The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-28
WAS WILD WORK
nrruRMINED FIGHT WON LIBERTY
FOR CONVICTS.
THIRTEEN DESPERATE MEN
ovERPowERED OFFICERS, KILL
ING AND WOUNDING.

p.i.oners in a California Peniten-
.,orv Used Knives and RazOrs in
Their Dash for Liberty-Carried
omcers with Them as Shields.
Armed Themselves Mt the Arsenal.
Made Good Their Escape by a
Farm wagons Forced Service.
Troops Called Ont.
Sacramento, Cal, July PA special
from Folsom says:
Thirteen desperate prisoners confined
;r the Folsom penitentiary made sue
cassful break for liberty at the break
fast hour this morning. After a fierce
fght in the captains office, during
, which a turnkey was fatally stabbed,
o c,ard was killed and another officer
was wounded, the convicts seized arms
ord ammunition and, using the war
don and other officers as shields, es-
capped.
To-night it is believed they are
making for Bald mountain. State
troops ordered out by Gov. Pardee
have gone to the scene.
The dead:
william T.. Golfer, a guard, cut in
the abdomen, died five hours later.
Wounded:
g 7 Cochrane, turnkey, stabbed In
back; will probably die.
W. c. Palmer cut in head.
ogice ReeIed With Blood.
The convicts made their break for
liberty about I o'clock. They went
10 the office of R. J. Murphy, captain
of the guard, and seized Warden VIII
kinson, his grandson, Harry Wilkin-
son. Capt. Murphy and several other
officers and guards. A desperate tight
took place. The convicts were armed
with knives and razors, and with these
tbev assaulted Warden Wilkinson and
his officers.
The wardens clothing was slashed
into shreds with razor, but the blade
did not touch the flesh. Turnkey Coch-
rane fought the convicts with a chair,
raining blows upon them right and left.
Finally he was feled by knife thrust
in the back. Guard Golfer was dis
ENDOWED by a cut and died about noon.
Palmer was severely cut in the head.
The floor of the Office was covered
with blood.
Officers Their Shields.
The officers were easily outnumber-
ed and were soon relieved of their
arms. Then, using the officers as
shields the convicts started for the
armory on the outskirts of the peni-
tertiary grounds. They passed gat-
ling gun on one of the walls, Sbut the
guards were afraid to shoot at the con-
victs for fear of killing the prison Of
fcials.
When the armory was reached Of
fcers there attempted to interfere, but
were quickly overpowered, and the con-
victs, after terrifying themselves fur
Their with rifles, knives, pistols and
ammunition, made dash for the coun-
try.
Convicts, each armed with rifles,
marched one on either side of Ward
en- Wilkinson, who was threatened
with death if he made an attempt to
escape. and the officers We're told that
if any of the pursuers took the life
of one of their number they would re-
taliate, life for life. At Mormon bridge
about a mile from the penitentiary the
Warder, his grandson and Capt. Muir
ply We're released and sent back. The
others were marched along with the
convicts
PiIInGed a Farm House.
Further on the convicts went to a
farmers house, seized his four-horse
team and wagon, stripped the house of
all its portable valuables, took the
farmer with them as driver and head
ed for Bald mountain Evidently. it
their intention to reach Alabaster
cave, situated near this mountain.
All the convicts are still at large.
among the officers carried off by them
Is General Overseer McDonough. Some
Tears are felt for his safety, as he bears
the especial i'll will of the convicts.
The several hundred remaining pris-
0hers made no attempt to get away,
and were quietly returned to their cells
and locked up.
warden Wilkinson was the first to
return to the penitentiary. The con-
NIcts had taken his hat. Capt. Muir
pny appeared afterward, minus part
Oi his clothing. and later young Will
ALhson came in
FOLSOM penitentiary is the prison
without walls. 1t is situated in rock
ainphltheater, close to the American
river, about twenty miles from Sacra-
Hento. Nearly 1900 men are confined
onere where it has been the practice
% send the most desperate prisoners.
TWO C0NVICTS KILLED