Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-07-31
C0NV|CTS KILL
PRISON GUARD
Thirteen Men Escape Fro"
Folsom, CaL, After Des-
perate Fight.
KNIVES AND RAZ0RS ARE USED
Warden's Clothing Is Slashed INTO
shreds, but offieia! Is Not Injured
Prisoners Take Hostages to Prevent
Volley From Calling Guns.

Folsom, Cal, July 2S.-Thlrteen
convicts from the penitentiary here
fought a desperate battle with the
prison oflcials, and after killing one
man and wounding two others escaped.
They started away from here with
Overseer McDonough and number OF
others as hostages and headed toward
Bald mountain.
The latest reports are that hight
between the convicts and a posse has
taken place near Pilot Hill in which
Fred Howard was killed and A. Sea-
bio wounded. Both are convicts.
The convicts are said to have scat.
tered and are making for the sur
rounding woods. A company OF mill
tia from Placerville is en- route to Pilot
Hill and should now be on the imms
date scene OF the fight.
San Francisco, July 29.-At latest
accounts the troops and posses or
gained by the sheriffs of the diner
ent counties are keeping in close
touch with the convicts who broke
out of the state prison at Folsom and
their prisoners, the guards and jail
officials, waom they have taken with
them in self protection.
At 10 o'clock last night the con.
victs turned Bernard Schlottman
Joe Foster and the following prison
officials loose:
]. C. Mcnonough, G. Gelter. J. w
Dolan, w. J. Hopton and Thomas
J. Seavey. They were released in the
brush about four miles south OF
Diehl's place and came into Diefs
about 6 o'clock this morning. John
Klendorff, one of the guards, tum-
bled out Of the wagon during the
firing at Pilot Hill and escaped I'M
hurt. This makes all the free men &C
counted for and safe. Last night
Convicts Woods. Thereon and Ed
ridge left the others. Woods is said
to be the coolest and most intelli.
gent among the fugitives. During the
firing he gave directions to the con-
victs with great GOODNESS. Thereon
claims he planned the escape. Con-
vict Gordon left the gang at Mormon
island. He is we'll armed. The con.
victs are somewhat short of ammu-
milton and are without supplies, hav.
ing lost them in the fight at Pilot
Hill. All Of them had small lunches
in their pockets, but when the shoot
ing began they threw them into a
box in the wagon and few minutes
later fed Nearly all of them have
little money.
The free men had a most remark
able escape. Three of them have bull
let scratches and abrasions. Seavy
was burned on the cheek by bullet;
Schlottman was grazed under the
chin, the mark showing plainly, and
Hopton was grazed on the back of the
neck. The convicts debated whether
to kill their hostages or turn them
loose. There was difference of
opinion among them as to what was
best to do, but they finally decided to
let their captiyes go unframed. About
100 shots were exchanged in the bat
tie at Pilot HILL
Company H. of Placerville, under
command of Captain G.. A. Swisler,
is In pursuit Of them. 1t is believed
the escaped convicts are in the vi.
entity Of Lotus, seven or eight miles
from Pilot Hill.
Accompanying the militia are near.
ly fifty civilians, all heavily armed.
The country in which the escaped
prisoners have sought safety is very
rough, with heavy growth of timber
and under brush. Farmers in all
parts of the invaded district have
Joined in the hunt for the escanes