Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-11-11
THREE MORE .
BREAK JAIL
The Fergus County BastiIe is Almost
pepopuIated Through Negligence
Of the Jailer.
LOCK LYONS IN AND WALK OUT
Four Fergus County es-Prisoners Are
Now at Large-Seven Men Hunt
ing for Them.

An inventory OF the inmates of the
Fergus county jail showed that there
was one man still confined in that in
stitution this morning. He is In
there awaiting an examination as to
his sanity. No doubt he Will be sent
to the asylum for he is undoubtedly
crazy. The fact that he is still in Jail
proves that fact conclusively. No sane
man would remain behind iron bars
when he could just as easily walk out.
Escaping from jail is certainly be-
coming a popular pastime in Lewis
town. Jailer Lyons has been doing
everything in his power, apparently. to
aid in the entire success OF this new
excitement. About ten days ago he
left Ernest Hurt, a convicted horse
thief, out in the corridor OF the Jail
while he came down town for an hour
or two. When Lyons returned TO the
jail he was surprised to find that Hurt
had taken advantage of the very excel.
lent opportunity to secure his liberty.
This, 10 say the least. should have put
the so-called iailer on his guard, but
he is evidently a gentleman who does
not profit to any noticeable extent by
sad experience. Instead of using the
utmost prccaution 10 prevent a repeti-
ton OF this jail delivery, Lyons made
a still greater blundcr last night,
when his incompetence allowed three
more prisoners to escape.
According 10 the story OF Lyons he
went up To The Jail about q O'Clock
with supper for the inmates. Three
of the prisoners. Clay Williams, Mitch
ell Plurd and John Roberts, were in
the corridor Of the Jail. Lyons limo.
Gently stepped into the cage with his
basket when one of the men gave him
a push from behind. Another n Of
the men slammed the door of the cage
and the three men got an iron door
between them and Lyons before the
latter was able to pull his gun. With
the jailcr locked up and all the time
they wanted. the erstwhile prisoners
had no difficulty in unlocking The
door Of the corridor and walking out.
Lyons began to cry Justify for help,
but it being the suppe? hour, there
were very few people passing by the
b%as,ilc. Several who did happen to
be going that way heard the cries,
but knowing that a crazy man was
confined in the Jail thought that IT
was he who was making the disturb
ancc, so paid no heed TO Lyons fran
tic yelling.
Will Abel. who went by about thirty
minutes after the jailer was jailed.
heard the noise and also noted that
the outside door of the enclosure was
open. He informed Sheriff Slater of
this fact and Len decided to make an
Investigation. When he walked into
the jail he found Lyons almost eX-
hausted from his n endeav-
ors to attract the attention of some
one outside of the Jail. Although he
may have had some doubt as to the
wisdom of so doing, Sheriff Slater re-
leased his assistant from his i~nvolun-
tary confinement.
II being a very dark night and the
escaped men having secured n good
thirty minutes lead, little effort was
made ia find them last night. This
morning seven men are securing the
surrounding country and ii they are
lucky may succeed in rounding W
some Of the numerous %conyicts which
are now at large. They are becom-
ing SO numerous that il will be al.
most impossible to fail to run into
some of them.
OF the men who escaped, Williams
was arrested Sunday by Deputy Sher-
if Ed. Silverthorne on a wire from
Sheriff T. j. Fowler. of Gallatin our
~. The BOzeman officer has not ar.
rived in Lewistown, but il is believed
by the officers here that Williams is
one Of the band of horse thieves want
cd in Gallatin.
Mitchell Plurd is the mar who stab
bed James Pirrie a week from last
Friday and was locked up awaiting
his trial before the district court for
assault with intent to kill.
Roberts is charged with grand lar
ceny. his crime being the theft of a
dress suit case belonging to Hogan
from the Majestic saloon last Sunday
week.
Up TO the time of going TO press
none of the Jail birds have been seen
Lyons is still at large.
Kendall. 1880 p. m.-Deputy Sheriff
Ed. Silverthorne captured John Rob
erts, one OF the escaped prisoners
near here about noon. Roberts say:
that he left Plurd and Williams neaI
Warm SDring.