St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-26
BREAK FOR LIBERTY.
Murderer Ermisch Shoots His
Death Watch and Near
ly Escapes.
REVOLVER WAS SPIRITED IN.
He Covered the Deputy and
Told Him to Release
Wonigkeit.
HIS MOTHER IS ARRESTED
Said That His Stepfather
Proposes to Shoot
Judge Kerr,
HIS MOTHER IS ARRESTED

The diabollcal character Of the con.
demned murderer. ErmIsch. found vent
yesterday noon in one of the most dar-
ing attempts at jail-breaking which
has ever occurred in the history Of
Ramsey county.
1t was by the mereSt chance that one
or more lives were not sacrificed, and
added to the list of victims Of the youth
full desperate. AS 1t is. Deputy Sheriff
Horst is suffering from bad wound in
the wrist.
The plan for the attempted escape
had evidently been formed soma ii me
ago, as Developments during the day
plainly demonstrated, and Ermisch was
but waiting for favorable opportunity
to carry 1t into execution.
Whatever chance there was for him to
escape the gallows by comm utation OF
sentence by the governor has beer
swept away, and what few people h ave
signed his petition will. no doubt,
hasten to strike their names off that
document. A revolver had been sup.
piled the fiend from outside sources,
and with this weapon he made his des.
perate Break for liberty.
The attempt in itself was a piece of
reckless daring. Al IL o'clock Deputy
Horst approached the cell in which Er.
misch was locked up and opened the
door for the purpose of allowing the
prisoner to go to the end of the corridor
and empty his pail. Ermisch consumed
considerable more time than usual and
Horst called to him to hurry up. -,
Come here a minute" called Err.
mlsch. But the deputy did not obey the
request. Ermlsch walked out slowly
and suddenly wheeled about, confront
ng Horst with revolver aimed at the
deputy's cad.
Pointing to the cell where Wonigkeit
was locked up, he shouted, "Up with
your hands. Open that door and be
quick about it!n
Horst retreated to the grated door at
the end of the corridor, and pulled it
shut behind him. He was holding to
the door, being unable to lock it, anG
Ermlscb, now thoroughly infurated,
fired. striking Horst in the right wrist.
The deputy's arm dropped helpless to
his side, and Ermiseh quickly pushed
ANY ""- eAAOuSh QOOls anu ran
down the stairs to the lower corridor,
still fiourishlng the weapon.
Turnkey QuiDt. in the meantime, had
turned in the alarm to the sherlf's Of
flee, after which he ran outdoors, and
was followed by Horst. ErInisch ran
amuck in the lower corridor. Chief
Deputy Irish. Deputy Frank Picha and
Chief of Police Clark were on the spot
in few moments, and the news was
quickly conveyed to them
1t was just noon when the neighbor-
hood of the county jail was suddenly
startled by the
Sounds Of a Pf stol Shot.
In very few moments large crowd
had gathered only to see Jailer Quint
rush out from the front door, crying out:
Help! Help! Ermlseh has shot Horst
and Is getting away"
In second Deputy Plcha, who was
standing on the walk near Wabasha
street. had jumped the fences and was
running across the lawn. He flew 1u
the steps. aud, grabbing revolver.
made rush for the main door to the
Jail proper. There he was confronted
with waving revolver, and a second
la ter bullet went whistling past his