Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-09-12

I
most ingenious prison escapes In Grim
inal history.
Shepard is a very ignobie kind OF
murderer. who was convicted and sen
fenced to be hanged In st. Louis PEND
Ing execution he was occupying oeh
No. 80 In the city prison. Shepard does
not now occupy cell No. 80, Cell NO.
81 commands pleasant view Of tne
gaiiows In the Jail yard. Perhaps II
was this view and the continuous DIN
Of workmen's hammers and SAWS
which stimulated Mr.. Shepard 20 cheat
the gailows OF It's due. One OF the
local papers, with unconscious humor,
says that "the GOODNESS OF the MUIR
derer and his utter caiiousness Is
evidenced by tho fact that one
Of the prominent Instruments in his
delivery from the strong arm OF the
law was the scaffold on which be was
soon TO be hanged for his brutal
crime" - 50
Shepards roommate in cell No. 80
was George Reed. a wife murderer. VINO
is under sentence OF ten years In the
penitentiary. He does not seem 70 have
been admitted TO the confidence OF
Shepard. He knew nothing OF the
proposed escape. On the evening, Of
Sunday he calmly went 10 sleep about
3 o'clock. His companion was slum-
bering In another cot. Al 4 o'clock
Monday morning Reed woke up. A
storm was raging outside, With accom-
paniment Of thunder and lightning.
The thunder doubtless had awakened
the wife murderer. A fash OF light
lining revealed 70 bin the Tact that bis
neighbor was gone. There seems 20 be
livery little esprit de corps among muir
derers. Al all events Mr. Reed prompt
~ gave the alarm. That was the firsi
the guards knew Of the unceremonioui
departure OF Shepard.
The last seen Of him was At O'Clock
in the morning. when one Craig, q 5si
r guard. after !, answering a request 81
) shepard Tor matches. gave up his pcs
!. 10 4 guard named Leifsch. What be
|, came Of Herr Leillch from that um'
d until the escape OF the prisoner WA
!. discovered 10 buried In the profonns
intelligence Of Herr Leilich. So far b.
!. has modestiy grefrsined from expiana
o. lions. III
& As soon as the change Of guards ha'
= been effected Shepard must have gon
= 10 work. His cell opened on the mai
d area OF the jail and there was also
n rear door opening on the bpil pen.
n narrow enclosure which runs aroun
= the fail between the cells and the out
4 aide wall. A door. securely barret
NJ leads from the cell 10 the bull pen. o
~ the bottom, Of the door was an iro
=. Mate. fastened by iron nYets. In u
mattress on the bed OF Shepard wa
found an ingeniously constructed saw
q ii is the theory OF Jailer Wagner thi
~ shepard had been working on u
!" riyets holding the plate with his -
- for a long time. Anyhow he had II
u rlvets sawed through when the guart
~ changed. and. with piece of broom
~ s,ick Whitfield OF on one end 10 Il
-. shape OF wedge, he pried loose Il
'u' other four. and the nrst door in
~ avenue OF escape was open.
,ha Before making his start he took
~ chin basket he had in his cell. al
II with the aid Of a couple Of blankets
10 made a presentable dummy for bis q
u ON the other cot Of the cell Reed snor
= soundly. After the dummy was q
ranged Shepard lay fat on the DO
'en ami began TO work himself through I
re- narrow opening. Now he was In I
On bull pen and right in front of him W
IN, the big hole that had been dug
ees the Jail sewer. For days he had be
~ standing at the rear door OF his z
o. watching the men at work, and