Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-04-07
BAD MEN BREAK JAIL.
Noted Icggmcn Make Escape from
the Grccnyillc Jail.

Greenville, April 5.-Garber
Moore, alias John Rutherford, alias
John Hinlile, alias Jake Moore, alias
GObbler, alias Tennessee Dutch, and
his pal George Barton, equally as
well known in police circles as a safe
blower and general degenerate, es-
capped from the county Jail here early
yesterday morning.
At the approaching term of the
Federal Court they were to be tried
for tearing up the safe in the Pelzer
post office. One year ago they COM
m.tted this daring act.
The noise made by the explosion,
which tore away the front of the
safe at the PelHcr government sta
ton, awoke the people of the town,
and when Rutherford and Barton
were making their getaway" in a
buggy two pistol shots were fred at
them by man who stood on the
vCranda of a hotel. Neither shot
took effect.
They were arrested in Birmimg-
ham, Ala, early in March and held
for the robbery at Pelzcr, this State.
Post Office Inspector Gregory cap
tured the two men.
The two men were in the same cell
ono Of the strongest in the Jail
and while Rutherford, the man with
the numerous aliases, had done most
Of the talking to the outsiders. it is
supposed that Barton was at work
drilling hole through the rock
floor. Two parts of the rod of an
umbrella that had been filed down
so that they could be used as drills
to be used in making hole in the
rock floor of the cage were left by
the yeggmcn in the Jail.
At first it was the suppoSition that
nitrOglycCrine had been used. Later
another theory was advanced that
of spontaneous combustion by water
| being poured upon the top of cotton
| that was packed tightly into an air
tight space. The latter theory seems
| TO be the most reasonable if the peo-
| pie believe that the Safeblowers did
all their work in one night.
The hardest part OF the escape of
| the criminals was done after the hole
| had been blasted through the rock
bottom OF the cell. From the cell the
! men made their escape through the
hole in the floor They dropped
tour feet into narrow passage,
which lead to cellar. For eighty
feet or thereabouts they walked
| along this dark way until solid
~ iNh "ull WAS Hcl HeN DOTeu
through four feet of bricks until an
opening was made into the air tunnel
t ON the corridor on which their cell
was located Walking along this air
tunnel FOR about 100 feet the yegg-
men found door, leading upward
into the office Of the deputy sheriff,
the keeper of the Jail. This door
was not locked on the outside. From
| this corridor the criminals only had
! TO walk few feet to the door which
| Ieads to the outer yard, and the porch
| of the Jail. On this porch, within
three feet of the opening door, was
| Mr.. Carter, the government guard.
| The yeggmen walked away. got over
| the fence and went out of Greenville.
The government guard knows not
when they left or their mode Of leav-
ing.
Escaped Icggman Rccapturcd.
Asheville, n. c.. April George
Barton, alias Chicago Army" the
noted ycggman, who with Jake
Moore, alias Tennessee Dutch"
broke from Grecnville Jail Saturday
night, was captured tonight after a
severe fight with Deputy Sheriff Rog-
els, at Craggy, seven miles from this
| city. tennessee Dutch" after
| wrenching revolver from Rogers,
| made his escape and headed for the
mountains, near Marshall, Madison
county. Barton, who has only one
arm, was lodged in the county Jail
at Asheville.
While walking the track about
half mile west of the station. Rog-
ers saw two men sitting on the bank.
one of them having only one arm.
Rogers drew his gun and advanced,
but both men attacked him before
he could fire. Tennessee Dutch"
Knocked the officer down, and
wrenching his pistol from his grasp.
made for the woods. Barton essayod
TO follow his partner, but was thrown
by the officer who caught the des-
peradO's leg as he started to run. A
sever" fight, in which the officers
ear was almost bitten off. followed.
Rogers held his prisoner until
freight crew, summoned by his calls
for help, arrived on the scene. A
posse started in pursuit Of "'Tennes-
see Dutch. who made for the noun