The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-10-11
GUARD JACOBS STORY
OF FIGHT FOR LIFE

The first accurate description OF the
initial stage Of the break at the state
penitentiary Friday evening was given
last night by Guard Zed Jacobs, as he
lay I'm his bed at the Holy Cross hospital,
20 which institution he was taken yester-
day afternoon. The story which he told
brought out the fact that no one was in
the outer office when Alexander Robert
son turned in the first general alarm.
or else the ring-leaders would never have
been able TO make the progress they Gld
anyone was In the office, ne either dis
regarded the signal. or else the alarm
bell did not sound in response to Rob
ertson's pressure upon the button on the
top floor of the north cell house.
Guard Jacobs says the first alarm was
turned in almost Immediately after the
prisoners made an attack upon him. The
second one was given after Robertson had
left his hiding place, having seen Con-
pick up one Of the ladders and run
through the first floor of the south cell
house to the yard between it and the
south wall. Guard Jacobs story OF the
first break Of the prisoners is as follows:
Guard Jacobs Story.
THE bell had just been rung for the
prisoners to go to their cells I went to
the office to get the keys for the court
doors, bakery and kitchen. As 1 passed
A.. through the library I did not see anyone
They were evidently hiding. or had gone
into their cells TO wait until I had gone
upstairs. Robertson was right behind
me.
'eyvhen I. reached the third step on the
stairs leading down into the library 1
heard a command from below:
Hold up your hands.
Il took another step down before fully
IeanLed WhdL ni,d Deen Sald 60 me lheh
j looked down and saw Waddell holding
q revolver in my face. In one hand I
held the heavy keys. The other was free.
When / came down l attempted TO knock
the gun out of WaddelIs hands with the
keys, but did not succeed. Then ]
jumped at him. Just as I grabbed Wad-
dell, either ConnOrs or Abe Majors struck
me on the side of the head.
Nerved For the Worst.
IT knew then that I had more than
one man to tackle. and neryed myself for
the worst. / got one arm around Wad-
delTs neck and with the other I at
tempted to reach his gun. Twice
thought he was going TO shoot from the
position in which he placed the revolver
but he did not. All this time the other
TWO men. whose names I do not know
were pounding me on the head with some
FINALLY i grabbed yvaddelrs hand anC
got q partial hold on his revolver Fear
ing that 1 was going to get it away from
him Waddcll called TO the mem
&C. Hit him. hit him hard. boys
W nile they were pounding me for al
they we're worth. ] began to think oil
Guard Wilcken In the south cell house
and by mighty effort I broke away
from the men, They chased me arOunl
the library several times, trying TO catcl
me. All this time was bleeding pro
fuselv from my wounds on the head.
Kept my eye upon tIe door leading iut'
the dining room. which connects with tn
south cell house. intending to make
break for 1t. taking my chances ON being
shot i'm the back Just as I got ready u
make the break two men entered through
the door, 4 saw at glance that M
escape was cut or, so I picked up
chair and squared away for a fight TO
Struck at Waddeu.
"WaddeH was the nearest man to m
and 7 brought the chair down mt him
He threw up his right hand and caugh
the chair as IL came down and gave II
shove AS he pushed 1t towards me-
You have been there before
He ignored my remark but turning {
the men behind him, said.
'IIit him. boys; so in for him.
Two OF the men got the chair frOr
me. I was getting pretty weak from th
loss Of blood. While we had hold Of III
chair. Majors snCdked up behind me an
dealt me a terrific blow. which was fO
lowed by another from COnnors on tn
top Of the head, making this long wound.
and the guard carefully placed his han
ON the bandages on the left side of hi
THE blow Connors gave me knocke
me down and 1 lay on the floor. One q
the men said:
what shall we do with hime'
Lock him in a CELL was one suggel
no. he is an right until we get away
iuterpOlated another.
''The men then went into the dinin
room leaving q man TO watch me.
was while they were gone that they gC
Guard WIcRen
Before they knocked me down. Ma
Wnll came i'm ard grabbed COnnOrs' ham
and ala jOrs struck him a blow. whfC
made Maxwell release his hold The
C0nuOrs gave him a blow on the hea
%hich knocked the poor fellow out
Tried to Catch Robertson.
Just as soon as Robertson found II
condition 7 was ia he ran up the stel
and turred in the alarm. COunOrs sa
him 60, and thinking that ne was gOiI
10 turn in an alarm, followed him. sa
ing that he would Kill him III he caug
him. Connors tried his best 20 cat'
Robertson, but the latter got away fro
him by hiding in au dnoccupied &c
came ont and sent In a second alarm.
During all this time was lying
the floor under the clock. After Qua
Wilcken had been taken they came bat
20 me I heard one Of thu men say.
81" Well, we VIII take him on the otn
side; take hold.
Hall carrying and dragging me tn
took me into the south cell house VIM
] got there thcy were unlocking the dea
cells. A few seconds later "a man walk
up TO me and said:
2. We'll what shall we do with him.
90 Guess sve had better finish him rig
here came the answer.
Just at that moment Lynch came q
and ne said.
no need Of this IL viii only aggrava
T. TO r.