Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-07-13
KELLY MAKES
HIS ESCAPE
Prisoner Being Taken to Deer Lodge
Gives Sheriff Slater the Slip and
is Still Free.
FIFTH MAN TO MAKE GET AWAY
Inhabitants Of Ruby Gulch Fear He
viii Return and Do Some DAM
age-on the Lookout.


er was taking to the penitentiary at
Deer Lodge, made his escape from
the officer Wednesday night while
the Northern Pacific train was pass
ing through Bernice. The first the
officers in Lewistown knew of the at
fair was when Deputy Sheriff Ed.
Martin received word over the tele-
phone Wednesday night that the es.
cape had been made and to be on
the lookout for the man Nothing
further has been heard from Mr.. Sla-
ter and 1t is supposed that he is still
In the mountains in the neighborhood
of Bernice trying TO find some traces
of the criminal. 1t is understood that
Kelly repeatedly told his fellow pris.
oners while he was in Jail here that
Slater would never get him to Deer
Lodge, as he would escape from the
train before he reached there. He
had been sentenced to the pen for
two years for maliciously killing a
horse.
There seems to be some dispute as
TO whether the prisoner was hand
cuffed at the time of his escape and
the accounts in the Butte and Anacon.
da papers differ. The officers have
heard nothing about il further than
has been stated.
The Anaconda Standard of Thurs
day contains the following:
Kelly made the getaway as the
east and westbound trans were pass
ing at Bernice. and his escape was
seen by at least one of the passen-
gers, who stood outside at the station
as the trains were switching. 1t was
not realized, however, what was trans.
pirlng. Sheriff Slater allowed Kelly
to go to the toilet. At that time the
train was moving at a moderate rate
OF speed. Kelly, according TO the ac-
counts brought into Butte, raised the
window, and, leaning far out into the
darkness, leaped headforemost for the
handrail at the rear of the car. To
catch il he must have literally thrown
himself into space, for it is some dis
lance from the window TO the rail.
Attention was only drawn TO Kel.
ly when he vas seen TO swing down.
his feet hanging over the ties. There
is a small iron bridge here. and as
he hung, his body was thrown vic.
lently against the railing of this. He
r%ebounded against the side of the car
and back against the iron structure.
But he still hung with desperation as
he clutched the rail with his manac-
led hands. The train vas about To
slow down on the sidins TO allow the
%westbound passenger To pass, and the
witness on the station platform ran
forward 10 give the man assistance.
II was thought he was about TO be
drawn under the wheels and killed.
His escape from the window was not
seen, and the supposition was That
the man who hung in such a danger
Gus predicament had attempted to
mount the car steps as the train NOV
ed by.
Just as the witness of the prison.
er's plight reached him, he is said to
have recovered his balance and, free
of the bridge across which his feet
had dragged, he was able to drop of.
The man who had run up literally
had his hand on Kelly's coat collar
and was asking him II he vas hurt.
There came no answer, and in a mo.
ment the prisoner was out of sight in
the darkness. At that instant Stat
er CHANGED to go to the door of the
car and inquired what the trouble
was. AS soon as told, he realized that
his prisoner had slipped through his
hands. Thinking that Kelly was in
jured and perhaps had fallen along
the track. he ran out, calling his name,
There was no response. and the Off
Ger soon returned to the station To
organize a search party.
Mrs. Slater was with her husband
They had planned to spend the night
in Butte and proceed to Deer Lodge
with the prisoner in the morning
Mrs. Slater came on alone to the city
and is awaiting the arrival OF the
sheriff at the Finlen hotel"
The Standard of Friday says that
Sheriff Slater stated to one of theiI
reporters that Kelly was not hand
cuffed when he made his escape. and
although the train was running pretty
fast il was not under a full head OF
steam.
This makes the fifth man tc
get away from the sherif's force
within a year. The ranchers
and miners in Ruby gulch, where Kel
ly lives. are of the opinion that he
will come back there. It is said that
he has made threats to get even with
some in that neighborhood, who he
thinks have helped to get him con
victed, and those whom he has
threatened are of the opinion that he
is just reckless enough to try to car
ry out his threats. They are all or
the lookout for him and will be ready
to receive him If he comes.
Sheriff Slater returned TO Lewis
town last evening. AS he stepped
from the train to a bus and went oil
rectly home. he was not accessible tt
reporters. but from his undersherif
we learn that the sheriffs account o.
the escape of his prisoner, Kelly. l:
practically the same as heretofore
stated. Kelly was not h~andcune
and Mr.. Slater, though he remained
on the scene all night and in the vi
cinity two days, was entireiy a
to get any trace Of his fellow jour
newman. A beautiful pair Of hand
cuffs still reposed in the sheriff'
pocket when he reached Lewistown.
Notice to Debtors.
All persons knowing themselves IN