The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-11
BULLETS FLY IN A PRISON.
DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO RELEASE
A CONVICT IN BOSTON.

IN IN tuu W = htEoNuGE9
wounded MOrtaliy-A Keeper Also Hurt.
BosroN. Mass, Aug. 1o.-Herbort Willis, o
life inmate OF the State prison, Everett Willis,
his brother. who came to the prison ostonsibly
on q visit, and L. S. Darling. a veteran turnkey,
were shot in an outbreak at the institution at IL
A. NJ. to-day. Other officers were moro or less
seriously wounded in tho fight, during which
thirty or forty revolver shots were exchanged.
1t is probable that the Willis brothers will die
and that Darling will recover.
Everett Willis went to the prison to see Her
bert this morning, and took with him two 49,
calibre revolvers. one Of which he handed TO tho
convict. With these weapons tho two men tried
to fight their way out Of the prison by shooting
Darling. Other keepers were injured by being
beaten in the face by the convict and his brother,
who used their r%evolvers as weapons
after emptying them OF cartridges. Her
bert Willis is in tho prison hospital and
1t Is thought he cannot live twenty-four hours.
He received n bullet in the left forearm, one
passed through his tongue and lodged in his
throat, another Is believed to be lodged in the
base of the brain, and a fourth entered the back
near the right side. Everett Willis Is at the
Massachusetts, General Hospital with q bullet
in the left chest and one under the right ear. He
may recover.
Elijah 5. Darling. the oldest officer in point of
service at the prison. received q bullet in the
right arm which broke the bone, and another in
the right thigh. He also received a severe scalp
wound. He is at his home near the prison and
hopes are entertained of his recovery. Keeper
Townsend was so near Herbert Willis when tho
latter fred at him. that his eyelashes wero
singed. He was not hit by a bullet. but got a
bad blow in tho face from a revolver butt.
Keepers Whitman and Abbott were also bat
tered about the head.
Everett Willis called to sec his brother about
10 O'Clock, and the murderer was brought from
the shop in which he works to the rotunda,
and. according to the rules Of the prison.
was allowed to pass one hour with his
caller. The officers Of the State prison
realized what a desperate criminal the convict
was. and when he and his brother took their
positions in the chairs directly in front of the
west wing Keeper Whitman sat down at the
table in the centre of the room, where he could
keep a sharp oversight of the pair. In further
precaution Keeper j. s. Abbott sat in q chair
nearer the entrance to the rotunda.
Turnkey Darling. at IL o'clock. stepped up to
the men and told them that their time was up.
and as soon as he turned his back on them and
started toward the centre of the rotunda he was
directly in the line OF the keepers. That was
undoubtedly the time when tho revolver was
passed to Herbert Willis. In an instant the two
brothers began their fusilladc.
The convict fired three shots at Witham. but
his aim was 30 poor that all went wide. Proba-
ably the shots were first directed ut Witham be-
cause he is looked upon by noarl y all the prison.
es as the most severe officer in the place. When
the first bullet whistled by his head Witham
crouched behind the little table at which he had
been sitting, and while in that position drew
his revolver and returned the fire.
Everett Willis turned and sprang at Whitman In
the face OF the fire OF the keepers revolver. He
closed in on Whitman, and then, taking the bar
Eel OF his pistol In his hand, he beat the keeper.
ne struck Witham two blows over the
time the fasiilaade had been heard in ali parts
Of the prison. The keepers drew their
RsSis s 4stua na@ F There to tht tRs ela aSors lf fof admt so
sion, but It was several minutes before they
and, accompanied by Warden Bridges, who was
3S Hmped into Si tSe t GReh Of bfG the eea tlsGt. do Ierb snq
Willis was then standing. over the PROSTATE
pody OF Darling striking him in the face with
Townsend fired, at the prisoner and a little
t%rickling OF blood at the left ear showed where
Herbert Willis broke from the officers and
Townsend fired again and the convict, spinning
around like a top. staggered to the east end OF
then rushed to his brothor's assistance, firing
three bullets at Townsend at point blank range
then fired at Everett, and the latter staggered
rs the bullet struck him.
Everett's revolver was now empty. Towns.
end saw him reach into his pockets and pull
out IA handful of cartridges. Townsend sprang
c c9FMide 80 i feae th ei rey PGI9re * Tee eosid +. e. & B tho
1amin, who by this time had got into the room.
closely followed BY Abbott and one Or two
Everett.
Benjamin thrust his pistol almost into tho
face of Everett and pulled the trigger. The bull.
let p%louEhed a hole from under the y!oppg
fiSrredf there fale was a still light IN hi fnouHfn lie saw say I that
he did not have time to load his revolver, so
finDinU fhn On p pfH A. IN fhn nnnn lA col
seized his weapon by the muzzle and advanced
70 meet the keepers. who were now surrounding
Everett struck Townsend in the face and oyer
inc head With his empty revolver; i%ntieting
bit back, but forcing, his revolver qp. through
the grip which the other had about him. placed
hs This s ended sl thS night; About thirty shots had
OF the half dozen women visitors to the prison
Were hat; Warden Bridges said regarding the
II was in my own room outside tho office
Tnen ! heard the sound OF the first shots. l
then On. .0T Tho shots bos P %dse io H1S the ea aight ot Tss
~ Tapia succession. rushed inside, and Just
floor. az The Da6 6TlnE WAS WAS iii. tfiiip soih TO d rise BUT from 3nst th ne
tnht moment Iownsend's bullet brought the
"ltw was desperate fight, the most desperate
ihft has ever occurred In this prison, think.
hsa Ihe nFst occurrence OF its kind while have
Sst aouht that the intention OF the vii.
rs brothers was to shoot down the two
3nuets on guard inside. take the keys
Ironl the man who Ind charge of the door, then
fhsh OUT here and XIII Townsend. who sat at
tnat desk. and myself and anybody else who
Happeheu TO come in their way. For frustrating
onat desperate atiempt and holding their pri5-
oher' as Wen as preserving their own lives, I
cannot t2P hiRhiy praise the officers. They
rvSnhti WIN bravery ana are deserving of the
Werden Bridges. when asked as to whether or
not u - customary to search visitors entering
sne prison To- sec friends, said that it is never
zone. An oiliCcr! Is puL in such a position that
nc can see II there is any attempt made
o pass anything to tho prisoner during
Inc VISIT; ana lie can COntro. that matter.
sroh NE careful way in which the
tttack ny ne Willis brothers must have
Deeh llhhheh. there Is no doubt that during the
ppoIohEeG conversation they had gone over the
Sni,lo pan ]t3Srlher, and thai when the re-
voIters were draw each ono knew lust what
par ne was 70 take ~ the onslaught which was
70 loilow. Everett Wills, while on the way TO
me ~h0sInlnI IN tho nmbmlnnce. mndn a con.