Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-03-16
Wade Through Snow, Only to Dis
cover No Trace of Hgitives.
BIG REWARDS ARE OFFERED
Conclusion Grows Men Given Sub
stantial Aid from Outside.
HEYERs IS ACTING WARDEN
Governor Asks Former official TO
Take Charge and offers Reward
Of six Hundred Dollars for
Each Murderer.
lFrom a SAD correspondentl


LINCOLN. March l5.-(Spectal.l-.M-
legged clues and rumors innumerabls are
in the air today regarding the tragedy
at the penitentiary yesterday. but the
only really tangible things connected
with the affair are thst the three con-
viets, Taylor, alias Gray, Morley and
DoNd are stili at large. that the governor
has offered a reward OF 500 each for the
capture dead or alive OF the men. and
that former Warden II. W. Byers has
been appointed by the governor as act
ing warden until such time as a perma-
nent appointment can be made.
The three men supposed 10 be the es-
cApci prisoners who were seen In hay
stack southeast of the city last night
had dei'arted when the officers arrived.
They went IN u southwesteriy direction.
bu tie trail as toon 70 : In the drift :
hs niSw. rh, general opinion among
those familiar With the methods OF such
men Is that before the attempt TO escape
was made they had a place prepared IN
which they could seek refuge and In all
probability il Is somewhere in the city
m ed they vi keep indoors for a week
or two and then watch for a favorable
opportunity to get out Of the country.
Sheriff Gus Hyers and the police Off
eials, however, are overlooking no clue
that might lead TO results. All nelghbor-
ing towns have been notified 10 be on the
lookout and descriptions of the men have
been sent broadcast When they escaped
they wore the regulation gray prison
suits and caps, with no overcoats. Sher-
IFS posses are covering the country and
following every rumor but as yet 10 no
'anHihle purpose. Nothing which bears
prlmiss ~ results has come to their no.
,.e,, out the officials are working away
just the same
TweHty knives in GelIs.
At the prison the first thing this morn
tng was TO start systematic search Of
the prison. The mcn were all confined
IN their cells and this Miil be- ths rule
until Governor Aidrich returns and ordcrs
otherwise. The search today resulted In
some discoveries, Twenty knives were
found In the cells and IN ene u kit OF
burglar tools was unearthed. The prison
officials viii not make public the names
OF the eonviets who had these articles.
When the search OF the cells Is CON-
pleted exery nook and Granny OF the big
prison will bo gone over thoroughly to
see what else can be found.
Nothing has developed TO indicate any
other eonvicts had anything TO do with
or any previous knowledge OF the plans
OF the three who did such murderous
work before they made their way to free
dom. Gray. the most desperate OF the
trio, has had no cellmate since coming
10 the prison last August. he being
dsemed too desperate. Montgomery. who
vas cellmate Of Morley said today he
had no inkling Of the plans. and In speak
ing Of the affair asserted that all three
richly deserved TO be hung. Dowd's cell
mate also protested ignorance Of any
plans Of the three. Newspaper reporters
who visited the prison today had little
opportunity TO talk to convicts. but those
they saw expressed regret at the affair.
and II there was any bitterness toward
the management the prisoners kept 1t
strictly to themselves.
Gsardsmep on Duty.
The only evidence of the tragedy is
the fact the prisoners are not at their
work as usual and the presence Of the
National guardsmen who are patrolling
the prison walls. They will remain until
recalled by the governor. This probably
will be as soon as he is able TO reach
the city. He is still sonwbound at Auburn.
but hoped to get away this evening The
newly appointed acting warden. n. w.
Hyers. went to the prison today and took
charge. The ranking officer at the prison
previous to his arrival was Steward Robb.
whose duties were sufficient TO keep him
husy without taking on those Of the
warden. Hyers was warden at the peni-
tentlary from lsS ito 1853.
There are stiii two widely divergent
views among people in this city regarding
the affair. One is that while the action
Of outsiders had no direct connection
with the tragedy that nevertheless there
Is an indirect connection and responsi-
bility. These people maintain that but
for what they term interference In the
prison management the conditions which