The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-11-30
fierce FIGHT AT
MISSOURI PRISON
Two Officers and One Con-
vict Killed at Jefferson
City.
a BREAK FOR LIBERTY
-Four Convicts, Well Armed, Shot Down
Guards and Made for Gates and
a Fight Ensued Through
Streets of Town.

glycerin at the prison gate, a running
fight through the streets of Jefferson
City and the final capture of the four
%convicts, two of whom We're shot, n
being killed. Two prison officers We're
shot deud n a third was severely
wounded.
The dead:
JOHN CLAY, a g~atekeeper.
A. ALLISON. officer of the commits
sary department.
CONVICT HIRAM BLAKE.
The wounded;
Deputy Warden f. e. See, shot in the
arm and hip.
Harry Vaughn, convict, st. Louis,
shot in arm.
Mutineers captured unhurt:
George Ryan, from st. Louis.
Charles Raymond.
Warden Matt Hall, Yardmaster Por-
ter Gilvin and five prison guards de-
parted this morning for Fort Leaven-
worth, Kan, on a special train convey
ing seventy-one federal prisoners, who
are being transferred from the Mis-
souri, state p~enitentiary to the govern
nent prison at Fort L~eavenworth. 1t
it is believed that this fact had much
to do with the outbreak yesterday, as
it is asserted that the %convicts had
ounted on Warden Halls absence in
their premediated attempt. to escape.
Were Well Armed.
There was not the slightest premoni-
ton of any trouble within the prison
walls. Suddenly COnVicts Harry
Vaughn, Charles Raymond, Hiram
Blake, George Ryan II Eli Zeigler,
who were working in close proximity
to the prison gate, inside the i~nclosure,
as if by a given signal, made a rush
for the gate. From their pockets they
drew pistols and it is presumed that at
least one of them carried a bottle of
=, ;+,r1l1-aa,ir NNhnrn thnSn IErll lns1 9
and the explosive We're obtained has
not yet been ascertained.
Rushing past the gate they entered
Deputy Warden Sees office and shot
him as he sat in his chair. He sank
back and was unabie 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.
Guard L. A. Allison, who vas at
tracted by the shooting, was their next
victim. He was shot through the cad
and died almost instantl;.
Then as if to signal the convicts gen
orally that the attempt to escape had
been started the convictS seized the bell
rope hanging by the gate and momen-
tarily rang the bell. Gateman Clay had
left the wagon gate ajar when he en-
tered and was shot dead.
The convicts rushed through, drag
ging his body with them, slammed the
gate shut and fastened it on the inside.
They were in the wager entrance to the
penitentiary. this entrance being about
forty feet long by fifteen feet vide and
leading to the public street through an
other double gate of steel. This out
side gate was locked, hut the despetil-
does were deferred but for II moment.
Blew Up the Wall.
Placing the nitroglyccrin under the
gate they blew an opening through
the massive door and before the smoke
cleared away they had dashed past Il
number of "trusty' convicts working in
the streets and ran madly for twelve
blocks. Zeigler, it was found, had
failed to leave the p~enitentiary walls.
Almost before the four escaped colVicts
had covered the distance OF one block
the prison officials, heavily armed, were
in pursuit, shooting as they ran. Pc
destrians jumped behind trees, ran into
houses and cr0uchcd down behind any
obstacle that presented refuge.
Those living in houses along the line
of flight. alarmed by the shooting,
rushed out to ascertain the cause.
Women screamed and fled, while the
majority of the men seized weapons
and joined The prison officials in the
pursuit. A desperate fear gave speed
to the ConVictS and they OutTa1 their
pursuers. Near the Missouri Pacific
railway depot they came upon q wagon
being driven by Oryille Lane. Jump
ing into this wagon they seized Lane
and held him to act as a shield from
the bullets of their pursuers. One of
the convicts dashed the horse into Il
run.
Fight in the Streets.
The wild ride was of short duration.
however, as another posse, consisting Of
,if,r rD1iPn nuCmpntpH NV elf lions an
pearcd in front of them, and seeing
that further fight was cut off they
stopped he horse and madea desperate
stand. Lane was thrown to the bot
tom of the wagon and, ~crouching over
him and shielding themselves to the
best possible advantage behind the side
of the vehicle, they opened fire back on
their p~ursuerS.
The prison officials shouted to them
to surrender or they would be shot
dead. Their only reply was a volley
from their revolvers.
Then followed one Of the most dcs-
perate street battles that ever took place
in the annals Of escaping c]onvicts in Jcf-
ferson City. The policemen jumped be-
kind trees and Shot with telling effect,
splintering the wagon and finally putting
| a bullet through Que of the conyicts, who
fell to the ground. T~hereupOn, seeing that
death was inevitable and further resist
aNce useless, the cONVlClS surrendered.
With a rush the. officers closed around the
wagon. prepared to shoot to the death il
the surrender was a ruse. But no resist
ance was offered. 1t vas found that Con-
yicts Vaughn and Blake were suffering
from bullet Wounds. Driver Orville Lane
and Convicts Ryan and Raymond were
un.njured.
Convicts Retaken.
The c~onvicts were Immediately taken
back to the penitentiary, where the
wounded were given medical attention.
| while the uninjured were placed in soil
tary confinement in dungeon cells.
A rigid Investigation was Immediately
started to ascertain from what'source the
mutinecrs obtained their Weapons and the
explosive.
Convict Harry Vaughn, from ST. Louis.
was sentenced for thirty-five years for
first degree robbery. Vaughn is the ma
, who was a member of the Morris-Rosenau
gang, with which three detectives fought
a terrific battle on Chestnut street in st.
Louis. One detective was shot dead and
therother- two detectives died later in the
city hospital from wounds. Roseuau, one