Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1902-06-11
JAIL BREAK IN oregon
PRISONERS KILL THE GUARDS.
They Were Long Time Men-Made
Their Escape While Going to
Work In the FOundry-ShOt u Fell
low Prisoner--Arms Had Been
Furnished Them.

Salem, Ore, June l0.-Two desperate
prisoners, Harry Tracy, sentenced to
20 years, and Daviu Merrill, a l3 year
man, serving sentence fof assault and rob,
berry from Multnomah county, made an
outbreak from the penitentiary Monday
morning, after killing three guards
Frank Ferrell, shop guard, and S. K
Jones and b. +. Tiffany, feneemen.
The prisoners bad just marched into the
foundry for work at a. m. when Tracy
suddenly appeared, armed with rifle
shot Guard Ferrell, killing him almost
instantly. Ingram, life prisoner, at
tempted to take the rifle from Tracy
when Merrill shot Ingram through the
leg, shattering it. Other prisoners were
forced at the point of pistol to take
the ladder to the wall, when the two
armed men escaped. Going outside, they
shot Guard Jones dead at distance Of
l50 yards. Guard Tiffany, after being
wounded, jumped off the fence and fol-
lowed the men, shooting at them, when
they killed him.
The prisoners then escaped into the
woods. A posse OF 40 men is out after
the prisoners and have them located in the
woods half way between Salem and tne
reform school. The men are desperate
and battle is expected. The posse is led
by Sheriff F. w. Durbin, Sherifr-elect Il.
B. Goliath and officers from the prison
The prisoners are armed with two rifles
and two revolvers. The arms are believed
to have been thrown over the stockade
Sunday night by friends among excursion
lists who came from Portland. Ingram
the wounded prisoner, was sentenced
from Linn county for killing his brother
in 1891.
Guards Taken by Surprise.
Prisoners employed in the foundry
were marched to work at o'clock and
had entered the molding room with the
guard, Ferrell, inside, and Guard Staple
ton in an adjoining room. Suddenly,
without warning, Tracy and Merrill ap'
peared with rifles. Tracy aimed at Fer
rell, when Ingram, life prisoner, attempt
ed to reach and disarm Tracy. Instantly
Merrill shot Ingram, and Tracy killed
Ferrell, the latter falling forward, dying
almost instantly. The prisoners, Tracy
and Merrill, at once made for the wall
near the northeast corner of the stockade
where they scaled the walls by means OF
a ladder. When outside the wall, Guard
Jones, on the northwest corner OF the
stockade, was killed, having been shot
twice, in the abdomen and breast.
Used Tiffany as n Shield.
Tiffany was also shot, and he dropped
off the fence, engaging the fugitives in a
fight. His gun was soon empty and he
was taken by the escapes and used as a
shield while they made for the timber
When out Of range of the prison they
stopped and deliberately killed Tiffany
escaping into the timber Immediately
They had taken Tifrany's gun, but, find
ing il empty, threw it away. Duncan
Ross, new guard, was on the fence neal
Tiffany, having been ordered up to re-
lieve the latter at his post. Ross was un
armed and the escapes shot at him, one
bullet striking him in the forehead, in
ficting a slight scalp wound.
A large force of men is now oul
searching for the escapes, who are known
to be in the timber between the prison
and the reform school, and as they are
desperate, battle is expected before they
are secured. The prison authorities offeI
$1,000 reward for the capture of the pris
oners. The three guards killed have fam
lilies. Great excitement prevails in thi:
city, and scores Of men are leaving Tor the
woods, armed and determined to run the
murderers down. A farmer has just re-
ported that he saw the escapes in the
woods near the reform school, four miles
south of this city.