The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-19
Henry Smith. the Spangle Mur.
derer, Kills Himself.
BREAKS OUT OF SPOKANE JAIL .
Being Pursued by Bicycle Rider.
tie Jumps Into the River.
ohaoie 10 swim Across. He Returns tn
SHORE and Il seizeti-He suddenly
Draws a Razor and Cuts His Throat.
Dying Almost at Once.

Spokane. July ls.-H. d. Smith. the CON-
victed murderer OF John Wyant. ehas1as
the galiows this afternoon by k,llin~
H4mse4f IN an Intellectual effort 10 rasajs,
MS Aoerty. For an hour this afternoon
'hefe was intense excitement at tha
county JAN. While deputy sheriNs vera
oot ehaslhg one heeing prisoner. a whoie-
sale jail delivery Was nearly aeeorn-
plished.
smith, VINO occupied one OF the strong
cells OUTSIDE the main Jail corridor, had
Jus5 been served with his meal nv Latter
thompson, and the latter, with Cook
Jlm Brady. had gone into the upper tier
OF cells 10 feed twenty or more Prisoners
Wheh trusiy ir the kitchen sang out;
say, Brady. Smith has got away.'
IN moment Thompson and Brady came
hying downstairs. and saw Smith rapidly
making tracks through the jail ward
BRADY told Deputy Lon Cisna OF Smiths
escape. and kept on close after the fiee-
ing man. Cisna hurriedly mounted his
bicycle and joined in the chase. Smith
ran like deer and was gaining on Rra-
dy. but when he saw he was heing pur-
sued on a wheel he turned south and
started for the river. which he reached
a short distance ahead of his pursuers
Smith leapvd into the rapid current ana
attempted TO reach the other side. bat
the water was running too swiftly for
him. and he was gradually carried In to
shore. A man fishing along the bank saw
Smith coming. ana, hearing the shouts
swimmer. waded out few feet and
grasped the now exhausted Smith by the
collar OF his shirt. Smith struggled A
moment. suddenly pulled out a razor
from underneath his vest. and. before
the man holding him could interfere.
drew the razer across his own throat.
completely severing his windpipe Blood
spurted from the wound In a stream,
and after staggering a moment Smith
sank TO the ground and expired In few
moments.
Meantime. the prisoners In the tail were
not idle. Deputy Thompson in his haste
had forgotten 10 lock the great iron
door leading ou. from the upper corridor
when he started out TO chase Smith. He
left the jail without a guard. and the
prisoners were soon running loose around
the Jail trying to find an avenue of es-
cape. They took one OF the baikand-
chains used for shackling. and commenced
hammering a hoie In the wall. They had
Just succeeded In knocking hole through
when Deputy Sheriff Goodsell. who had
Joined the chase. was notified OF what
was going on. and rushing to the jail
found about twenty desperate criminals
confronting him. He drew his revolver
and fred over the heads of the desper-
ate crew and ordered them TO get into
their cells n. once or he would Kill them.
They concluded to obey. and walked hack
into their cages.
Smiths escape from fail was made easy
ny an oversight Of the taller, who had neg
lectcd TO lock his door after taking in
food.
Henry D. Smith alias Jones. murdered
John Wyant an aged farmer. who lived
several miles southwest OF Spangle. Spo-
kane county. Wyana was thought to have
saved considerable money by his thrift ana
close attention TO his work and was one
of those who had no faith in hanks. and it
was generally believed that he kept his
money secreted about hts house. He lived
alone. and being OF rather unsoclable
disposition, his neighbors seldom visited
him. on the night Of the murder. In 1899.
a farmer named Riley discovered the barn
on wants farm 20 ne burning, and with
several other men he went 20 the place.
Through the flames Of the burning harm
they could soc tho OIL mans blackenef
body hut the heat was so intense that
they were unable to go near the building.
When the fire burned Itself out the re-
mains were found almost entirely cre-
mated Enough remained OF the trunk and
head however 10 prove the body to he that
Of John wyant. Through the head was
found a suspicious booking hole about the
diameter OF a Lead pencil. and through tho
neck another hole was discovered later.
A closer examination proved beyond any
sfoilht that these holes were made by bull
lets and that tho old man had been nsir-
dered Smith was arrested Al Spangle :hs
next night. Blood was found on his cloth
ing. and several charges in his revolver
were gone His hand was powder burned.
The state made out a perfect case of cir
c1fr1qta antiat evidence and the supreme
court refused 20 set Smith free He hal
served seven years at San Quentin prison.
California. for cattle stealing.