The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-28
FIGHT THEIR WAY OUT OF JAIL
CONYTCTS AT FOLSOM, CAL, TAKE
WARDEN AND GUARDS ALONG.
kill One and Wound Others-Let Warden
Go. but Keep the Guards as Hostages
Governor Calls out Militia to Pursue
Reported Battle with Posse.


Go. but Keep the Guards az Hostages
Governor Calls Out Militia to Pursue
Theml-RepOrted Battle with n Posse.
FOLSOM, Cal, July 81. The most daring
Jail delivery in California history occurred
this morning. when fourteen oonvicts
at Folsom prison escaped. At breakfast
time they rushed Warden Wilkinson nnd
several other officers who were in the office
OF the captain of the guard They were
armed with razors and knives and quickly
overpowered Capt Murphy and the warden
The warden's clothing was slashed into
shreds with razors, but the blades did not
touch the flesh. G.. j. Cochrane. turnkey
Of the prison, entered the Office during the
assault and seized q chair, with which he
made for the assailsnts. He rained blows
upon them right and left, but he was relied
by a knife thrust in the back. IL rs though
he may die William J.. Cotter, guard,
was cut in the abdomen and died three
hours after. w. G. Chalmers was severely
cut in tho head The floor Of the capt AIMS
Office was covered with blood.
The several hundred prisoners remain
ing in line made no show OF disturbance.
and they were quickly returned to their
cells The escaping convicts seized weapons
from the officers and, with Warden Wiiltin-
son, Capt. Murphy and others az captives'
proceeded to the armory, where they
equipped themselves with four rifles, knives,
pistols and ammunition. They used the
Warden and other captives as shields 70
protect themselves from the Calling guns
as they moved across the prison yard
They then went about mile toward Nor
mon Island. Some OF the captives were
made TO dress in oonvicts garb while the
runaways put on their clothes.
The warden and Capt. Murphy were then
released. but the others were held az hos
tages and will probably he put on the firing
line, should p,irsuers come up with them.
The convicts next went TO a farmers house,
seized his four horses and wagon, Quilted
the house of everything Of value. took
the farmer with them as driver, and
are now headed for Bald Mountain. 1t is
believed that they will scatter, and. as
they all have civilian clothes, it will
be very difficult TO trace them.
The Governor has called out company
counties are in the field with good posses.
The country is very rough and several Of
the escaped prisoners know it thoroughly.
Among the escaped are three life uermers
for robbery and a number OF others whose
terms run from twelve TO forty years for
burglary and robbery. All are desperate
men, Escapes have been expected for some
time. as the warden has been too lenient
with the men. 1t was expected that Chris
Evans, the one-armed train robber would
be among the escapes. but ne made no
attempt TO join them.
Warden wilkinson gave this story Of the
escape: -.. ,-,........
"Thia morning, about e:5S o'clock,
went up to the prison. ss 10 my custom, to
see the convicts oct breakfast. Ihave been
doing this same thing every morning for
three years and half, and never take go
much as a cane with me to protect myoeR.
They had not in all that time raised hand
against me. I stopped at the captains
Office TO wait for the prisoners to walk out
from their breakfast We were sitting in
the office when the line appeared from the
breakfast room and started for the grounds.
Suddenly seven or eight of the prisoners
made rush from the line with raDors and
knives drawn and came directly for US.
They were Joined by others and blood
began to flow in all directions. l saw it
was hopeless TO put up fight against such
odds One OF the convicts came up be-
hind my back and reached over with razor
and tried to cut open my abdomen. You
can see how my belt is cut from end to
end and how my coat is hanging in shreds.
The conyicts got ME and Murphy and
other officers, whom they disarmed. They
kept lis and proceeded to the front gate
toward the armory. The gatling guns on the
station hiIltops and along the prison wells
would have been fred. but had this been
done they would have killed the captain and
officers, as well as the escaping prisoners
So the gatlings remained silent and the
guards were unable either to assist us or
to prevent the escape. AS we neared the
srmory, the guard came out and they
seized him. They took his keys, entered
the armory and equipped themselves with
weapons.
"They then started along the road and
crossed the prison ranch toward Mormon
Island bridge After had got about a
mile, they let me go. although they took
my hat away. They made two others
strip, and the remaining officers. five in
all, they took with them AS oaptives."
PLAcERvrLLE. Cal, July 27-It is re-
ported that fifty men under the Sheriffs
closed in on the escaping convicts at Pilot
Hill, near Auburn, and that fight took
place In which Fred Howard, q convict,
was killed and A. Seabin, another convict,
wounded. The report is that the convicts
became demoralized and have scampered
into the surrounding woods.
A company OF militia is near the scene
of the fight, and by spreading ont the SOL
diers ought TO catch all tho oonvicts.