Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-11-16
JUMPED FROM TRAIN
DOC ShELTON'S ESCAPE FROM
OFFICERS OF THE LAW.
With Irons on Hands and Feet Bandit
leaped from Window and Dsap
peared-Woman Would Not Assist
in Recapture.

IN Recapture.
About fifteen years ago said r. e.
Harriott, II was gobbled up and made
deputy sheriff to help rearrest man
who had robbed the Deadwood stage
killed the driver and one of the pas
sengers.
81 was out with my theatrical com
pany at the time, and we had just sue
ceeded in loading our baggage Al
Omaha, when | saw coming toward
me on the platform motley group.
In the lead was man with handouts
behind him the sheriff and an austere-
looking clerical gentleman, and bring
ing up the rear man in a red shirt
high top boots and slouch hat, lead
ing two bloodhounds. My curiosity
was excited and after we had taken
our places in the passenger coach
sought out the man with the dogs and
learned from him that the man under
arrest was the notorious Doc Shelton.
who about six weeks before had rob
bed the Deadwood coach. killed the
driver and one Of the passengers, and
made off with the contents of tho
We]ls-Fargo box which contained tho
treasure.
1T seems that in making his escape
Shelton hal left a fragment Of lis
coat, which had caught on a nail in
the stable where he changed his hpraa,
and, with the aid of the blOOdhOunds,
tie sheriff and the man in the red
shirt had trailcd him through the
county to Jasper. Ia. whore he had
taken refuge in the home OF his father.
who was minister. The sheriff was
taking Shelton back to Cheyenne,
where he expected to meet his fate
while We were journeying through
Nebraska. nice appearing lady ask
ed and obtained of the sheriff pcrmis
sion to talk with the prisoner.
I'm the course of their conversation.
as she related it attcrward, Shelton
related to her that the cause of his
straying from the path OF reetitude
was the loss OF his mother, who had
passed away to her reward. That his
father was one of those austere over
bearing men who foHnd fault with his
every act. and followed it up when he
was a boy by administering severe
punishment He said that his mother
made intercessions for him. and that
when she died his home was no longer
endurable, and he had left it to be-
$onle an outlaw. His only joy, ha
declared. came from the thought that
Sc would soon be with her in heaven
"Shelton did not look like the des-
perate character that he was. He was
most amable. a good talller and an
entertaining person. The train stop
per for dinner Shelton was hand
cuffed and his feet were ironed and
the woman went out to her dinner.
When the train started up again the
prisoner asked for permission to go to
the toilet room. which was granted.
We were running at the rate OF abOEt
twenty miles an hour at the time.
stood talking with the sheriff, near the
door. and after lapse OF about fifteen
minutes the sheriff called on Shelton
to come out There was no response
and after waiting a few minutes
longer tne QOOf was IOrcPd ana the
place was found to be empty He had
made his escape through the window,
Notwithstanding he had the irons on
his legs and wrists.
"The train was stopped. | with sev
eral others were made Deputies and
the bloOdhoundS were brought out.
There was a call for something be-
longing to the prisoner, and with this
the lady hurriedly left her seat. open.
ed her valise and placed something in
the bottom of it. The prisoner had
taken all his belongings With him and
there was nothing With which To start
the dogs on the scent. After looking
about for about an hour an order came
for the train to so on. and jumped
aboard.
when got to San Francisco |
learned that the lady who had held
:he conversation with Shelton had OBJ
iained his observation-disclosures. and
when the call was made for something
belonging to him she hastily placed it
in the bottom of her Nalise, for fear
il would be discovered and made use
Of to put the bloodhounds on the trail
and lead to his being captured
THAT was the last ever heard OF
Doc Shelton. He never was brought
to Justice. In fact, he seemed to drop
OF the earth. ."-Milwaukee Sentinel.