Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-08-02
SHERIFF ! B|ONl|E !
BEA Elv DOWN

Two Prisoners Attack Hin II
jail, Club Him Down 1ld h.
Make Their Escape.
Two desperate criminals confined
in the county jail attacked Sheriff
Peter Bonde last Wednesday night,
dubbed him into insensibility, and
made good their escape into the dark
night. #
The sheriff had been down town
all evening assisting the city police
force in rounding up the large num-
Der Of hobces in the railroad yards,
and on arriving at the jail went into
the Jail to lock the door to the inner
corridor. He has been suspicious Of
these prisoners ever since they were
taken here June II. He put his gun
into his hip pocket when he went in
this time, but the prisoners had ar
ranged very clever ruse. The one
known here under the name Of Fos-
ter was undressed except for a pair
Of trousers and was sitting playing
solitaire inside Of the corridor, ap-
|parently ready to retire. The other
man, Roach, gave an answering
|grunt from the direction Of his cell
when the sheriff asked if he was in
bed. AS the sheriff turned and
reached up to release the bolt above
the corridor door with the paddock
in his other hand, Foster quickly
jumped up with a club and struck
the sheriff a crushing blow which
was intended for the side Of his head,
but fortunately, struck his shoulder.
The sheriff grappled at once with
Foster and would have speedily ov-
empowered him when the confederate
rushed out throwing q quantity, Of
pepper into the eyes Of the sheriff
and struck him several severe blows
on his head which severely gashed
the scalp. The prisoners rushed for
the. outside door, but were delayed
a moment or two unlocking the
spring lock on the same. just as
they succeeded in opening the door
and rushed out Sheriff Bonde recov-
cred from his beating and rushed out
after bis escaping pllri1iso He
shot after them six times but the
intense darkness and the condition
Of his eyes owing to the smarting
pepper made his aim bad. He fol-
lowed them down thru the alley in
the block south Of the jail until he
struck the patch Of corn, when he
became dizzy and realizing the fu-t
tility Of pursuit in his condition he
returned. In the meantime, Mrs.
Bonde was out on the entrance Of
the jail screaming for Peter to come
back. When she had heard the
noise Of scufling in the jail she
rushed to the stairs and saw when
the sheriff sank to the floor and the
two prisoners opened the door and.
escaped. She called back to little
Harold Bonde, who called the tele-
phone central to give the police
alarm, and then she went down and
locked the inside jail to keep the re-
naming prisoner from escaping.
The response to the alarm was near.
" instant. Inside Of two or three
minutes the chief Of police and night
patrolman were on hand and more
than fifty other men. Posses were
organized for the pursuit. Autos
were sent out in all directions and
men were posted at intervals along
all roads to stand guard until morn
ing. Every outgoing train was
searched and all surrounding coun-
try and towns were notified. But
not single clue Of any value has
been found up to this time. As the
men were hatless and one Of them
shoeless and only had a shirt and
pair Of trousers on, it seems almost
incredible that they should make
such successful getaway without
assistance from the outside.
The remaining prisoner, E. B. Fer
|relo Of Meeker county, claims that
the escaping prisoners had threat
ened death to him if he made the
least outcry to warn the sheriff when
he came to lock the doors. William
Cooper a trusted prisoner who was
very loyal to the sheriff, had COM
pleted his sentence and was released
at noon Of that day. Immediately
after he had gone the prisoners had
begun their operations. They had
secured a knife in some manner.
Perhaps it had been smuggled thru
the window to them from some con-
federate outside. They first attempt
ed to dig their way out thru the brick
wall. They removed q piece Of tin
and with the aid Of. stuffed club
made from q piece Of the cot which
they took apart, and . piece Of iron
from the same, they had removed q
few pieces of brick and mortar,
which were afterwards found rolled
up in q blanket. They had found this
Job too tedious however, and had re-