The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-05


 ance. He knew also that they were closer to the fence at this point than nearly any other and that the chances of reaching the fence were much better here than elsewhere. He also figured on the pile of timber which was lying near.
 It was thought at first that all the con victs in the building would attempt and had they done so many of them would have succeeded, but they were awed by the prompt fire of the guards and re- mained quietly where they were after the first break.
 The authorities are at a loss to know where the convicts got the dynamite and fuses. They were well supplied, and had they used the explosive with good effect after reaching the yard they would have effected the escape, tut- the sticks which exploded were harmless and did not stop the guards, as was intended.
 Quiet Restored.
 Within a few minutes after the attempt quiet was restored throughout the camps and the wounded men had been taken to the hospital connected with the mines, and physicians were at work trying to relieve the pain of some and save the lives of the other two. They worked for a long time with Kennybrook and wounded
 While their condition Is critical, It was stated at the hospital this morning that they both had better chances to recover than they had yesterday, and that they were better than the physicians had ex- pected. It Is thought that the lives or both men will be saved if they do not have any change for the worse in the next twenty-four hours.
 Dogs were placed on the trail of Amory but they were unable to get enough scent to follow very far and late this afternoon 1t was stated that all efforts to follow the trail directly were aban- doned. Descriptions of the man have been sent all over the state and adjoin- ing states, and 1t is thought the man will be returned.
 The guards who prevented the escape were armed with shot guns which were loaded with buck shot, and also had pis- tols. They used the shot guns first and after emptying them resorted to the pis- tols. Their aim was accurate In the main and they wasted few shots They were greatly assisted In their work by clus- ter of electric lamps which hung just over the pile of logs behind which the four convicts were fighting. James Rogers warden of the camp. attributes the fact that there was not a wholesale delivery to the braveness of the guards. who faced frequent discharges of dynamite.
 convicts Remained in Bunks.
 It is stated that a majority of the men in the hunks of the building were awaken ed by the explosion and that they did not get up. Had the guards been any the less active, or the others been any slower in coming to their aid, it is believed general attempt Ito escape would have been made.
 Amory is described as a young man about 20 years old who was sent from Clarke county for robbery. He has q twenty year sentence. He was about five feet, five inches tall weighs about 130 pounds, and has fair skin. He had gold front teeth and would be easily recog- nized by them. Amory was first confined at Speigner, where he made an unsuccess- ful attempt to escape. He was sent 10 Slope No. to get him into a stronger place. When he left the camps he was clothed in a white duck suit, which is sometimes furnished the men while they are in their cells and their stripes are being washed. The five who made the attempt were all dressed in white, as they considered their chances of escape much better if they did not have their stripes
 Records of the Convcts.
 Tom Melvin was serving a five-year sen- tence. He was sent up from Wilcox county.
 Tom Fay was the most noted of the five who attempted to escape. He was the infant member of the Miller-Duncan gang, and was sent up for eighteen years for assisting in the blowing up of the Standard oil companys safe.
 It was on the night of the robbery that Policemen Kirkley and Adams were shot by members of the gang. and afterwards died from their wounds. Fay was not implicated in the shooting
 Richard Kennybrook was well known in