Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-07-29
PRISON SCAPE
SUCCESSFUL
Thirteen Desperate Prisoners confin'
ed in Folsom Penitentiary Make
Their Getaway.
GUARD IS FATALLY STABBED
With the Warden and Officers as a
Shield, the Criminals Get Out
Of the City.

Sacramento, Cal, July PA spec
ial to the Bee from Folsom says:
Thirteen deperate prisoners confin-
ed in the Folsom penitentiary made
a successful break for liberty at
breakfast hour this morning.
After a fierce fight in the captains
office, during which Turnkey Coch-
rane was fatally stabbed, Guard Cotter
killed and another officer seriously in
jured, they secured quantity of arms
and ammunition. and using the war
den and other officers for a shield
from their pursuers, made good their
escape.
Tonight it is believed they are MAX
ing for Bald Mountain. State mill
tia, ordered out by governor Pardee,
has gone to the scene.
The convicts were armed with
knives and razors and with these they
assaulted Warden Wilkinson and his
officers. The warden's clothing was
slashed into shreds with the razor, but
the blade did not touch the flesh.
Turnkey Cochrane fought the convicts
with chair. raining blows upon them
right and left. Finally he was felled
by knife thrust in the back. Guard
Cotter was cut in the abdomen SO
that his entrails protruded and he died
this afternoon, while Palmers was Sc
verely cut in the head. The floor Of
the Office was covered with blood.
The officers were easily outnumber-
ed and soon had been relieved of their
arms. Then using the officers as
shield ,ne convicts started for the
armory post on the outskirts Of the
penitentiary grounds. They passed
Calling gun on one of the walls, but
the guards were afraid to turn 1t on
the convicts. When the armory post
was reached the officers attempted to
interfere but were quickly overpow-
cred. Then, after fortifying them
selves with rifles, knives. pistols and
ammunition a dash for liberty was
made The convicts, each armed with
rifles, marched one on either side of
Warden Wilkinson, who was threat
ened with death If he made an at
tempt to escape and the officers were
told that IL any of the pursuers took
the life of one of their number they
would retaliate life for life.
At Morgan bridge, about mile
from the penitentiary, the warden, his
grandson and Captain Murphy were
released and sent back. Others were
marched along with the convicts. Fur
ther on the convicts went to farm
er's house, seized a four-horse team
and wagon, gutted the house of every
thing of value, took the farmer with
them as a driver and headed for Bald
mountain. Evidently 1t is their In
tention to reach Alabaster cave, situ-
ated near this mountain.
All the convicts are still at large.
Among officers carried on by them
Ii General Overseer McDonough.
some fears are felt for his safety,
as he bears the especial i'll will of
the convicts. Several hundred re-
naming prisoners made no attempt
to get away and were quietly return
ed to their cells and locked up.
Warden Wilkinson was first to re-
turn to the penitentiary. He was hat
less. the convicts having taken his
hat. Captain Murphy appeared after.
ward, minus part Of his clothing, and
later young Wilkinson came In. War
den Wilkinson said:
II went up to the prison. as is my
customary duty, to see the convicts
eat breakfast. | stopped at the cap
tain's office to wait for the prison.
ers to walk out from breakfast. We
were sitting in the Office when the
men made their appearance from the
breakfast room and started for the
grounds. Suddenly seven or eight
OF the prisoners made rush from the
line with razors and knives drawn and
came directly for US.
They were Joined by others.
Judge there we're about 10 OF them.
Blood began to flow. ! saw 1t was
hopeless to put up fight against sucn
prisoners. One OF the convicts came
up behind my back. reached over with
a razor and tried to cut my abdomen.
You can see how my belt is split from
end to end and how my coat Is hang
ing in sheds. The convicts got me
and Murphy and five or six other offi-
GERS. whom they disarmed. They
kept us and proceeded to the yard
and out of It uy the front gate toward
the armory post. Calling guns In the
station hill tops and along the prison
walls could have been fired by the
guards. but had they done so officers
as well as prisoners would have been
killed. The guards were unable eth
er to rescue or prevent the escape.
As we neared the armory a guard
came out and they seized him. They
took the keys away from him, entered
the armory and equipped themselves
with all manner Of weapons. They
then started along the dusty road and
crossed the prison ranch toward Nor.
mon Island bridge. where they releas.
ed me. They also released Captain
of the Guards Murphy and my grand.
son. Harry Wilkinson. The rest OF
the men they have taken along with