Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-25
Of Jefferson City Prison
COnviCtS for Freedom.
Two Prison Officers and One
Of the ConvictS Killed.
A Wild Fight Between Officers and
Men, the Former Winning.

jefferson City, Mo, Nov. 2t.-In d
desperate attempt to escape from the
state pcntitcntiary, this Afternoon
five conricts fought with weapons
ana nitro-%lycerine at the pris-
on gate. killing two prison officers ana
wounding Deputy Warden See. Foul
Of the men then made dash through
the streets of jefferson City under fire
only to be captured, after two of them
had hccn wounded. one fatally, dying
from his wounds. Five prisoners, tax
ing advantage of the absence Of War
den Hall and six guards, who left, to-
G2y, with II federal prisoners for Fort
LcaVcnWorth, attempted to escape but
only fCuI. left the prison after wrccking
tho gate.
Convicts Harry Vaughn. Charles
Raymond, Hiram Blake. George Ryan
and Eli XciElcr. Who were working
close inside the prison gate. having Sc
cured pistols ANA u bottle of nitro-clyc-
crime, entered Deputy Warden sees Of
fee and shot him in the arm and the
hip ~ h sat in Il chair. He sank back
helpless and the cnmvicta rushed to tn.
gat" whore they met Gat1nan John
clay, who being alarmed hy the sots,
fired at SOC. opened tho CAT" to lo"I;
inside. Before Clay could raise his;
weapon he was SHOT dead.
+. AIIiston. commissary officer. ran
to Clays assistance and he WAS shot
dcaJ
Then, as il 20 signal III" convictS
generally that an attempt to escape
had been started, the escaping ConVict5
rang the gate bell and rushed through.
dragging Clay's body With them. They
slammed the gate, shut and fastened
it. While Zcigler was ringing the bell,
he was left inside. The four convicts
were then in the wagon entrance to tho
ronitcntiary. This entrance is 40 feet
| long and Il feet wide. IL leads to the
| public street through T. second double
! gate Of steel, which was locked. The
| convicts placed nitro-g lycerinc under
| the outside gate and blew an opening
| through the steel doors Four men
| Crawlcd through this rupture ana dash
| cd past q number of "trusty' convicts
who were working in the street.
| Almost before tn" four escaped con
| VictS had covered a block. prison otii-
| c''rs We're in pursuit, shooting as they
| ran. Pedestrians jumped behind trees,
! ran into houses ana crpuchcd down be-
hind any obstacle that presented ref
| ugc from the bullets Several men
seized wcapons and joined the prison
officers in the pursuit. The chase kept
| Of for a dozen blocks, the convicts out
| running their pursuers.
Near the Missouri Pacific Railroad
depot the conVicts came up with a wag-
on driven by Orvillc Lane. Jump;ne
int" the wagon the despcradoes seized
| Ian" and used him as a shield from
the bullets of their purSuers. One con.
Eirt dashed the horse into a RIM and
escape seemed sure. when suddenly q
squad Of city policemen and armed citi.
zens appeared in front of the fleeing
men who stopped the horse and made
| a desperate stand.
Lane was thrown to the bottom q,
tie wagon and crouchinc over him
shielding themselves as well as possi.
bic behind the Sides Of the vehicle n,
four convicts fought the police men.
Follev after volley was fired in the
| Continued on Page Eor-,