Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-12-01
DASH BY CONVICTs.
MISSOURI PRISONERS DESPER
ATE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.
Shot Guards at Michigan City Pen1.
tertiary and Use Dynamite on Gates
Street Battle Follows, in Which the
Felons Are Captured.

made a desperate attempt to escape
from the penitentiary at Jefferson City,
Mo-, shooting down the prison officers
who stood in their way, were captured
after a spirited battle with guards in
the streets. In their dash from the
prison Enclosure they wrecked with dy-
Mantle heavy steel gate and forced a
passing wagon to aid them in flight,
using the teamster as q shield from the
bullets of their pursuers. Two of the
prison officials are dead and a third is
badly wounded. Two of the convicts
were severely wounded before they
were captured and one died later.
Warden Mat W. Hall, Yardmaster
Porter Gilvin and five prison guards
departed Friday morning for Leaven-
worth, Kan, on a special train, con-
veying seventy-one federal prisoners,
who are being transferred from the
Jefferson City penitentiary to the gov
eminent prison at Fort Leavenworth,
and it is believed this fact had much
to do with the outbreak.
There had not been the slightest
warning of any trouble within the pris-
on walls, when suddenly Vaughn, Ray
mond, Blake, Ryan and Zeigler, who
were working in close proximity to
the prison gate, inside the inclosure, as
if by a given signal, made rush for
the gate From their pockets they
drew pistols. Rushing past the gate,
they entered Deputy Warden Sees Of
fee 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 Allison, who was attracted by
the shooting, was the next victim. He
was shot through the head and died
almost instantly. Then, as if to sig
nal the convicts generally that the at
tempt to escape had been started, the
convicts seized the bell rope hanging
by the gate and began ringing the
bell.
Gateman Clay had left the wagon
gate ajar, and four of the convicts
rushed through, dragging his body
with them, slammed the gate shut and
fastened it on the inside. They were
then in the wagon entrance to the peni-
tertiary, the passage being about forty
feet long by fifteen feet wide, and
leading to the public street through an
other double gate of steel. This out
49, 10 h,7t 10 annuicfS
were deferred only for moment. Plac'
ing dynamite under the outside gate,
they blew an opening through the mas"
sive steel doors big enough for car
riage and before the smoke had clear
ed they had dashed through number
Of "trusty" convicts working in the
street and ran madly for twelve blocks.
Zeigler, it was found, had failed to
leave the penitentiary walls.
Battle in the Streets.
Almost before the four escaping con-
victs had covered the distance of one
block the prison officials, heavily arm
ed, were in pursuit, shooting as they
ran. Pedestrians jumped behind trees,
ran into houses and crouched down
behind any cover that presented ref
uge. Those living in houses along the
line of flight, alarmed by the shooting,
rushed out to ascertain the cause.
Women screamed and fed precipitate-
ly, while the majority of men seized
weapons and joined the prison officials
in the pursuit. A desperate fear gave
speed to the convicts and they outran
their pursuers.
Near the Missouri Pacific Railway
depot they came upon a wagon being
driven by Orville Lane. Jumping into
this wagon, they seized Lane and held
him as shield from the bullets Of
their pursuers. One convict dashed the
horse into a run. The wild ride was
of short duration, however, as another
posse consisting of city police, aug
mented by citizens, appeared in front
of them, and, seeing that further fight
was cut off, they stopped the horse and
made a last stand.
Lane was thrown to the bottom Of
the wagon, and, crouching over him,
shielding themselves to the best pos
sible advantage behin' the sides of
the vehicle, they opened fire on their
pursuers. The prison officials shouted
to them to surrender or they would be
shot dead. Their only reply was a
volley from their revo1vers.
Then followed one of the most des-
perate street battles that ever took
nIaoa in fhn annals of eScanino CON-
victs in Jefferson City. The men in
the posse jumped behind trees and
shot with telling effect, splintering the
wagon, and finally putting a bullet
through one Of the convicts, who fell
to the ground. Then, seeing that fur
Their resistance was useless, the con-
victs surrendered. With a rush the
officials closed around the wagon, pre-
pared to shoot to the death if the sur