The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-23
SHOT TO KILL.
Desperate Attempt Of County
Jail Trusty to Escape.
Steals Revolver and Frightens
Wife of Sheriff.
HE MISSES A DEPUTY.
Fires at w. E. Stewart Who
Captures the Culprit.
Prisoner an Example of Youth
full Total Depravity.

There was great excitement at the
county Jail this morning when Stewart
st. John. a prisoner, attempted to es-
cape st. John is boy about 16 years
OF age, and is in Jail charged with the
burglary Of the depot at RossviIle.
He was trusty and this morning was
employed scrubbing the kitchen in the
residence portion of the jail. Some one
always keeps an eye on the TRUSTEES,
but this morning young Stewart was
left alone for a few minutes and dis
appeared. The alarm was at once
given and the officers started on a hunt
for him. w. E. Stewart who is en-
ployed in the sheriff's office, was left
in charge of the Jail while the jailer
went with the searchers. The officers
had only been gone few minutes when
Mrs. Cook discovered st. John hiding
under the stairs in the basement. She
was badly frightened when she saw the
boy with revolver leveled at her and
screamed. The screaming brought
Stewart down the stairs on the Jump
and st. John ran out of the house and,
just as Stewart got to the door, he
jumped over the high fence at the
north of the Jail Stewart at once ran
back through the Jail to the alley on
the east and as he turned the corner
was greeted by shot from st. John
who had dropped behind a shed in the
weeds Stewart shot at him but
missed. He leveled his revolver at St
John before he could fire again and
made him put up his hands. He was
| then taken to the iail and the other
| officers were called in.
Stewart st. John, and that is a ficti-
! tious name, as he admits is the tough
| est boy of his age Topeka officers have
| ever met. He claims that his home is
| in Kentucky, and that his father is a
| travelling man with headquarters in
| l. IL
| in the house of correction in st. Louis.
/ and when the members of the national
charities and corrections convention
visited the Jail here se-era1 of them
knew st. John and talked with him.
In talking of the affair after he had
| been returned to his cell, he said: Il
| intended to hide and get away at night,
| but when Mrs. Cook saw me 7 had
to make a run for I knew some one
| would come. I ran out of the house
| and just as I got over the fence man
with a big gun came in the yard. l
was behind the fence and had a dead
| bead on his head when Mrs. Cook
| stepped between us. OF course she
didn't see me aiming at him as 1 had
! my gun pointed through a knot hole.
Stewart can't shoot little bit, and ]
am glad it wasn't Carl Lawson who got
a shot at me"
He said that he had learned from
another trust- that there were two
guns kept in the house, and since he
had heard of it he had been planning
to get them and escape. I would have
made business pick Iip for them if ]
could have found a box of cartridges
but I couldn't find any and had to take
the gun with just the loads that were
| in it If 1 could have got behind some
thing 1 would have got several of then
before they hurt me-
Don't you know that it will go hare
with you now?' he was asked
Yes, but I don't care. I know lot:
of fellows in the coal mine, and i
won't be for more than five years.
.'SupDose you had killed Stewart
don't you know that you would havt
been hung?"
''Oh. I guess so: but am tired o
staying here in Jail, and I would jus
as soon plug one of them fellows a.
not"
What makes you so bad: did yol
read dime novels and Jesse Jane
! books?" inquired some one.
mo, : never read dime novels.
am just naturally tough
The boy did not show the least sig
2 of nervousness and talked calmly owe
: the shooting. He is not a bad lookin
boy, and uses much better languag
| than the average tough boy.
Tie was put in jail on the charge c
: burglary, but was allowed to plea
! guilty, and was given a Jail sentence
7 which would have expired on Octo