The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-08-28
Deputy Sheriff Willard Kills Row
Sewall.
SHOT WHILE ESCAPING FROM JAIL
When Called Upon to Stop, He
Refused To Do Sole is
Killed on the Spot.


Thursday morning, Aug. 90, Roy
Sewell, who was imprisoned in the
Sturgis jail on the charge of grand
larceny, broke Jail early in the
morning and was killed while resist
ing re-capture by Fred Willard,
deputy sheriff. Sewell was arrested
last June on the charge Of stealing
about twenty-five head Of COWS and
calves belonging to Eugene Holcomb
and the Clay, Robinson Co. At the
preliminary hearing he was bound
over to the circuit court in $500
bonds, which he was unable to fur
nish and since then he has been in
jail awaiting trial. The coroner's
jury held an inquest over the body
and returned verdict exonorating
Willard. The S'urgis Advertiser
gives the following account Of the
affair:
'"rhursday morning at six oclock
Roy Sewell, who has been confined
in the county Jail for the past few
months. for stealing cattle, asked
Jailor Kelley to take MIN to the
water closet. Mr.. Kelley complied
with his request, and when near the
office door, Sewall sprang away from
him and out through the screen door
into the street, thence to Harmon
& .Venors butcher shop where he
sneaked in the back way and taking
down Fred Wil!ards rifle and belt Of
cartridges, held him up, backed out
through the front door into the
street, held up John Venor and
Chief of Police Beaver near by, ran
up main street to Martin & Bunt-
ing's stable, ordered a saddle horse
and then went back to the old Star
& Bullock corner. In the meantime
Jailor Kelley had gotten his shot
gun and followed to the Bloom cor
ner,. arriving there just as Sewell
came back to the opposite corner.
Fred Willard. as soon as Sewell left
the butcher shop, went to H. 0. An
derson & Sons hard ware store
where he procured . rife and ran
up the street after SeweL. He ar
rived at Blatt's corner at about the
same time that Jailor Kelley arrived
at the Bloom corner. Kelley told
Sewell he had better put down his
gun and go back to jail. Sewell
said he would rot, he would die first:
he had his gun in position to shoot
and told Kelley that he had nothing
against him, but if he came an inch
nearer he would kill him in his
tracks. Willard had about that
time taken a position in front OF
Blatt's door that faces Main street
he said: Roy, put down that gur
and throw up your hands. Roy
wheeled immediately and fired al
Willard, the ball passing through
the sash, breaking pane Of glass
and striking the heavy outside cas-
ing and then falling to the sidewalk
Willard fired almost simultaneously
with Sewell, the ball from his gun
striking Sewell in the jugular vein
on the left side of the neck and he
fell to the ground, dying in a few
minutes. Mr. Willard then raj
across the street and took his gul
and returnen to his shop. ia lol
Kelley got to Kelley at the same
time that Willard did Sewen sur
vived long enough to say: Kelley
I'm glad its all over; forgive every
body" and life was extinct. Th'
remains were carried to undertaking
rooms to be prepared for burial
Roy Sewell was twenty-five wear
old He came to the Black Hill
from Pierre several years ago
where his parents, who are highl.
respected. reside He had beel
pretty wild for year past and wa
inclined to be tough: in western par
lance. "a bad man His peopl
were notified Of the sad occurrence