The Elbert County tribune., 1905-08-17
SHOT BY An OFFICER
FIGHT OF BOULDER pa,soNsns
Desperate Assault In Basement Of
County Court House Is Met by
OFFICERS With Revotvevs.


Denver, Colo, Aug. 15--A Boulder.
Colorado. special to the News last.
night says: Five pistol shots rang out
from the basement OF the court house
shortly after O'Clock this evsning.
and great crowd was soon snrging
through the building. Near the en-
trance to the cage in the jail lay tho
body of Louis Cinkus. who was shot
through the right breast and almost
instantly killed. In cell was James
Runyan. shot in the fieshy portion of
the right leg. In another cell. pale
with fear. was Charles Schrode. an
other prisoner He narrowly escaped
being hit by "A hail of bullets firere
through the grating by Sheriff Barteil
and Deputy Sheriff Madeira.
Which OF the officers did the killing
is not known but both say they fired :
as long as they could see anyone to-
fire at.
statement OF the cause leading to-
the tragedy was given out by Sheriff
Bartell. Under Sheriff Thorne and
Deputy Sheriff MADEIRA tonight. u II,
as follows.
"One of the prisoners gave us to un-.
derstand this afternoon that the three
and Louis Cinkus. were going to break
jail this evening ut supper time, even
IL they had to kill Under Sheriff
Thorne, who fed them, to do II. The.
sheriff asked Deputy Sheriff Madeira
to be present with him when Thorne
fed the prisoners at the regular time
When Thorne was coming out with
the tray Of dishes after feeding the
prisoners the three men jumped on him
and, with the leg of u table and the
two side pieces of washboard,
knocked him down.
"Thereupon Sheriff Bartell and Dep
uty Madeira began shooting at tho
prisoners, resulting in the Immediate
death OF Cinkus, who was shot In the
right breast just about the right nip
pie.
CinlSus was In Jail on charge OF
highway robbery and awaiting trial at
the October term of the District Court.
James Runyan, at the same time, was
shot in the right leg. but the bullet in
fiicted flesh wound only. from which
he will recover. Runyan Is an inmate
of the Jail on the charge OF an assault
TO murder and also awaiting trial al
the October term of the District Court
Charles Schrode is in Jail on a chargc
of horse stealing, and IL >consideredi
one Vi Int luuSt uttnbtiouo VI tht
oDers.
When Thorne started to leave the
cage he was assaulted by the prison
ers, felled to the floor, and then the
shooting began. The under sheriff
! crawled beneath the table during the
/ fusillade, and 80 escaped being struck.
He escaped without any other injury.
than bump on his head due TO the
blow by one of the prisoners. After he
was shot Cinlus reeled into cell and
1 later staggered out into the corridor,
fell and expired.
Coroner Buchheit was on the scene
within ten minutes. as well as DR.. T.
B. TrovilloD. the county physician.
| The coroner took the body to the
morgue and will hold an inquest to-
| morrow.
Cinkus was brought here from Lou
| isville, charged with robbery. The evil
| dence at the preliminary examination
was that he held up a man and robbed
him OF his watch and money In tho
7 rear of saloon in Louisville. He was
| man of large frame and equal to
| any physical exertion.
Runyan shot his father-in-law
| Charles Melln. near Longmont. q
month ago. The wound was in tho
leg, but nearly caused MellIn's death.
Schrode, who was the real ring.
leader in several attempts at jail deliy-
cry. has an extensive police history In
I connection with horse stealing. He
also has a penitentiary record. and is
regarded as a tough man.