The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1895-09-17


capped from the Haley Jail last
Friday. Sheriff Fenton gave ur
the pursuit about four hours
;. after Lawson got away. There
has been nothing done since that
time to ascertain the whereabouts
of the criminal, who does not
seem to be wanted by the author
tiles. HALEY Times.
This is a pretty state of affairs
to exist Lawson has escaped
and his capture will never take
place unless some effort in that
direction is taken. We might
just as well kept him here, in
secure as our jail is, as to have
sent him over to Haley, where
they have a fine and costly jail.
The matter could not have been
any worse. The few days that
he did remain in our jail after
the death sentence had been pas
sed upon him, he was not allow
ed TO remain in the corridor of
the jail until 10 o'clock in the
night" but was securely confined
lin cell and strong guard plac-
ed over him day and night. Had
he been released from our Jail
there would have been some ef-
fort made by our sheriff to ap-
prehend the person who had com
mitted one of the most foul and
cowardly murders on record.
But with the sheriff over in
Blaine county it seems to be diff
ferent, as the Times says: tSheriff
Fenton gave up the pursuit about
four hours after Lawson got
away" Nothing has been done
since that time, we are informed,
by that sheriff to ascertain the
whereabouts. If Sheriff Fenton
was Populist sheriff the old
party papers would have gone
wild with denunciation. But
Mr.. Fenton was elected sheriff
or. a combination ticket, Demo
Republican, hence his censure is
light. Parties here who have
known Sheriff Fenton for years
say that he is very honorable
man, while others not acquainted
with him, express their belief
that the "hold-up' was intended.
The MESSENGER does not believe
that Mr.. Fenton was bribed in
any manner whatever. But we
do believe that he was entirely
too easy and careless in this
case, and through carelessness
he was held-up and Lawson lib
Grated. Who ever heard of a
prisoner under death sentence
being allowed to remain in the
corridor of Jail until 10 o'clock
in the night, and not even a
guard Such a thing is utter
carelessness. He should have
been kept in the steel cage at
all times. If this had been done,
as the law contemplates, the
sheriff would not have been COM
PEELED to take such chances at
night. The sheriff of Blaine
county is responsible for Law
son, as Sheriff Hosford has his
receipt, and it is his duty to ap-
prehend the criminal if possible,
but it appears that no great ef-
fort is being made. Some believe
that Lawson is secreted down on
Lost river, as his two sons have
been seen there. No reward
has been offered, and we do not
believe that our Commissioners
will act in this matter with our
taxes already S645 1t seems to
us that the State should offer a
reward in this case. The State
stayed the execution, and had it
not done this the sentence would
have been fulfilled on July 26th
last. This case has been a fear
full blow on Custer county, cost
ing the taxpayers over S5. 900,
and at last the criminal escapes.
1t is almost enough to make any
class of people resort to the old
1"Vigilence Committee" system
of justice, especially in a brutal
murder case like this one was.
Some believe that Lawson is in
hiding on Lost river in hopes
of numbering other enemies of
his. On the morning of Sept. 6,
the next morning after the jail
delivery at Haley, Joe Rogers
said he saw four horsemen at a
distance, on lower Antelope. This
comedies with the number at the
escape on the night previous.
Rev. Hawkes.. of Salt Lake
City, is in Challis.
No railroad mail arrived here
on Saturday last.
Salmon Recorder The tax
levy has not been definitely fixed,
but will be in the neighborhood
of IS. S5 on each 800.
ToL-- A14lx- xxo. J1xx,x. Fx~.-.