The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-01-11
BROKE OUT 0F JAIL
HoRsETHlEF GEORGE oeBHARDT
MAKES GOOD ESCAPE.
is ONE OF ORGANIZED GANG
TWO PALS RELEASED HIM FROM
STANTON IMPRISONMENT
WHILE SHERIFF ATE SUPPER

tary Sentence for Shooting Wife
and Hohneke Family, Had Chance
to Escape But Remained in Jail
stanton. Ncb., Jan. s. Special tol
The News; George Gcbhardt the self
confessed horsclhior who pleaded gull
" In court here and who was awaiting
a pcuitcntiary sentence, broke out of
the stanton county jail last night with
outside assistance, ana has escaped.
Gcbhardt Is the man who several
weeks ago confessed that he had been
a chronic uvcrcOaL thief In Norfolk
stores for three years. He was fined
ST. and costs at that time, was dis
missed ana last week stole Il team of
horses from August Bcsli of stanton
county. He was captured after a hard
chase by Sheriff Sucker of Stanton
county and Sheriff Clements of Madi.
son county, near Rogers in COliaX
county, Last Saturday he pleaded
guilty to the charge of larceny and
was waiting to be sentenced by Judge
Graves in February to term in the
state pcnitentary.
Belongs to Desperate Gang.
The release of Gebhardt last night
from the Stanton county jail Is cOnsid-
cred by Sheriff Sucker as proof posi-
tive that Gebhardt Is one of a well or
ganzed gang of horsethievcs who have
been raiding this whole section Of Ne
braska for several years past and who
| l, upti thn pnunlpI
ervation thieves and with the gang
, which is working in Indiana, Illinois,
Iowa and Missouri.
Two accomplices and perhaps more
, assisted Gebhardt in his escape from
, the Jail here. The story Is told by
, August Mueller, the man who last
!. spring shot his wife, fatherln-law and
Y mother-in.law. the Hohneke family,
' and who is now in Jail awaiting a dcci-
. sion of the supreme court as to new
trial
Mueller Could Have Escaped.
Mueller was left alone in the Jail
after the horsethief had gone, and
could have walked out of the Jail door
! if he had elected to escape but instead
Jail delivery to Sheriff Sucker
} The escape was all nicely planned
1t was just while Sheriff Sucker had
gone to supper that the mates Of Geb
hardt arrived and broke open the pris
on door AS general thing the court
house janitor and his helper are around
4 in the vicinity of the jail, which stands
=. some distance from the courthouse, but
it CHANGED that they noticed nothing
out unhindered.
O MuelIer's Story of IT,
l. Mueller and Gebhardt were both out
i side the steel cell in the Jail, because
h there was no fire in the cage.
q Just after the sheriff had gone tc
n supper" says Mueller, two men OF
: more-there might have been four
h came to the jail door They had 6
q steel bar three inches wide, three ant
# a half feet long and a quarter of al
inch thick | was in another part OF
O the Jail, but heard them talking. Geb
!. hardt had a fur coat and the strangers
n began talking about wanting to buy the
a thing. They offered him $l2 but he
a, hung out for SIS and they ate up time
I in quibblng over this price. | started
r. around toward the door and when they
q saw me coming the men cursed me.
g Threaten to Kill Mueller.
"'Get out of here or Wen kill you
. you murderous -- --!
v they said, and | went away.
' 81 heard no noise but shortly afte
&c | ventured in that direction again ant
It the men were all gone, including Geb
hardt."
n Sheriff Sucker Immediately tele
ID phoned in every direction in an effor
to trace the jailbreaker, but no trac,
t. has been found One farmer, driving
" into town at about the hour whel
they made their escape, says that h
met three men in a wagon driving fur
ously, and it may be that these wer
the fellows.
W Sheriff Sucker yesterday Afternoon
had Gebhardt photographed and Gu
al will be made of this.
IT, Reward Of 500 Offered.
5: A reward of 800 is offered for tn
capture of Gebhardt
Two or three years ago anothe
II. horsethief who was awaiting trial /
the Stanton county Jail was release
by accomplices in the same way. Tha
fellow was caught by ex-Sheriff Kin
lie near Randolph.
1t is impossible for a prisoner t
lie escape by working from within, bu
outside bars can break of the locks.
West Point News.
r. West Point Neb., Jan. Especial