The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-25
LIKE SIAMESE TWINS
THOUGH HANDCUFFED TOGETHER
CYRUS GREENE AND JIM HUGHES,
TWoMANACLED CoNvICTS RAN
SHOT AT ny THE GUARD, BUT ES-
CAPPED IN THE WOODS.

Two Desperate Negroes, While En-
Route TO Convict Camp, to Serve
Sentences, EIudcd the Guard.
Guard Could Not Give Chase-Was
I'm Charge of Ten other Prisoners.
Prisoners Waited for Opportune
MOmcnt-WhfIe a Passing Wagon
Was Between Them and the Guard
They Took to the WOods-TwO
shots Fired mt Thcm-One Took
Enect-But Wounded Negro Con-
tinued 10 Run-Not Yet Appre-
hended.
Handcuffed together and one suffer-
ing from a gunshot wound, two des-
perate negro criminals, Cyrus Greene
and Jim Hughes, while enroute to the
convict camp and within a short dis
lance of their destination, yesterday
morning eluded the guard and escaped
in the woods on the Augusta road.
The guard, after emptying both barrels
of his gun, was unable to follow the
fleeing negroes because he was in
charge of ten other criminals.
The affair occurred near the three
mile post on the Augusta road, as the
prisoners were passing the settlement
of Woodsville. At 10 o'clock Jailer Sey-
den delivered to two guards, twenty
one prisoners, most of whom had been
sentenced at the criminal session of
the City Court Friday. OF these, IL
in charge of one guard were to be
taken to Convict Camp No. 2, while
the others were to be taken to the
county farm.
Greene the Leader.
Among the prisoners to be taken to
the camp, were Greene and Hughes,
both of whom have unsavory reputa-
lions with the police, the former having
recently been recaptured in Philadel-
phia by Chief Deputy Sheriff Sweeney
after enjoying Illicit liberty for seven
years having escaped from the gang
in 1895. The guard was aware of the
character Of the two prisoners, and
had them manacled together so that
he might keep an eye on them.
There IS little doubt that Greene,
a past master in the art of eluding
officers, conceived the idea of escape.
At any rate the escape was a premedi-
tated one, for when an opportune mo-
ment arrived the men acted in perfect
unison.
The attempt was a hazardous one.
The men knew that their lives were
at stake, for though they were wise
to the fact that the guard would, not
give pursuit, and leave his ten other
prisoners on the roadside to go where
they might, they knew that. at the
first break for freedom he would at
tempt to shoot them down in their
tracks.
Mred on Jay the Guards.
An opportunity presented itself. LAS
the twelve prisoners were passing two.
wagons on thes@road, the two men
placed themselves between the guard
and the wagoass and like a flash ran
into the woodsAw Running around the
vehicles. the gnard emptied both bar-
rels of his guifsa at the men. The second
shot was fired as they disappeared be-
hind shanty In the woods. - ="
The guard is sure that the shot took
effect, the man on the right staggering
for an instant. He was jerked on by
his companion, and soon disappeared.
1t is not probable that they went far
in their manacled condition, the Off
GERS being of the opinion that the
sought shelter in some one of the ne
gro huts in the vicinity until they could
be relieved of the handouts, and the
wound dressed.
There was nothing for the guard to
do but continue on his journey with
the prisoners. Before doing so, however,
he reloaded his weapon and after
wards kept an even closer vigil on his
depleted squad. The two men have
not yet been apprehended. The Off
GERS say that once they have escaped
the guard, the chances of liberty are
all in their favor, for a negro is nearly
always willing to harbor an escape,
and prompted by sympathy to do all
in his power to make good the at
tempted escape.
Slow in Reporting.
The guard did not report the escape
until he had reached the camp, almost
an hour afterwards, and, though there
was little hope of catching the men,
possee was started in pursuit. The
guard could have reported the escape
sooner. Shortly after 1t occurred,
when near the five-mile post, the guard
and his prisoners were passed by two
county officials, who were returning to
the city from the. camp.
The guard spoke to them as they
passed, and though he knew that they
were county officials made no mention
of the escape, which mad happened
only a short while before. Had the
officers been informed of the matter