Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1903-07-31
.CONV|CTS ESCAPE PRISON
FOLSOM, CALIFORNIA, PRISON
MINUS PRISONERS.
There Were 800 in Line-Thirteen
Broke Away-Each Had Knife
Fought With Guards-TWo Will Die
-Convicts Change clothes and Es.
cape-Great Excitement.

Folsom, Cal, July 29.-One Of the
biggest breaks in the history of the
Folsom prison occurred at Z o'clock a.
m. The line of convicts were marching
out of the prison to go to work. About
300 of them were out when 13 of them
who were in bunch in the line, made
break for the guards office, where
Warden Wilkinson, Captain Murphy
and other officers were.
Each of the desperate men had a
knife made of file. They cut at the
men and Warden Wilkinson had mar
row escape, his clothing being cut
through. Joe Cochrane, W. l.. Cotter
and c. H. Holly were all cut, the for
mer two SO seriously that they will
not live. They then marched to the
armory taking Warden Wilkinson,
Captain Murphy and other guards and
officers all closely guarded by the con-
victs with knives. At the armory they
helped themselves to guns and ammu-
milton, each convict having rifle and
pistol. During this time other guards
had the crowd covered with guns, but
could not shoot because of the free
men.
After leaving the armory the party
moved across the prison grounds,
there being at that time 13 convicts
and 13 free men. After going short
distance the free men were forced to
disrobe, the convicts putting on their
clothes and the guards being forced to
get into the convicts' garbs.
Some Of the free men were then al
lowed to return to the prison. They
were Warden Wilkinson, Captain Muir
ply, Harry Wilkinson, G. X. Jolly and
G. H. Warm. Later l.. G. Vertrees es-
capped from them. The other free
men are still with the convicts, who
are now in the woods, about ten miles
above Folsom. They are General Over
seer J. H. McDonough, Guards J. Da-
Ian, Thomas Seavy, W. Hopton, w. T.
Brown and G. Jeter.
The convicts bear considerable Ill
feeling towards some Of these men,
who have been mean to them and it
is feared that they will be murdered.
The cohvicts who made the break are
all desperate characters. The break
has probably been planned for many
months.
When the break was made the con-
victs inside the building became wild
and there was great commotion.
A convict named Joe Casey swung
the bolt at the inner gate or there
would have probably have been many
more of the prisoners gone. John L.
Wood, life termer from San Fran
cisco, and Joe Theson, also life term
er from San Francisco, are said. to be
the leaders of the breake
Great excitement prevails here, for
several posses are out and the Pla-
cerville company of militia has been
sent for.
Later Reports.
Folsom, Cal, July 29.-The desper-
ate convicts who killed Guard William
L. Cotter and wounded Overseer Coch-
ran, Guard Charles Jolly, Turnkey
Chambers and Warden Wilkinson and
made their escape, taking II prison
officials with them, are at large, but
posses are in pursuit, the militia has
been called into use and there seems
no doubt the fugitives will be run
down. At a sharp battle, near Pilot
Hill, convict Murphy was xii lied and
convict Seavis wounded. 1t was also
noticed that one or more of the others