The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-10-25
CAPTURED!
Smith manages to get out
of the Bismarck Jail
Wednesday Night.
He Was Captured after
Short Chase. He is
Desperate.

A wholesale Jail delivery, which
would have released three muir
derers and a prisoner awaiting
trial for an escape from the state
penltentiary, was only prevented
by the failure of James smith, the
Mclean county murderer, to car
ny out his part of a daring plan of
escape.
AS the plan resulted, Smith
made his escape from the cage
where he was confined. fled out
upon the street and was captured
in an alley near the rear of Frank
Donnelly's residence. Mike Len
Than, jailor. was knocked down on
the floor of the cage corridor. and
his back somewhat injured by the
weight of Smith, when he threw
himself upon the %lailor.
The plan of escape has evident
ly been maturing for some time
and proves the resourccfulness of
prisoners who make a study of
plans to escape. The four priso-
rers, Tic Chilcotf. "Governor"
Griffin. James Smith and Hines
are confined in the steel cage on
the second floor of the county Jail.
Within the cage are three cells
with doors which are locked by a
bar manipulated from outside of
the cage. lii front Of the cells is
a corridor, two or three feet wide,
also enclosed by steel grating. this
is entered by a door from the out
side. When the prisoners receive
their meals. OF when for any rea-
son the jailor enters the corridor
the men are sent to their cells. the
doors locked from the outside, and
the corridor is then clear. For
some time the prisoners have been
hanging up little pictures at the
corner of the corridor nearest the
door. These pictures they. hung
up a few at a time. so that their
presence a not particularly no
ticeablr. until they had the corner
SO we'll covered that the part of the
corridor Just inside was concealed
from view. A chair upon which
the jailor places the food was also
gradually moved from the door of
tn" corridor toward the center.
Last night at about half past six
james Smith. the Mclean county
murderer. concealed himself in the
corner of the corridor. whore the
pictures shielded him from view.
Tailor Mike Lenihan saw that
the corridor was apparently clear,
locked the doors of the cages and
entered the corridor With the even
ing meal.
AS he bent over the chair, Smith
sp2any from his hiding place in
the corner. and upon the back of
the iailor. bearing him to the steel
floor. rs Lenehan fell. however,
one foot was thrust back through
the co ridor door. SO that it could
not be shut.
Tt was the evident plan for
Smith to step out of the corridor
door, throw back the bar which
would have released the three cage
doors anG liberated the other three
men.
In his excitement. apparently,
he forgot this important particu ar
and thought only Of his own
chance to escape. He shut the
door as closely as he vas able,
sprang out into the. hall. ran down
the stairs, and as he did so. he met
Mrs. Bogue. wife of the sheriff,
who vas coming up the stairs.
from the basement.
She endeavored to stop Smith
who was speeding down the upper
stairs toward the door. He
thrust her aside and darted out of
the Jail door. Mrs. Bogue follow
ed him out an | gave the. alarm.
Elvis Wood, who was passing,
heard her cries, and saw the fly
ing murderer. He followed him
around the school house, across the
lot and into the alley. BY this time
it was nearly dark. Wood saw
Smith hiding IN the alley and
crooking his finger in the shape of
a revolver, brought the escaping
man to book. Smith thought a
genuine revolver was staring him
in the face, and surrendered. Wood
took him back to Jail. where today
he is rejecting upon the miscar-
of his attempt. Sheriff
Bogue was absent at the time e
the attempted escape, having ia
ken a patient to the insane hospi-
tai. fIe returned from James
town last night. This is the Sc
ond time Smith has escaped. He
escaped from the Mclean cou nty
Jail some weeks ago and led the
officers a chase for two weeks be-
fore he was captured at Fort Yates