Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-08-14
HARRY TRACY, OUTLAW
When a Mere Boy He Became
Desperate.
EXPERT AT UNDoING HANDOUTS

Desperate Criminal Who zas Terror
lied the State of Washington Has
on Several Occasions Sprung Hand
cuffs and Shackles While Walking
With His Guards,
When Harry Tracy, the desperate
who has terrorized all the state Of
Washington, was small boy, he es-
tablished his reputation as dangerous
criminal in Monroe county, Ia, says a
dispatch from Abba, Ia, to the Phila-
delphia North American. Late III the
fall of 1887 a fine road team belonging
to r. o. Cramer of Abba was stolen
from stable in the heart of the city.
The theft occurred at 8 o'clock in the
evening and was so bold that persons
who saw two men drive away from
Cramer's barn with his blooded team
supposed that the horses were being
taken away with the permission of the
owner.
After spending several thousand dol
lars in recovering his team Mr.. Cru
mer and Sheriff NIilt Forrest Of Abba
connected Tracy with the crime and
found him in Jail at Wymore, Neb.
Extradition papers We're secured, and
Tracy was brought back to Abba for
trial But the work of the officers had
only begun. The prisoner was locked
In the county jail only few hours
when guards discovered that he had
picked all the locks between himself
and freedom and was about to make
his escape.
Unwilling to trust the man In a cell,
Sheriff Forrest ordered that he be
taken to the Cramer hotel and kept in
a room under the constant watch of
guards George and Frank Harris,
two of the sheriff's deputies, were Sc
lected as the mans guards. Tracy
warned them that they had undertaken
a big job, and they exercised great
care in making the prisoners escape
impossible. His clothing was all taken
from him. and he was given wearing
apparel which was known to be free
from any sort Of weapons or tools. The
room was cleared Of all furniture that
was not absolutely necessary for the
use Of the prisoner and his guards.
Frank Harris agreed that he would
be handcuffed with the prisoner and
would sleep with him, thus making es-
cape impossible. The door leading into
the third story room, in which the man
was imprisoned, was securely locked,
and George Harris stood guard in the
hall outside. In the middle Of the first
night the prisoner was kept in the ho-
tel Frank Harris a~oke and discov.
cred that Tracy had sprung the hand
cuff from his wrist and was standing
at the door, which he had unlocked
without the aid Of any tool. A broom
straw afterward found on the floor
was supposed to have been the means
Of picking the lock
On other occasions Tracy sprung
handouts and shackles while walk
Ing with his guards. His great skill at
manipulating locks baffled all guards,
and finally Sheriff Forrest was com
PEELED to send the man to the state
penitentiary at Fort Madison, Ia,
where he was kept until time for his
appearance In court. During his trial
a small army Of men watched him con-
stantly. A woman who gave her name
as Minnie Allen was arrested in con-
nection with the theft Of Cramer's
horses, and it was shown that she
Joined Tracy and his partner some
where In Missouri and Travelled with
them to st. Joseph, Mo. She was tried
at the same time Tracy was, but was
not convicted.
Tracy was convicted and sentenced
to seven years in the Fort Madison
penitentiary. He made the boast that
he would escape from the officers ON
the way to prison, but large guard
made his escape impossible and finally
landed him behind the bars, where he
remained for five years. He was a
model prisoner, and his sentence was
committed on account of his good be-
hayior. He was employed in the black
smithing department during his i'm
prisonment and proved to be skillful
workman.