The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1902-08-08

pcnitehtiary he was serving a sentence OF
% years. Merrill was I'm for Is years.
Trucey'H long sentence was due to the
fact that he tried to kill an officer who
attempted 70 arrest him when he and
Merrill were committing ''hold-upsf in
Portland. Tracey. just before he was
sent 10 oregon prison. lad been mem
Der Of gang that was terrorizing Port
land Finally the officers surrounded
the house and captured Merrill. Mer-
riirs mother Was angry and helped the
officers catch Tracey. IL WAS then that
Tracey attempted a detectivrs life When
Tracey and Merrill were finally landed
at Salem. Warden Jones underestimated
tho resourcefuiness and daring Of these
two prisoners. At all events he did not
attempt 10 separate the two men. who
continued month after month to labor
In the stove foundry Of the prison. The
morning OF June 9 promptly at seven
o'clock. the prisoners were paraded to
their various workshops and set to their
daily task. This is done 50 regularly in
every prison that the guards regard il
as a bit OF routine they do mechanically.
Nothing to them Is more surprising than
20 be called upon suddenly to do the
very work they are put there for. No one
Of many who were In the foundry seems
to have seen what occurred. Certain
il Is that Tracey and Merrill walked to
their places as usual Certain II is that
somewhere near the places In which they
worked were two large rifles loaded and
ready for work The two prisoners could
net have carried the guns from their
cells. No one scems 10 have seen them
seize these rifles. but just as the fnunr
dry squad was about to be turned over
70 the guard. Frank h. Farrell. and put
to work. a shot rang ont and Farrell fell
dead.
The stove foundry was next to the
wall A yard surrounded It and % feet
Guards were stationed upon the walls
armed with heavy rifles to shoot any
luckiess prisoner who crossed that line.
Tracey and Merrill rushed to the yard,
followed BY the guards who had paraded
the foundry gang to its work Near
the door Frank Ingsham, life convict,
undertook to stop them. only to receive
rifle hall.
Reaching the yard Tracey. whose SHOTS
seldom failed. fired at every wall guard
IN sight. One OF the bullets killed ,. r,
r. Jones. n guard. and his fail made
every other guard IN the place hesitate
&c expose himself as a target for either
OF the desperate men. The watcmen re-
turned the fire, however, from all sides
and behind shelter. but In the rain Of
bullets the convicts took a ladder from
the side Of the foundry. put it up against
the eo-foot wall, climbed up and jumped
oyff.
IN the meantime. two Of the watchmer
mad rushed out 60 the main gate and
circled the outside OF the wall. hoping e
head on the fugitives. They ran into
them face to face. hut with quicknesi
born OF thorough desperation the con
victs had them covered with their rifles
Compelling the officers 10 drop theil
rifles. they made thcm walk in front o.
them across the fields. hostages Of tn
good behavior OF their fellow tailers OF
The walls. Once IN the heavy timber tn
long chase had begun.
Little r. known OF Tracey's life heforl
l he went 10 Seattle It is believed that h
murdered Valentine Hoge. a Colorado
stockman. and William strong. a boy
IN 1897. IN Colorado.