Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1902-06-13
MUTINY IN OREGON PRISON.
TWO c0NWcTs MURDER FOUR MEH AND
MAKE THEIR ESCAPE.
Prisoners Were Armed with wincbesters
and Revoivers Which IL Is Presumed
Were Supplied Them by Friends
Who Visited tho Prison.

Harry Tracy and David Merrill, two
desperate prisoners serving sentences
OF twenty and thirteen years, respect
lively, in the Oregon penitentiary for
! robbery, Monday morning killed four
men and escaped from prison.
At 7 o'clock the foundry gang OF
| prisoners we're marched to their work
In the usual manner. Frank Girard, a
guard, counted them into the shops and
announced the number to be 159 to
Frank Terrell, guard at the first post
in the shops.
Just as Girard announced the num-
Der and received Ferrell's all right, he
heard a rifle shot and also the exclama-
ton: "My Godl" from Terrell, who
fell forward from shot fred from
rifle in the hands OF Tracy.
Tracy at once turned upon Girard
with an oath and began shooting. At
the same time Merrill began shooting
at John Stapleton and the other shop
guards, all OF whom escaped miracu-
lousy under the rapid fire. Ingram,
life prisoner, attempted to disarm
Tracy, but he was shot and mortally
wounded by Merrill
The shooting at the foundry was done
so quickly that it was impossible to
summon aid, and the two prisoners at
once started for the prison wall, which
they scaled by means of ladder,
Once outside the prison walls Tracy
and Merrill turned their attention to
the fence guards, and S. r. Jones, 20
Gated on the north west corner of the
stockade, was the first TO receive bull.
let from the escaping prisoners. Jones
escaping prisoners Rugged the fence
and prevented the guards from getting |
at them. Jones was shot once in the
abdomen and once in the breast, dying
almost instantly.
Guard Tiffany commenced firing at
the men and soon emptied his Winches-
ter without hitting either of them. He,
too, was good mark for the fugityes
and they sent bullet through his
right breast. The guard fell from the
wall and the prisoners carried him in
'front.' of them as shield. Finally
when they escaped out of range of the
prison they shot Tiffany to death and
ook his rifle, which they soon threw
way, however, as it was empty. They
hon dfSunnaaYed in tba wood
While Tracy and Merrill were shoot-
ng at the guards on the fence, the war;
ZEN summoned every available man
round the institution to his Subsistence
u order to prevent the escape of any
4 the other convicts. The penitentiary s
} only two miles from town, and the
ews soon spread. Sheriff Durbin, with
number of citizens, all heavily armed, l
ushed to the prison, prepared to put c
owns the riot, but when they reached s
here everything was quiet. None of I
ne other prisoners took direct part e
J the revolt and only short time n
as necessary to bring all the convicts n
'om the shops to their cells and lock d
lem IN. a
A determined posse is on track of the q
urders, and they will be captured, "
lad or alive. Both of the escaped p
,nvicts have a record as bad men
Tracy and Merrill were armed with
tort Winchester rifles of 30 caliber,
1T where they secured them or con-
aled them is not known. The theory =
that the rifles, together with three
volvers, which they are known to :,
ssess, were passed in Sunday by =
cursionists from Portland, who were :,
lowed to go through the penitentiary. :,