Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-07
ESCAPE CONNECTS KILL POSSE
FOLSOM PRISONERS ARE STILL
AT LARGE.
Five of Them Engaged the Militia in
Fiqht-Two Soldiers kiIled-An.
other Is Expected to Die From
Wounds-Another Citizen Shot by
Mistake-Two convicts Killed.

Placerville, Cal, Aug. 3.-The con.
victs who escaped from Folsom prison
are still at large. The five who en-
gagged In fatal fight with the pursu.
ing officers at the Grand Victory mine
have not been seen since, and appar-
emily have made successful retreat.
In their haste to get away from the
militia and sheriffs posses they left
a water can, several hats and some
firearms on the hillside where the last
conflict occurred.
The dead bodies of Festus Ruther-
ford and W. G. Jones, the two militia
men who were shot by the outlaws,
were found where they had fallen.
Jones had served in the Philippines
as member of the First Tennessee
and Thirty-seventh volunteer infantry.
AL Gill, the national guardsman who
was shot through one lung, is now ex-
pected to recover.
Another victim of the convict chase
was Philip Springer, a resident of this
district. He is hard of hearing and,
failing to respond to an order to halt,
was fatally shot by a picket early in
the morning.
A late report received states that
four convicts, not believed to be the
same who ambushed the officers, were
discovered near Lotus, in the Weber
creek district, by posse. A number
of shots were exchanged, but SO far
as known without rpcIltc
Last nights fight between the con-
victs and members of Company H of
the state militia was an ambush.
Lieutenant Smith ard seven men were
pursuing trail that had been dis
covered earlier in the day Their first
intimation of the presence of the con-
victs was when the latter opened fire
on them at close range from a hiding
place in the bush. Three members of
Lieutenant Smiths squad fell at the
first volley. They were Rutherford,
Jones and Gill. The soldiers returned
the fire of the outlaws, at the same
time retreating down the hill, and left
the fallen men to take care of them
selves. Gill managed to make his way
down to the hill to place of safety,
and was then picked up by his friends
and carried to the mine. Fearful of
the bullets of the convicts, the pur.
suers made no attempt to get back
to the scene of the battle to learn the
fate Of the other two men.
The Hill Was Surrounded.
News of the battle spread quickly
to Placerville and the surrounding
country, and by 9 o'clock the hill was
surrounded by large force, including
the entire strength Of the Placerville
company. Nearby and cooperating
with the militiamen was posse of
citizens from Placerville, headed by
the sheriffs son, Dellas Bosquet. They
were within sound and sight of the |
fighting, but dared not fire for fear of
hitting the militiamen. Lieutenant |
Smith says there were four convicts |
in the band that opened fire on his
men, but he was unable to identify |
any Of them except the negro 1t was
impossible to have a Gordon extended |
round the hill for some hours. The cor
don covered nearly two miles and re-
CURED over a hundred men. Before |
the picket lines could be formed it is
quite possible the convicts got away
eastward along the creek. 1t is thought |
that the plan of the convicts is to |
shoot their pursuers from ambush and |
take chances of getting away after
ward.
Fight convicts at Dutch Flat.
Dutch Flat, Cal, Aug. 3.-Two of
the Folsom convicts were surrounded
here and fight ensued 1t is supposed
that one of the convicts was shot by
Glen Wedgewood, who was shot in the
hands by the convicts.