Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1908-03-14
CONVICTSGIVEFIGHT
MONTANA PRISON GUARDS
FIERCELY ATTACKED.
Three Lifers at Deer Lodge Made
Dash for Liberty-Warden Conley
seriously Wounded and His First
Assistant, John Robinson, Was
kiIIed-Two Convicts Were Shot.

Deer Lodge, Mont, March 81
Warden Frank Conley of the Montana
state penitentary was fearfully
wounded Sunday morning and his hrst
assistant warden, John Robinson, was
killed. when three life convicts, George
Rock. w. H. Hayes and another whose
name is not given made dash for lib
erty in the penitentiary office. 1t is
thought the warden will live. Robin
sons throat was cut from ear to ear
and the jugular vein was severed. Con-
ley's throat was gashed and he was
stabbed several times in the shoulder
and groin before he was able to draw
his revolver and shoot two of the as
sailants down. Convicts Hayes and
Rock were both shot down by Conley
after the latter had been wounded.
Rock was shot twice through the
lungs and Hayes three times through
the abdomen. Both are badly wounded,
but it is believed they will recover.
The attack on the prison authorities
and subsequent effort to escape has,
according to the prison authorities,
been long planned by Rock and Hayes.
who were cellmates. Both were armed
with penknives, the blades of which
were sharpened like razors.
The three convicts were brought to
the office of the prison this morning
at 8 o'clock by Deputy Warden Robin
son to be tried for some trivial infrac-
ton of the prison rules. and Conley
was waiting to sit in judgment. Hayes
had for several months been "trusty'
and had been given the position of
turnkey. He had been placed in the
same cell with Rock because the au-
thorities believed he would watch the
latter. who was the most desperate
criminal in the institution.
Cut, Slash and lab Victims.
The moment the men entered the
office door Rock turned swiftly upon
Robinson, who was closing the door
behind the men. and, quickly drawing
knife, he began slashing at the dep
uty wardens throat. Robinson was I'M
able to retreat or move before his
throat was cut wide open and he sank
TO the floor. dying. At the same time
that Rock attacked Robinson Hayes
also pulled out a knife similar to that
of Rock and started for Conley. The
Office before the oncoming desperate
Before Conley could draw his revolver
however, Hayes had slashed his throat
cutting him from the left ear to q
point under the chin. The convict
seeing his intended victim getting
away, grappled with him and stabbed
him several times in the shoulder anC
the groin.
Although bleeding terribly. Conle!
managed to draw his revolver from hi
pocket and fired four times with the
weapon pressed against Hayes aldo
men.
AS Hayes sank to the floor Rocl
rushed at Conley who emptied thu
two remaining cartridges in his gul
into Rock and the latter also wen
down. The third convict took to hi
heels at the first of the battle, but wa
quickly captured and placed in hi
cell The authorities refused to Civ
out his name until they had invest
gated whether he was concerned Il
the plot or whether he had merel
been called to the office at the sam
time as the other two.
How the convicts Hays and Roc
secured possession of the knives is
mystery. The infraction of rules ha
been planned in order to reach tn
warden's Office where the convict
would have more chance in making
dash for liberty
IRISH OPPOSE NEW TREATY.