The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-09-14
DESPERATE MEN
HATCH PLOT IN
STATE PRISON
Conspiracy Which Had for Its
Object Escape and Pos
Sible Murder of Guards.
DEFINING FIGHTS FIERCE
BATTLE WITH KEEPERS
ONLY SUBOUED AFTER BEING
BEATEN INTO INSENSIBILiTY
WARDEN ACTS PROMPTLY.

After week of hard work Warden
Arthur Pratt discovered a plot at the
state penitentiary Sunday morning
which. if ii had proved successful
would have set at liberty three of the
most desperate men in the prison
Richard Deming, serving ten years for
grand larceny; Joe Sullivan. serving a
life sentence for the murder of Officer
Charles Ford, and Abe Majors. serving
life term for the murder of Police
captain Brown of Ogden.
Deming was the leader OF the plot
and was working in conjunction with
Majors and Sullivan. The conspiracy
had for its aim the escape of the three
al the time Deming was TO come 10 the
city for trial on a charge of attempting
to escape from the county Jail and in
Turing state property.
Soon after their conviction both Sui
ivan and Deming were placed in soli-
tary confinement for murderous as
Sault on convict named Prussing.
whom they believed had informed the
sheriff OF their attempt to escape from
the county Jail. About Sept l Deming
made pitiful plea To the warden to be
released and be allowed to go to work
along with the other prisoners He
begged Warden Pratt on his knees and
promised TO be a good man in the flu
ture and If possible set back his cred
it's
When Governor Cutler visited the
prison with the board of pardons some
days later Deming begged permission
to talk with him. The request was
granted and he told the governor how
he wanted To be good in the future
and go TO work. He had lost his false
teeth in making his escape from the
hospital and wanted TO earn money TO
buy new ones. he said.
Governor Gives Money.
Governor Cutler told Demng if he
would prove true to his word he would
leave money with the warden with
which TO purchase him new teeth When
Mr. Cutler left that day he deposited
with Warden Pratt s. to be given Dem
| ing if he proved himself all right
On Sept. Deming and Sullivan were
released from the solitary cells and adj
vanced to second-grade men. This al
lowed them to go TO work in the shops
with the other men. For several DAYS
Deming worked hard and the prison Of
ficials believed he was indeed trying TO
reform.
Last Tuesday morning Warden Pratt
a knife concealed about his person or
cell. Deputy Warden IRE was also told
about this. but no one else about the
prison. as Warden Pratt did not want
to arouse Deming's suspicion. Sunday
] morning he learned that Deming had
the knife under his shirt and decided
that it was time To act.
Fights With Guards.
| Deming and about fifty other prison.
ers were at the time exercising in the
yard. Guards Cleveland and Taggart
We're instructed to get Deming and take
! no chances. as he had a knife No soon
/ er had the guards taken hold OF the
man when he began fighting and sue
/ ceeded in getting one hand free He
reached inside his shirt and cIasped the
Enife. bTt in the scuffle with the guards
the knife was dropped 10 the floor
Guar1 George Cleveland secured the
weapon and then proceeded to take
/ Deming to his cell on the third tier of
the south cell house. Here the enraged
man. fighting like a tiger. made an at
| tempt to down the guards. and finally
succeeded in breaking away He sprang
over the railing to the floor below. His
shirt caught on a projection and he was
dealt a severe blow on the head with a
club. He finally freed himself from
tlcNtidHu anu ldSSdfl anu again ran 10
the yard and was quickly in the midst
of the other prisoners. To go among
| these men at this time without
4 doubt meant instant death. for it
takes but a leader to start the whole
/ In revolt
Clerk Gives Warning.
The prison clerk. also convict. whose
name is withheld for obvious rea sons,
saw trouble ahead and called the ward
1 an in by telenhone. and at the same
time sounded the gong three times. This
was the signal for all convicts TO go to
| their cells. Every man in the yard
obeyed the signal without a murmur.
with the exception of Deming. He re-
fused 10 go to his cell and ran along
the corridor up to the second tier Of
| cells. where he faced about and de-
fled the guards.
! Warden Pratt had entered the prison
nv this time. ACCOMPANIED by Deputy
! IRE, who was armed with revolver.
MI. Pratt ordered Deming to his cell,
Continued on Page 2.