The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-10-02
A DARING
JAIL BREAK
Two Desperate Men Gain
Their Freedom
BUT ARE RECAPTURED
Halted at the Point of Winchester Riff,
and Forced to Surrender. Are
Again in Limbo.

]. F. Smith, alias J. A. Davis
charged with forgery, and James
Welsh, under charge of burglary.
made a daring escape from the county
Jan Sunday night and for a few brief
hours succeeded in eluding the Of
hcers, but were afterwards recaptur-
ed and returned to the county bas-
tlle The escaIl was one of the most
daring that has occurred in recent
years. and evidently had been care
fully planned and the details care
fully arranged for.
Ihe two men were noticed among
the other prisoners about Z O'Clock
Sunday evening, but when 1U or Is
minutes later the inmates of the Jail,
who are allowed in the corridor dur
ing the day, We're locked in their cells
Smith and Welsh We're discovered to
be missing. A search of the building
was made and tneir mode of escape
discovered.
The corridor of the Jail runs east
and west entirely through the build
ing with the Jail office on the east
end. There is door opening from
the west end of the corridor lead
ing out into the Jail yard, which is
surrounded by a high board fence
1t was through this door that the two
men succeeded in making their es-
cape. Whether they had key or
filed the lock enough to gain their
freedom, is a mystery, as they took
the lock with them and threw it away
After gaining access to the yard
they at first attempted to dig under
the boards. but this proving a bigger
job than they anticipated they tore
off board about six feet rom the
ground, ana escaped that way.
AS soon as their absence was noted
an alarm was turned in and Under
Sheriff Mccarthy, who was in charge
of the sheriff's office in the absence
of Sheriff Hand. Immediately took
steps to head off the fugitives. Men
on horseback and with teams were
started out on every road leading
from the city with instructions to
get 80 miles away from Kalispell as
quickly as possible and tnen work
back over the route. News of the es-
cape was telegraphed east and west
from Kalispell and. men were sent tC
Summit and Troy to watch the freight
trains and to prevent the men from
escaping by way of the railroad In
this way every avenue of escape was
cut off and there seemed no doubt
but what the men would surely be re-
captured. While these men were
watching the different exits from the
city others were hunting throughout
the town.
Deputy Sheriff Jack O'Neil and Otto
Johnston, a trusty awaiting sentence
on charge of burglary, drove dowr
on the west side Of the lake as far
as Stoner's and, hitching their horses
there, awaited developments. It was
about 12 o'clock when they arrived
at Stoner's place and as hour afte1
hour passed by with no signs of the
fugitives it seemed as if they were
on blind trail. The night was raw
and chilly and the watchers were de
cidedly uncomfortable. but not for
moment did they relax their watch
fulness. johnson stayed with thu
team, while O'Neil took his station
little further down the road, in tn,
shade of large tree. AS the nigh
was clear and the bright moonligh
made objects visible at long dis
tance. this precaution was necessary
About half past two Monday morn
ing, the barking of dogs some dis
tance up the road denoted the aI
prOach of some one. who. it wa
thought, would be the men wanted
And so it proved Thinking that tn
pursuers We're surely behind them an
entirely unsuspicious of the danger il
front, the two men came down tn
road walking at rapid pace. TIL
bright moonlight revealed them dis
tinctly, and the waiting officer had n
difficulty in recognizing them as III
men wanted.
Ar hn crlv
the shaded spot where he was stant
light. and throwing his Mincheste
rifle to his shoulder. exclaimed
"nands up" The two men were ba;
ly startled, but lost no time in elt
waiting their hands. After warnin
them that the first move on their pal
he would kill them the officer, keel
ing his rifle ready to fire. tossed hi
handouts to Smith and told him t
put one on Welch's left hand and on
on his own right hand. this order. en-
phasized by the wicked looking riff
was quickly obeyed and the men wer
linked together. They were the
marched to the buggy and the driv
to Kalispell commenced. Smith an
Welch were thoroughly cowed by tn
attitude of their captor and made n
trouble on the way back and abo,
5 O'Clock were again placed in the
old quarters.
When searched at the Jail, a lara
amount of food was found on the
persons, such as potatoes. meat an
bread. which they had secreted viii
eating at different times and kept hi
den for use. when they had escape
On their arrival the Oregon Boo