Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-05-25
GIVEN HIS FREEDOM.
State Prison Convict Released From
That Institution Today.
JAMES YOUNG, THE HIGHwAYMAN.
A Short Account OF His Daring Deeds
licrc--Leaves for Omaha
This Evening.

One of the hardest characters that
ever had the doors OF the Utah State
prison closed after him, was released
from that Institution toiay In the per-
sou OF James You lg convicted in the
Third district court of highway rob-
berry aud gent over on the hill, there to
remain until the expiration OF an
elghl.year sentences. ta
Young In years as we'll AZ by nams
the IN an has q checkered career to his
credit, aud perhaps more checkered
one than Is known to Utah officere.
Today Us he stood In the police station
looking over the rogue's gallery, he
recogn zed the faces OF number OF his
old pals and smiled ss he looked upon
them, wondering all the while where
they now we're or wha. had become OF
them.
1t was early In the year '9l that
Young committed tho act whicn cent
MIN 70 the Utah penitentiary. Salt
Lake had lust become i'll from the
ELECTS OF big boom and period vi
depressing times hal been usneted In.
In the DARKNESS OF the night the man
set out to ply his chosen vocation and
he made himself famous In Utah by
mis- deeds of daring which afterwards
came to light.
On the night In question Sharp
Walker Jr. was held up on principal
thoroughfare, and on the came night
two others were assaulted by lone
highwaymaD, who at tho point OF
revolver forced bis victims to release
their vAluabIes. One Of those sssaileJ
was shot at anu TINS brought out sew
erai OF tue bluecosts az well
as City Marshal John NJ. Young.
The city msrshal's sleuthing qualities
we're wide open at that time anu In
the course OF limited number Of
minutes he baggeu his man on Slate
street anu proceeded 10 take him tu the
city hall. When near the Tneater
corner the highwayman brought his
qua into requisition and taking a shot
al the officer, gave him the slip anu
dew into the darkness. Officer Eslin.
yer tracked the desperate character
into back alley on State street anu
dwelling his gun at the gritty fellow
brought min to halt anu thus made
the cspiure complete.
In due course OF time Young ,had a
hearing In the Third uisttict court
and on March 81, 1891, he was found
guilty ana seAteDceu 10 eight years
ia the ponitentiary. alter Deing an
inmate OF that institution Tor over
three years, the desperate gave way
10 his innate tendencies anu
10 Augusi, 1914, he scaled the
prison wall and attempted to
make his escape. Ed Jsnney
WAS guard on the Hill at the time
aud no look chase aud caught his man
in the brush a enort distance from the
prison wais. On another occasion
while Young was being conveyed
from the district court room to the
penitpntiary, someone had supplied
him WITH u revolver, and when near
the OILS silk fact Try on the penitsntiary
road, Young showed his nerve anu
daring by leveliDg his gun on George
Dickson, q guard, In the hope OF
making his escape. The attempt was
futile, however, as Driver Halliday
happened to have revolver along
anu lie dropped IL on the desperate
fellow with telling eff ct.
PAtrolmau Eu Jauney says that
Young 10 Que OF the wors. cha acters
that ever figured III Utah hau, Gun
circles; he woulu XIII man al
the drop OF the hat, and when
oornered always made uesper lte
fl sht before givl-g up. H. is une OF
those fellows who would pride himself |
on dying with his boots 90, that L.,
unless his six yesrs imprisonment has
brought out a resolve 10 do better In
the future.
Sergeant Rhodes OF the police
department had quite tax
with Young toAay, aud to that tfii
Ger he expressed his intention OF going
to Omaha. Tailor Kimball provided
him with good dinner today and to-
night he will leave for other quarters,
dressed in suit OF gray clothes, new
shoes and q cambria shirt.