The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-08-22


citizens of Frankfort were thrown in
TO a state of wild excitement, Nednss-
day, by a riot in the prison, start
ed by an attempt to gain their liber-
ty on the part of the three desperate
murderers, Lafayette Brooks, of Nor
gan county, and Wallace Bishop and
L. Mulligan. of Kenton county.
Before the riot, which began at six
o'clock in the morning, and lasted I'M
til after ten, was quelled and the
mutinous convicts captured, Bishop
YVES fatally wounded, Mulligan was
shot in the shoulder and negro con-
Wet. Albert Ransome, of Louisville,
whom the desperadoes had pressed
into service, was hit by rifle ball.
Starting of the RiOhng.
The rioting started while Brooks,
Mulligan and Bishop, one of whom
| had a pistol concealed about his per-
son. were coming out of the dining
room to answer a hospital call. Sud
denly one of the convicts drew
weapon and compelled Guard A. IL.
| Gill to give up his arms. Guard F. +.
Hurst. who rushed to Gilrs assistance,
! was also captured by the convicts.
Capt. Matt Madigan, acting warden,
then rushed forward with six guards
and fred on the bunch but no one
was wounded. The convicts then ran
across the yard, and at the entrance
to the reed department of the chalr
factory. captured Charles Willis, OF
| Clark county. foreman.
Used Captive As a Shield.
They covered him with their pis-
tolls and placing him between them
and the guards, retreated to the rock
err department in the chair factory,
/ when they could command a good
view of the entire yard. At window
they stationed Willis, and Brooks,
with a revolver in his hand. took
position just beside the captive, rest
inc the muzzle of the weapon on the
foreman's left side. The convicts then
defed Warden Lillard to attempt to
capture them, shouting that they
would kill the foreman at the hrst
move made against them
Citizens Denied Admission.
Rv this time, several hundred citi-
gems, many of them heavily armed,
had gathered at the prison gates,
Int the warden denied admission to
all He issued order for all the
shops to close, and for the prisoners
TO be returned at once to their cells.
He then placed guard of 60 men
| in Jrh1
desperadoes had barricaded them
selves. and called on them to sur
render. The convicts' only reply was
taunt. For the protection of Fore
man Willis. the warden then deter
mined to starve the desperadoes into
submission.
An Ignored Proposition.
In about half an hour note was
dropped from the window of the
room where the convicts had taken
refuge, asking Warden Lillard and
Deputy Warden Madigan to come up
under a flag of truce and deal with
them. This demand was ignored
Shortly after this, James Buckley,
former city workhouse keeper, and
Morgan Brewer, a former guard at
the penitentiary, climbed to the roof
of a residence overlooking the build
ing in which the convicts mad taken
refuge, and fired several shots into
the room where the desperadoes were
intrenched. They were compelled to
desist, however, as Foreman Willis
was forced to the window in the line
of fire. He called to the men to stop
shooting, and informed them that a
negro convict whom the desperadoes
had forced into service had been
shot in the shoulder.
Another Note Dropped.
At nine o'clock another note was
dropped from the convicts'w window Of
\ fering to surrender if the men were
| insured safe delivery to the dollhouse.
| This request also was ignored. The
convicts requested that Capt Lillard
| and Capt. Madigan come in person
| to escort them, but it was believed
| that this waS merely ruse to kill
| the officials.
still Another Note.
| Later. aHOlneT nOlc was oiousho
from the desperaooes by FRANK
Brooks. of Bond county. The note
stated that If the warden would come
| to the head of the steps leading to
the reed department the convicts
| would surrender, first sending their
weapons down by Frank Brooks.
Proved to BE Il Ruse.
Warden Lillard prepared to accept
| the terms of this note and as mat
ter of precaution half-dozen guards
were placed in the hospital overlook
| ing the reed department. Warden LII
lard accompanied by eight men then
proceeded to the foot of the stairway
Suddenly the crack of Winchester
was heard, showing that the note
| was but ruse.
One of the Three Killed.
eve got Bishop" shouted q
| guard. "He is dead"
The prisoners had emerged from
the reed room as they had promised,
with hands up, but as they proceed.
ed down the stairway, Bishop dropped