a cOiored
barber The barber was in court wear
ing very high collar aud look of dig
nifty.
state your name and occupation, said
County Attorney Stafford
Il am William Augustus Lightfoot,
tonsorial artist of Leavenworth, Leavea-
" Orth county, Kansas, sah.z'
Oh, you are barber? Well, Mr.
Whitscop--I mean Mr. Lightfoot, tell US
what you know about this case"
Mr.. Lightfoot replied that the men had
offered to sell him mum Der of s'razzers7
cheap but he was "leary of them" aud
refused to purchase The evidence
against Pickens seems to be very con-
elusive. Ryan VIII be tried later