The Anaconda standard., 1895-05-26
SKIPPED THE BARS
Two Prisoners Walk Out of Jail and
Leave the Town.
TWAS VERY WELL PLANNED
BY a Fractious Cay
use. the Sheriff Is Unable to
Run Them Down-Posse Or
ganized and I'm Pursuit.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

Special Dispatch 10 the Stan1ard
Glasgow. Mont, May 25.--One of the
best of Jail breaking plans was exc
cuted this afternoon with neatness and
dispatch, and should cause The bodies
of the James and Daltons 10 turn over
in their graves with envy. Charles
Sophie, charged with the lurder of
Billy Allen at Calbertson. and George
Trotter. charged with horse stealing.
are the two meE who escaped Abou:
o'clock this afternoon two men, riding
good horses, each leading n saddle
horse, rode out OF the dense brush on
the banks of the Milk river. a quarter
of mile back of the jail. They rap
idly approached the Jail and the pris-
oners opened the door with a key and
walked out. Trotter had the audacity
to tip his hat to the sheriffs wife. who
was at the Jail as he left. The men
then ran and met the horses. Sophie,
who has been incarcerated six months,
was so weak that he fell twice before
he reached the horse in waiting for
him.
The alarm was given Immediately,
and Sheriff Willis. who was up town
at the time. was notified. He rushed
into stable near by and saddled a
strange horse and gave pursuit. The
fugitives were within a few hundred
yards of the river where they intended
crossing. but so rapid was the sheriff
in giving chase that they gave up the
attempt TO ford and started over the
hills about a quarter OF a mile east of
town. Sheriff Willis was within 100
yards of them when the four pulled
their rifles from their saddle scabbords
and commenced shooting.
The first shot grazed the sheriff's
horse and the frightened animal began
plunging and pitching. The sheriff was
an expert rider. an old cowboy, and il
looked for a time as If he was going
to get control of the horse. but the
! cinch broke and with il went rider
and saddle. In the meantime the bull
let's were flying thick around him. 1t
required dauntless courage for a man
well armed to attempt to take four
desperate men who were fighting for
sweet liberty and all armed with Win
chester rifles and Colts revolvers. but
for a man with nothing but six
/ shooter going against such a band re-
/ quired the nerve of a lion. Thus un-
even was the contest. The fugitives
rode to the top Of a hill and stopped.
A well-authenticated rumor has Il
that they planned robbing the bank
before they left town, but IL this was
their original scheme circumstances so
altered the case that they gave it up.
Sheriff Willis Immediately secured an
other hose and with a posse of seven
men started in pursuit. The fugitives
had a big start and were mounted on
the best horses in the county, and IL is
scarcely likely that they will be caught.
They will either cross the line into
Canada or make the Bad Lands. where
pursuit will be almost impossible. The
horses and saddles they were riding
were stolen from the stockmen in this
vicinity.
These men were to have been tried at
the term OF court that begins Monday.
| Trotter is quite a polished man. be-
ing well educated. He has been a
drummer for an Eastern grocery firm
until the last year. when he openly
engaged in horse stealing. Their two
| confederates are supposed to be Henry
| Smith. alias Dutch Henry, and Trot-
ter's brother. All of them are con-
| sidered hard men in this part of the
| country. They are all old cowboys
| No blame is attached to the sheriff
| His fearless pursuit is applauded by
| all. There is no jailor in this county