The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-25
a BREAK FOR LIBERTY.
Seven Reform school Pupils Make "A
Sneak Last Night-AII Are Recaptured.

Last night about s o'clock the town
was given quite . sensation by the wide
ly circulated report that there had been
a wholesale escape Of inmates from the
reform school: seven being the number
given. who had thrown off the restrain
ing influences Of the school and cut
loose into the world. Later this story
was tapered down considerably. the re-
vIsed report being that FIVE had been
captured and that Only two were at
large. A still later bulletin Of the night
might have been made. that these two
had also been gathered in. but It was too
late for general dissemination. and was
therefore reserved for morning news.
The story Of the attempted escape is as
follows: As late as 7:l5 last night a
gam Of seven boys were AT work setting
strawberry plants under the direction Of
Eph Davis. At the time named, it being
quite dusky owing TO the hazy atmos-
phere. Davis told the boys to quit work
and come. immediately upon receiving
III OIbtI hbb DR. II II ID bttb o. itt
upon as d signal. the whole seven of
them broke for the fence. which was
quite neal to where they were working.
and began to wiggle III under the low
er wire. Davis, though taken somewhat
by surprise. did not lose any time in false
motions. but went to work with such
earnestness that he soon had five Of the
seven runaways back in the enclosure.
In securing these he OF course had to let
the remaining " go. and to leave his
re-captured charges. even to go for aid
would only resuIted in letting them go
free again; 50 he hastily marched them
back TO the school. Meanwhile the
alarm had spread and Wilcox In EN-
ploye at the school. was mounted and
away, after the fugitives. just before
dark, in the vicinity Of the race track,
he overlook one Of them. a young fellow
about IL years old named Mccoy who
came here about three weeks ago. When
Wilcox overhauled him he was not dis
posed to give in. but Wilcox has been a
soldier and moreover was armed, so
iirmness and force won and Mccoy was
returned to the school after a brief out
ing OF a couple of hours. His compan-
ion. Matte Davenport a IL year-old boy
who came from Livingston about two
weeks ago. had crossed the slough on to
the island and was seen there bare
headed about the time his running mate
was captured, and. as IT subsequently
was learned. crossed from there to the
reservation, and made his way to Fort
keogh. and securing a soldiers blouse
and cap. took the east bound passenger
train at keogh station. Night watch
man johnson had been instructed to
watch the trains. and assisted by Frank
Leslie who knew Davenport by sight,
went through No. 2 when il pulled
in from keogh. In n of the coaches,
johnson who was leading, noticed a
very young looking soldier. and though
he passed him. did so with the intention
OF returning to him. if his man did not
show up elsewhere on the train. but
Leslie who followed johnson recognized
the youngster in blue as Davenport and
recalled johnson, who arrested him and
took him to the Jail tor the night, and
thus ends the story. While escapes
from the reform school have been infre-
quent, and in all cases but one. unsuc-
c~essful; the mention Of them. may cause
adverse criticism when the surrounding
conditions are not understood. The
school premises are enclosed by a barb
wire fence Of the ordinary style and
there are no guards. except the two or
three employees who work with the boys
and these are not armed. In fact the
restraint exercised is little II any more
than that imposed on ordinary school
children during school hours; hence
breaks like these here recorded. are
not unlikely and cannot always be pre-
vented. The best that can be done 10 to
recover the .fugiti~es promptly, a. was
/ lona - Hhsa cana