The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-07-24

ViOiA cOoAo 0o1CduAAuS lAOAn Il1o CyCc
and as penitent and abject as mortal
could we'll be imagined, r. H. East,
the convict who made his escape from
the federal prison last March and was
returned there Tuesday night, had a
long and confidential talk with War
den Hawk, > estedray morning.
Thus far no details of the. conver-
sation relating to the escape itself are
known to any other than the warden
and the prisoner, but the hint has
been thrown out that the facts evolved
from the conference were Of an in
teresting nature. East told of his
experiences from the time he crawled
through the iron grating of the win
dow on March until he was brought
back by officers Nye and Petty through
the big front door. In regard to the
suspicious of Warden Hawk relative
to the manner in which East escaped
III which the guards figure, all that
East is known to have said was that
he knew his man and picked the time
for going. This, he said, however,
with a smile that might be taken to
man much or little.
In the conversation with the war
den East said that the thought of es-
Gaping or attempting its accomplish
ment never occurred to him until the
recent batch of prisoners were brought
here from the Indian Territory. In
the number were several whom East
had known, and one in particular who
had been his intimate acquaintance.
From this one East asys he received
message from the Territory which
made it almost imperative that he go
there. He said lie at once started
planning to get out; that he bided
his time, and when the proper NOM
ent and conditions came he left.
ANSWERED A MESSAGE.
An effort was made to get East to
tell what this message was. At first
he declined to discuss it in any way.
Then, as though great relaxation to
some mighty tension had come, this
man who had faced lurking dangers
by night and day TO resist capture
even to the last extremity, who had
shown the most astute cunning and
grit, bowed his head upon his hands
and sobbed like child
Finally East agreed to divulge his
secret to Warden Hawk after the
latter had promised no publication of
it should be made. He said he would
not relate the facts to him then, but
if allowed the use of pencil and paper
he would write the complete story.
The articles were furnished East and
he will be given his own time to..fnish
the work of detailing this interesting
statement.
Although reticent as to the way in
which he accomplished his escape,
East showed no hesitation in discuss
ing his experiences after he had reach
ed the outer world. He even laughs
at some of the predicaments he found
himself facing at times, and refers
with special pride to the occasion of
his holding up the agent Of the
Queen and Crescent at Brandon, Miss.
and releasing his pal, O'Rourke,
whom the agent had arrested East
says it was ludicrous sight to see
him holding the agent at the point of
a pistol while the agent held his
hands aloft, his own pistol in one and
the gun he had taken from O'Rourke
in the other.
STORY OF THE ESCAPE.
According to the story told by the
convict, when he craWled out of the
window he made at once for the rear
of the prison. His direction toward
the railroad and through the culvert
near the McDonough road he made his
way. AS soon as he had placed several
miles between him and the prison he
went into the woods and there re-
manned for time. Cautiously his
journey was continued until he had
covered probably twelve miles. This
was early in the morning, and soon
East came upon farmer in field at
work. Up to him East walked clad
in his zebra garb. He did not stop
to parley words with the farmer. but
made demand for an exchange OF
clothing, remarking that the farmer
could dye the prison and have good
suit. Evidently awed, the farmer
complied with alacrity to East's de-
mand, the exchange was made in the
field. and when East made an exami'
nation Of his new apparel it was *
find himself e5 scentsy the richer fo1
the bargain.
a.ft