The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-29
MAY TURN UP IN BUTTE
Keeping Watch for the Wallace
Refugees.
THEY HAVE FRIENDS HERE
were After Change OF venue-Couldn't
Get Fair Trial at wallace-The
Particulars of the Escape
From the Pen.

Inc military authorities at wardner.
ldaho, have an idea that some of the
indicted rioters who escaped Saturday
night may turn up in Butte, and the
| United States marshal's deputies have
| peen instructed to look out for them
| several of the men who escaped are
quite well known in Butte, and one of
them at least, George Craddock, has
| some friends here, and before his es-
| cape was announced they had been
making efforts to secure a change of
venue for him for his trial on the
charge of numbering Jack Cheyne. 1t
| is understood that the request for a
change OF venue was to be based on the
claim that Craddock could not get
fair trial at Wardner. and that his
witnesses We're afraid to appear in
court and testify for him.
A report from Wardner has it that
Conley & McTague's bloodhounds
from the Deer Lodge penitentiary were
10 be put on the track of the escaped
prisoners. special dispatch from
Wardner gives the following particulars
OF the escape:
The plot was we'll laid. The only
wonder is that scores of rioters We're
not set free. A band of desperate pris-
oners; friends outside of the Jail with
unlimited cash at command; weak
and greedy soldier, faithless to his
trust-these are the factors in the plot
which has been forming for many days
and ended in the daring and successful
dash for liberty.
No one here has doubt that it is a
clear case of bribery. There are hun
dreds OF disguised men in town to-day
who are yearning for one glimpse of
the man who was sergeant of the guard
last night
The Jail break occurred about $50
O'Clock in the evening. So nearly as
can be learned it was managed with
great simplicity. Sergeant Crawford,
who was in charge of the guard, had
gone into the Jail few minutes before
He reappeared at the gateway, followed
by little group of eight ragged pris-
oners. The sentinePs challenge was an
swered, the big iron-barred door swung
open and the guards gazed wonderngly
at the little procession as it filed past.
m taking these men to the hospi-
tai, said Sergeant Crawford in an off
hand way. And the guards let them
pass.
Once outside the stockade the game
was ended. Hurrying out from the lit
tie circle of light the escaping prisoners
made dash for the steep mountain
side, back of the bull pen. The moon
had not yet risen, and moment after
the big gate slammed behind them not
a man was to be seen. The shadows
had swallowed them-sergeant prison
ers and all.
THE had good cause to hasten. Ten
minutes later the ruse had been discov-
cred. The alarm was given. The Sleep
ing soldiers We're reused from their
tents back of the stockade and started
full tilt, for the mountain side But
they were too late. The men had van
ished. All night long the weary pursu-
ers stumbled over the rocks and stumps
on the mountain side. Not one trace of
sergeant or prisoners could they find
1T is evident that no detail of the plot
had been forgotten. The belief is that |
soon after the men started up the noun
tain they were met by friends, who |
guided them to places of refuge 1t is |
supposed that they have scattered in all |
directions. and instead of leaving the |
country, are now in hiding, either in
abandoned tunnels or at the homes of |
friends. Here they may succeed in con- |
cealing themselves for weeks or months. |
finally slipping out of the country in |
disguise or escaping over the mountains |
to Montana at night.
EARLY next morning the pursuit was
taken up with renewed vigor The |
alarm was sent in all directions through
the Occur AleneS. Forty soldiers on
foot and on horseback secured the coun-
try. AT the head of one posse was Cor
oner France, who from the first has
been the most aggressive enemy of the
rioters. reward has been offered by
the state for the capture of one or all
OF the prisoners-no definite amount
being yet determined, but "a liberal re-
ward
mo one here doubts that the plot was
carefully laid. No one doubts that Ser
seant Crawford received a large sum of
money for the treachery for which he
may yet pay with his life. 1t is remem-
bered that he had large sums of money
in his possession, and was flashing rolls
of bills and spending cash freely 1t is
known that he paid s55 on Friday to
get some prisoners out of the Wardner
town jail In short, he acted like man
who had just come into fortune and
hardly knew what to do with the dollars
that burned his pockets.
Crawford had served II years in the
United States army and had earned his
stripes by hard work. He will hardly
larry in this region if he can help it,
'or with his knowledge of army rules
ne must realize that his life is at stake.
His crime is not merely desertion; it is
iesertion from a post of duty, and If he
IAN be captured there is little doubt
hat he will pay the extreme penalty
he penalty of DEATH"