Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1904-02-06
THE PRISON SHOOTING.
People Continue to Talk and Specu-
late On It.

late On
Nearly everyone in this city was in
terested in the outcome of the shoot
ing of Bentley at the State Peniten-
tlary Thursday. There seems to be |
a unanimous opinion that the only |
thing that could have been done was
acted upon when the man made a
break for liberty. The fact that the
had bad record and his assault on
Sheriff Hayes while in Reno were |
mitigating circumstances that leads |
the public to believe that the guard i
who fired the shot did SO at the right |
time, as there was no telling what
might have happened had the man
got beyond the walls of the prison
and into the brush. The fact that ne
had managed to conceal a weapon
while in the Reno Jail was enough to
give the guard and others warning
that he might have some sort of a
weapon on his person and made the
matter of capture matter Of danger
and one that no man is looking for.
Warden Considine in speaking Of
the trouble and outcome yesterday
stated that while Bently was dan
| gerous man, and one that has given
plenty of trouble at the prison, yet
! he had some redeeming qualities and
! the affair was regretted, not that the
| ord in fn a q
( but it seemed to be a foolish mistake
that Bentley made in his endeayor to
force running fire after him. The
| orders have been to take no chances
with the men, as some exceeding dan-
gerous prisoners are now behind the
| bars in fact the most dangerous class
that has been confined there since
the prison was instituted.
In speaking Of the attempt to es
cape and that there might be a gen.
eral plot to make a break, the Warden
was satisfied that there was none on
the part of the other prisoners. Only
a man who knows the country would
stand chance should he make an es
cape at this time of the year, and the
kind of a day that Bentley ventured
in was almost prohibited. He alone
was in the plan and the Warden is of
the opinion that he saw an opening
and took it.
The result was fatal to the man, and
the other prisoners have lesson tina,
is liable to leave an impression that
will linger for many days to come.
Sheriff Hayes of Washoe on being
told q the attempt to escape and
the fatal result had the following 70
say to a reporter on the Journal:
81 am not at all surprised to hear Of
Bentley, alias Smith, being killed al
the Prison. AS many associates AMI
others know l predicted that Bentley
woul not serve his time out but tha
!, he would kill some one or would be
, killed. l have had my experience with
( him and took him to the State Prison
: en- two occasions.
: In bringing him back from Texas
!
6 that have never related. l constant
1 ly guarded the passengers from hir
as we'll as myself. When on the cOas
', below San Jose we We're passin
;, through the tunnels l had to be stric
" on the lookout All during that da
ride | kept my foot across the sea
to keep him from passing in the dar,
Once he raised from the seat an
when we came into the daylight Il
} had drinking glass raised in tn
, air At this time l was directly b
!, hind him but grappled with him
save any trouble. He was desperat
at this time and would have take
any chance to escape coming to R
, nc"