Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-26
SEVEN CONNECTS ESCAPE They Saw a Hole Through the
 Prison Floor AND 0VERP0WER THE GUARD Bart Thrasher Leads the Fugitive Band ot
 FeonS IN THEIR MAD RUSH FOR LIBERTY Hot Fight Occurs Between Pursuers and Fugitives at Coalburg and One Con-
 vict is Shot-Five of the
 Seven Caught.
AND OVERP0WER THE GUARD
IN THEIR MAD RUSH FOR LIBERTY


 by seven white convicts at prison No. 2, Pratt mines, early Sunday afternoon. They were headed by Bart Thrasher, noted desperado, who was serving five- years sentence for killing a negro at Horse Creek little over a year ago. Thrasher is bold and daring man. He carries his life in his hands. and it is be- leved that his capture will be attended with serious results if he has a fighting chance for liberty
 Those who escaped with him Sunday were:
 George R. Marshall, alias Rube Mar shall, who was sent up from Chiffon county for burglary and was serving tWenty-year sentence.
 John Bentley. from Etowah county. twenty years for robbery.
 John Conners from Fillmore county, six years for burglary.
 Joe Ward, Etowah county, five years for burglary.
 Walker White, three years
 Tom Rowley. three years.
 The Escape.
 There was no work in the mines on the Sabbath The prisoners in prison No. were creating considerable noise by boisterous talk and laughter. In this confusion Bart Thrasher and his com panions sawed a hole through the floor of the prison while the unsuspecting guards were pacing their watches. When the saw had done its work the convicts quietly dropped to the ground beneath the prison. They watched and waited, and when the guards backs were to them they rushed upon them, striking one of them on the head with a brick. The guard fell without a word, and seiz- ing his Winchester the convicts hailed the other guard and ordered him to
 Throw Up His Hands.
 There was nothing else to do with a determined finger on the trigger of a frowning Winchester, and the guard dropped his and obeyed the command. His gun was taken, and he was likewise relieved of his revolver.
 It was but the work of a moment to break an opening through the stockade. Through this the prisoners filed one at a time, and disappeared one at time to- wards Coalburg
 The alarm was given, and in short time the blood hounds. followed by a posse headed by Superintendent P J. Rogers, w. l.. and J. P. Rogers. Pat Cos we'll Scot Hixon, Mir Simmonds and others. pursued the fugitives. After an exciting chase the posse came in sight of the band of convicts near Coalburg The dogs had caught up with them, but they had made friends with the dogs. which were running along beside them as peaceably as hunting party. The posse ordered the convicts to surrender. but they refused, and
 A Hot Fight took place between the pursued and the pursuerS.
 Tn the fight Tom Rowley ,one of the con- victs, was shot in the arm and surren- dered. He had one of the guns taken from the guard.
 Walker White apOthor copx,iot -~o.,o up. but the others turned and ran. talk ing different directions, some going to- wards Bessemer and some north in the opposite direction.
 The posse pushed on to Coalburg and put another pack of dogs on the track
 Joe Ward Captured.
 Joe Ward was captured at Brookside yesterday morning by Special Officer w. J. Armstrong. Ward tried to get be- hind tree, when he was brought to a sudden halt by the warning voice and threatening weapon in the hands of the officer. He told MT. Armstrong when the handcuffs were being locked on his wrists that he would have killed him if he could have reached the cover of the tree.
 Two More.
 An officer from Coalburg told State Herald reporter yesterday afternoon that two of the four remining convicts at large had been caught yesterday after
 
 not been notified of the capture at he time. The reporters informant said that Bart Thrasher and another are still at large.
 Was It ThrasherP
 Yesterday a man was seen by MT. Bivings and his son asleep in a freight car at Biving's switch, station on the Southern railway a few miles west of Coalburg. They believed he was Bart Thrasher, and thinking that he was armed they were afraid to arouse him. When the Coalburg accommodation came along they requested the conductor to leave the car on the siding until they could obtain assistance to capture the supposed desperado. The conductor however, needed the car. and when the train started off the man jumped out and ran away. MT. Bivings is positive it was Thrasher It is said that Thrasher Is armed with a revolver.
 The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company has offered a reward of $50 each for the capture ofthe convicts.