The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-02-17
Jail Break.

$3.50 Chas. Ray, Arthur Harris ane
Frank Thomas, made their escape
from the county Jail, where the.
were confined awaiting Tor theiI
second trial for the holding up an(
robbing of Robert Johnson last fall
AS to their escape we give it as tolc
to our reporter by the Court House
janitor. "These three persons have
been confined quite closely in the
steel cage, letting them out only
long enough to eat their meals
twice day. Of late there has been
one outside in the corridor until
last Thursday evening. That eve
ming as we were returning to the
Court house from our supper
about O'Clock and while passing
the north end of the building. we
heard a saving upon the wall
After being sure it was some one in
side of the Jail, we FASTENED to no.
tify Deputy Lauderdale and both
returning heard the same. We
soon proceeded to the jail and
notified the outside prisoner to GO
inside the cells. The Deputy re-
quested me to look after the fire
before going to bed. All went we'll
that night. When we went in the
next evening to fix the fire Charles
Ray was sitting by small stand
playing "Solitory" as he called it,
a eucher deck, one of the boys on
each side of him looking on, all in.
side the hall way of the cell.
After standing and talking with
the boys a few moments, we pro-
ceeded to fix the the fire which was
completely out. We went into the
sheriff's office and got some waste
paper and kindling wood, and then
made the fire. Then we stood and
talked with the boys again. AS L
started to go, one OF the boys asked
me if l would not 60 and get a
sheet of paper and an envelope.
said I, and proceeded to
do so, and on returning, l stopped
to put some more coal on the fire
and while stopping over to pick up
the scuttle of coal, two of the pris-
oners came from the east side of
cells and one of them jumped up on
my back, grabbing or locking his
arms, while the other grabbed me
by the coat collar as l was swung
around and both carried me along
the west side, and then the north
to the east where the hole was
made through the steele cell on the
north east corner, close to
the floor. Large heavy strings of
rawhide and gags which had been
prepared were handed through the
hole by the third one who had not
come out yet. While taking me
around to this point I was cautioned
not to yell or make a noise, and no
one would harm me. First my
hands were tied cross-wise In front
of me with heavy cord, then my,
feet, and then the gag put into my
mouth. After seeing me secure
the third one-Frank Thomas
crawled through the hole which ne
seemed to do without much effort
After l was tied, Ray drew from
his pocket a knife and stood over
me while the other two dressed
themselves. Harris stood over me
with a knife which he had in his
hand, then / was taken behind the
cells while Ray dressed. Then
they stuffed two notes into my
pocket, and then with some
blankets made bed on the north
side of the cells and laid me down
upon them, then with the other one
from with they tore strip, tied my
hands and feet together. After
cautioning me not to raise an
alarm and telling me they would
be in the courthouse an hour and a
half, they left the Jail. No sooner
had they gone, in fact, as soon as
they had laid me down, | tried to
loosen myself. They had searched
one coat and hip pocket for gun
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