The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-08-12
Convict Willis Condition is
Reported Improving.
A Warrant for Everett's Arrest
Applied For This Morning.


X.
Willis may possibly survive wound:
which he received In the shooting affal
at the state prison last Tuesday morn
ing when he. aided by his brother, at
tempted to gain his liberty by shooting
down the guards In the rotunda.
Yesterday afternoon. few hours after
Governor Wolcott had paid him visit
and had departed. the convict regained
complete consciousness.
The doctors gave him a pint of milk
which the convict drank slowly but with
an evident relish.
A short time after he had taken this
nourishment the prisoner appeared 10
have gained strength to a considerable
degree. He locked about him at the va
rious parts OF the room and then wear
lily closed his eyes and suffered his head
to droop to one side.
Last night Officer Hyde said that an
other officer was on guard at the tos-
pital In the west wing, and that he was
keeping a close watch upon the convict
In order to note any change. The ap-
pearances last night indicated that Will
lis would possibly pull through.
officer Darling was reported as being
in a comfortable condition by the nurse
at his home last night. All signs point
to slow but comparatively sure recovery.
Everett p. Willis was resting very
comfortably at the Massachusetts gen.
eral hospital last night and seemed to
be gaining materially in strength
He passed a very fair day. and in the
afternoon the surgeons attending him
removed the bullet from the flesh wound
in his chest.
No attemp."was made, nor will one
be made at present, to remove the one
in his head.
Everett Willis, the desperate youne
man confined In the Massachusetts hos
pital, Is watched every minute of the
day and night by an armed officer from
station Is. Charlestown, and the officials
have not In the least abated their vigil
lance by his supposed weak condition.
In the opinion Of those who have had
anything to do with the youth since he
was first placed in the ambulance, he Is
not so badly or as he would have his
attendants believe. They think that he
is playing deep game, and If given the
slightest opportunity will exhibit sur
prissng activity for man badly injured
Willis. as he lies on his cot in room
on the first floor of the hospital. Is an
Interested observer of all that gDes on
within the room, and has betrayed him.
SELF In several instances when off his
guard. He frequently talks to his
guards, and the manner in Which the
questions are put shows the direction
OF the young mans thought.
1t Is admitted by the persons who have
seen him at the hospital that, on the
slightest opportunity, Everett Willis will
make at attempt to get his liberty that
VIII be parallel with the desperate en-
doavor he made within the Charlestown
prison to release his brother. That he
Is on the watch for just such a chance
was shown by an incident yesterday.
An officer had just relieved his COM
rade at the bedside and sat down I'm the
chair with his eyes on the prisoner.
Willis appeared to be asleep, but the close
watch OF the officer showed that he knew
what was going on In the room. The
officer kept his eyes fixed on him. and
then made test which showed startling
results. The officer leaned back in his
chair. and, with his face toward the he'd
closed his eyes until he could just see
the prisoner under slightly opened lids.
Everett was on the watch. BY degrees
his eyes opened until he could see the
officer apparently doing In his chair.
He waited few moments, and them the
desperate character of the man showed
plainly In the act that followed.
Slowly and quietly the prisoner raised
himself In the bed until he sat upright
with one foot resting over the side of tn
bed. His quick eye took In a survey Of
the whole room. resting particularly on
the window. which. by the way, is on the
first floor, and contains no bars or graf
ing. The OfRcer allowed the man to take
quick survey Of the room, and then he
slightly stirred. Quick as a flash the
young man dropped back in bed In the
same condition as before
The state prison officers who made
such heroic fight Tuesday to prevent
the escape OF young Willis. the murder
er, who Is serving life sentence I'm that
institution. were severally complImerted
by his excellency Governor Wolcott yes-
terday for the courage they displayed
and the Judgment they exercised.
The governor visited the institution IN
the forenoon. accompanied by Secretary
Bailey OF the board OF prison commits.
sioners. He was received by Warden
Bridges, and spent about an hour In
qulring into the shooting.
Martial Law Mt Oporto.
London. Aug. 12.-The Daily Mail rub
fishes dispatch from Opor.o, portu.