The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-03-03
NILLED by A CONyICT.
Desperate Attempt to Escape from
State Prison.
SHOT A KEEPER IN THE EFFORT.

A Twenty Year Prisoner Iassoes a Prison
omciaI, Secures His Revolver, and with
II Murders Another who Came to the
Rescue.
TRENTON, March 3.-An attempt at Jail
breaking which for auGacity has never
been equaled i'm this state and has few
parallels in criminal history, took place IN
the state penitentiury here yesterday. 1t
cost Keeper James b. Lippiucott his life,
and has rendered it highly probable that
the perpetrator will end his days on the
scaffold long before the expiration Of the
twenty year sentence he was serving for
the crime of burglary.
Joseph Wallwitz, alias John Malwitz,
was sent to the big prison from Jersey
City to serve score OF years for burglary
committed in 1891. Since his advent he
has been source Of constant uueasincss
TO the keepers because of his well known
murderous disposition. In some way he
managed to secure a watch spring saw,
with which he cut the three inch bars in
his cell door, and early in the morning he
crept into the corridor ready TO escape or
die in the attempt. About his body he
had wound layer after layer of newspapers
clothes he had concealed books and rolls
of paper, thus forming an armor that was
well nigh bullet proof In his hand he
carried IA moose Of rope.
Thus equipped he stood in front of his
cell awaiting developments. He had not
waited long when Keeper James Waters
came by the cell door on his rounds
through the prison. Quick as a flash the
daring convict flung the moose, lassooiug
the keeper and strangling him into help
lessness, but not before he had uttered
cry Of alarm that rang through the prison,
and aroused the inmates to a sense Of
something out of the usual order Ofprison
life.
Bending over the PROSTATE guard Wall
witt secured from him his pistol, and
leaving him where he had fallen hastened
down the corridor to take the next step
in the bold dash for freedom, AS soon as
he left Waters the latter managed to
crawl to an electric button, upon which
he rang an alarm. This reached Deputy
Keeper Lippincott, who summoned Keeper
Francis Leonard and then hastened to
answer the signal
He had gone but few steps when he
found himself face to face with the des-
perate convict. Quick as a flash the latter
fired striking the keeper in the right thigh
and telling him to his knees. Raising
himself slightly the keeper returned the
fire, woundiug Wallwitz in the head, but
so slightly that it did not check him.
Again the convict fred this time striking
Lippincott in the back, and rendering him
helpless.
BY this time dozen turnkeys were on
the scene, and As many weapons were
leveled at the man in the prison garb. He
fired away at the bunch of men, but his
shots went wide of the mark, or more
lives would have been sacrificed. A re
turn shot from one of the keepers struck
the convict just over the heart and he fell
| stunned, but unhurt because OF his armor
of literature. 1t was all over then.
Wallwitz was quickly disarned and
taken to his cell again. Then the prison
surgeon was summoned to attend
poor Lippincott, but he was beyond all
| human aid and died in half an hour.
| Lippincott was one of the most trusted
men in the prison, and was the father of
seven children. His wife survives him.