The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1896-10-15
JAIL DELIVERY.
PARTICULARS OF THE ESCAPE.
The Shooting of Lifesay.

Correspondence to THE COMMONWEALTH.
HALIFAX, n. c., Oct. II, 1896
On the night of October 9Th nine
prisoners broke Halifax jail, not the
Jail proper, but an out house in which
they had been placed pending the re-
pairs to the Jail, and made their escape.
The night guard became aware of their
flight only in time to save the remain
ing six, (there we're fifteen in all in the
out house,, two of whom had also
broken the shackles and were prepar-
ing to follow. In one of the sides OF
the house there is small gauze win
dow through which they made their
escape and it is presumed that they
broke this window during the day be-
fore.
The night guard founo out that they
bad gone by one of the remaining num-
Der calling to them (the guard) and
saying that the prisoners had gone and
that one of them had taken his coat.
Mr.. Reid, the Jail keeper, was summon
ed and when he reached the Jail at two
o'clock that night, the other prisoners
in the out house said that they had
broken the shackles and window during
the day before, and called upon one of
the ebay guard" who was now present
and who said that he had heard noise
during the day but did not know
what it was. The jail yard was open,
tho main gate having been broken
open the afternoon before by some one
to get out some cement. So, all the
birds had to do was to walk noislessly
out of the broken window, out of the
gate, and "skeedaddle," which they did.
The guard occupied a small vestibule
adjoining, only door be-
tween, the room in which the prisoners
were held. The night was dark and
cloudy and the guard had no knowledge
Of the escape, nor would they have
known, so they say, it the prisoner had
not Informed them that they had taken
his coat, so noislessly did they move
out. They did the work with razor
and two spikes. How they came into
The possession of these no one seems to
know. They are yet at large.
L1FEsAY SHOOTING.
A party had left town to go 'possum
hunting on Tuesday night, the 9th Inst.
The barking of the dogs near town
James Ousby, Jr., and John
1ifesay, who went out to join the hun
ers. The hunters were farther away !
han they expected, so they concluded
o return to Halifax and were passing
'ver Quankey bridge about 10 o'clock.
they heard a wagon approaching and |
oncluded to wait and get ride. The
wagon come along and just about the
lme it had passed, some one on the
wagon shot. The young men ran off,
7hen a second shot was fired and John
4lfesay was shot in the back under
be shoulder blade. A surgeon was
nable to find the bullet which is still
4 Lifesay. Mr.. Birdsong, an employee
f the Harrison dist1llery, was arrested
nd had a preliminary hearing before
Justices M. III. Clark and John Fenner.
lie was committed to Jail. Mr.. E. L.
'ravls represented the prisoner.
Young Lifesay is improving slowly.
10Th are men of good character. No
ords were passed, according to the ev-
lence, when the shooting took place.
fer Lltesay was shot, his companion
usby called to the WAGNER to stop
nd take them to town, whereupon the
river whipped up the horses and drove
1 the direction OF Halifax. Halifax
eople all regret the unfortunate oc-