The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1903-03-06
PRISONER KILLED THE jlI[[R|
cHRisT .sENsoN kALe pAvip
MORRILL, or OLYMPIA.
Thurston's County jail Was crowdsd
with Prisoners -esnson Was Lset
In an Outside Room-Hs Tors Lsese
Pipe, Struck MorrsIl On Head,
Took His Gun and Shot Him.

Olympia, Wash, March 3. County
Jailer David Morrell was killed ~
desperate encounter with Christ Bdn.
son. prisoner, and Benson. startled
the city's Sunday quiet by rushing, cov-
cred with blood, up . main residences
street and disappearing In the brnsh.
That seven other prisoners, includins
Charles Clark, who murdered Iii MI
tress, Leila Page. did not escape. 49,
due to the bravery OF the wife of sher.
IN Jesse Mills.
The Thnrston county jail occupies
the second floor OF ramshackle build
ing, where jail breaks have been fro-
quent There Is steel tank In the
main room, but last night 1t was crowd
cd with seven prisoners. The night
before two boys had broken through
he wall of the main room and escaped,
and there not being room for all In the
tank. and the wall not having been
nended, Benson was selected q pris-
oner who could be trusted to stay 81
he ante room, where there u : sink.
trusty named Jack Kahla was lsft
In the main room.
In the night Benson wrenched loose
piece, about foot long, Of the sink
Train pipe and concealed It on his
person.
I Sunday afternoon, just after Ne
prisoners meal, Morpell WAS about -
shoot the bolt on the tank door on the
seven prisoners who had been out ~
the corridor. Benson then approached
1 Nal &vA - -
the lead pipe, then ran out into the
entrance room and tried to get out ths
front door.
kahia Heard the Row.
The trusty, Kahla, was the only wit
ness to the AFFAIR He says M0rreil
vas not stunned. but started after
Benson. Kahla heard blows struck,
4 scufHe. and then . revolver shot. He
got under the table to avoid stray bua-
let's. He then heard two more shots.
a heavy fall and Benson appeared r
the doorway Of the main room with
revolver In his han0. He seixed hi
hat from the floor and rushed ont Of
the Jail.
Kahla ran to the sheriff's houee
nearby. but Sherin Mills was out ef
town, and Mrs. Mills secured q revOl-
ver went into the jail yard and held
at bay the seven tank prisoners. whe
had by that time reached the front
door, and were on the outside steps.
Kahla was sent for an oficer. who
relieved Mrs. Mills, and drove the pris-
oners back to the steel tank.
Jailer Morrell was found on the jail
floor quite dead. He. had been struck
four times on the head with the lead
pipe. shot twice in the body and once
through the head.
It is believed the revolver used was
Morrelas though another was found IN
his pocket. He was in the habit OF car
rying two.
| Posses have been started In pursuit
OF Benson and 25 men are guarding Ill
avenues of escape. The county COM
missioners have. offered $500 reward
and 1t Is expected Governor Mcbride
will offer the same amount.
Benson was under one years. sent-
ence FOR larceny.
Escaped Across Bridge.
| Olympia, WASH, March 3.-About
dusk Christ Benson, the escaped muir
derer Of Jailer Dave Morrell, appeared
at the Northern Pacific railway bridge
ACROSS the Nesqually river and ON his
ewn statement that he was only =
hobo was allowed to pass by the
bridge guard, Frank Golson. Benson
carried himself with the greatest
nerve during the talk and Afterwards
stopped to drink from the river. Then,
with some distance between himself
| and the guard his courage suddenly
left him and he fed into the quickly
gathering darkness.