Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-02

Missouri State Prison Scene Of Ter
rifle Battle.

FtflC DdAtttt
Jefferson City, Mo. Nov. ga
desperate attempt to escape from the
state prison was made by four con-
victs at s:15 o'clock Friday afternoon,
resulting in a terrific battle with weap-
ons and nitro-glycerine at the prison
gate, a running fight through the
streets of Jefferson city, and the final
capture OF the four convicts, two Of
whom were shot and wounded. Two
prison officials were shot dead and a
third seriously wounded.
The dead: John Clay. gatekeeper;
E. Allison, officer OF the commissary
department; Hiram Blake, burglar.
Warden Matt w. Hall, Yardmaster
Porter Gilyin and five prison guards
mad depai ted for Fort Leavenworth,
Kan, on a special train conveying II
federal prisoners, who are being trans
ferred from the Missouri state Deni-
Tertiary to the federal prison at Fort
Leavenworth.
There was not the slightest pre-
monition of any trouble within the
prison walls. Suddenly conyicts Harry
Vaughn, Charles Raymond, Hiram
Blake, George Ryan and Eli zegler,
who were working in close proximity
TO the prison gates, inside the inclos-
ure, as if by given signals, made a rush
for the gate. From their pockets they
drew pistols, and it is presumed that
at least one of them carried bottle
of nitro-glycerine. Where these weap-
ons and the explosive were obtained
has not yet been discovered. Rushing
past the gate they entered Deputy
Warden Sees office and shot him as he
sat in his chair. He sank back and
was unable to resist them. Instantly
they returned to the gate and met
Gateman John Clay, who had been
alarmed by the shots. Before he could
raise his weapon he was shot dead.
Then. as if to signal the convicts
generally that the attempt to escape
mad been started, the convicts seized
the bell rope hanging by the gate and
momentarily rang the bell.
Gateman Clay had left the wagon
gate ajar when he appeared and was
shot dead. The convicts rushed
through. dragging his body with them,
slammed the gate shut and fastened
II on the inside. They were then in
the wagon entrance to the peniten-
tiary, this entrance being about 40 feet
long by Is feet WIDE, and leading to
the public street through another
double gate of STEEL This outside gate
was locked, but the desperadoes were
deferred but for a moment. Placing
their tro-glycerine under the outside
gate they blew an opening through the
massive steel doors, and before the
smoke had cleared from the opening
they had dashed through past a mum
Der of "trusty" convicts working in
the street and made their way for II
blocks.
Charles Blake, the convict who was
shot during the mutiny. died during
the night. Writing on his deathbed
Blake would only moan, you don't
know us; I'll never tell" and that is
all the authorities have learned so far
in their efforts to fix the responsible
ity for the outbreak.
Governor Folk sat at the side of the
dying convict and endeavored to per
suade him to make a confession. He
was followed by officials of the peni
Tertiary and for several hours they
pleaded. threatened or offered immun
ity for a confession of the details OF
the desperate plot to escape, but Blake
fatty refused to divulge any informa
ton and finally death sealed his lips
His death made the third resulting
from the mutiny. The wounded men
Deputy Warden See, Guard j. X
Young, Convicts Harry Vaughn anC
Charles Raymond all will recover.
This much has been discovered. tina
four As caliber revolvers and 100 cart
ridges and two half pint bottles o
nitro-glycerine were secured by tn,
leaders of the mutiny.
The prison authorities are inclined
to believe that the mutiny had beef
arranged for a much larger scale ant
that 1t was to have been a general NJ
rising. but for some reason the plan
did not fully carry.