The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-10-17
CONVICTS BREAK JAIL
and FLEE TO HILLS
Wyoming Prisoners Battle With
Prison Officials Several
Believed Dead.

Rawlins, wyo., Oct. I5.-Armed with
~shotguns, rifles, revolvers, cleayers and
butcher knives, a half dozen or more
OF dangerous criminals were said to be
trapped In o canyon Just south OF Raw
Inns early today. A battle between
these desperate men and the posse Of
100 men who camped on their trail in
the hills throughout the night. was ex-
pected momentarily.
The men in hiding were among the
dozen or more convicts who escaped
from the state penitentiary here late
yesterday afternoon after they had
overpowered the guards within the
prison. took their weapons from then
and lied down the main streets and
through yards OF private homes. ter
rorizing men, women and children.
Paused TO Kill
The convicts paused in their mad
dash for freedom when they came up
on q livery barn. secured mounts hen
sped toward the hills before citizens
could arm and give chase. .
The total number Of prisoners who
escaped, IL vas said, would not be
known definitely at the prison, until
those remaining are lined up for q roll
call some time today. Owing to the
excitement In Rawlins. the total cas-
ualties were unknown.
Antoine Pazo. q Mexican, heralded as
leader OF the convicts In their break
for liberty, was shot TO death by De-
putty Sheriff Rogner who saw the Mex
lean as he started on horseback for the
hills after having slasfIed Bert Talbert
GRO the face and head with a butch
er knife. Talbert IL the owner Of the
livery barn.
Barber shot BY Negro. y
Charles Stressner, a barber, was shot
to death while walking along the
street, apparently unaware that the
conylcts had escaped. A negro con
vict was seen to fire at Stressner.
Five OF the conyicts who escaped yes
terday were captured last night. They
were ~convicts Elliott. Frazer, Stewart,
Burke and Gilmore. They had sought
refuge In cellars OF private homes. In
box cars and In outbuildings. They
were unarmed and offered but little
resistance. H '..
Desperate fighting was reported in
the prison between convicts and
guards, following the outbreak, but re-
ports that several men, both guards
and convicts were killed there, were
unconfirmed. 49,.
First Break Saturday.
Eleven of the 20 convicts who broke
u of the penitentiary Saturday after
noon were still at large this morning
and 1t Is believed that those who es-
capped yesterday have Joined forces
with their fellows who liberated them
selves Saturday. Warden Felix Aston.
with q possee OF citizen and prison
guards was returning to Rawlins after
a fruitless search for the ~convicts
who escaped Saturday and he did not
lknnNKF re NIA .a1Nxl .1nItyS. ..-kE1 L.
reached RaWlins early today.
Although a company Of Wyoming
state militia remained under arms for
some time last night, the soldiers were
late in the night informed from Gov
ernor Carey's office at Cheyenne that
their services woud not be needed.
Governor Carey by telephone gave his
or of Rawlins that he be authorized to
surround the conyicts with armed citi-
zens. The line was quickly established
and had a quieting effect upon the 800
OF more convicts who made no attempt
to escape.
Bert Dalton, member Of the Whit
ney gang Of bandits, who terrorized
Wyoming for months is said to have
succeeded Antoine Pazo as leader of
the convicts in the hills.
While most of, the penitentiary
guards were pursuing the convicts who
fed to the hills, the small body left in
the prison faced a still more desperate
situation. When the doors Of the cells
were unlocked a large number Of con-
Victs who did not join in the break for
liberty were set free inside the walls.
Riot in the Prison.
Many of them were armed. Soon a
riot was in progress, h guards bat
Ting desperately to save their own
/ lives and prevent the escape of every
convict In the Institution. The gates
have remained locked and no DEFINITE
word has been received giving the
events within.
The report that several men have
been killed has not been confirmed. The
| citizens, however, believe the situation
critical and the determination to post
a heavy guard outside the walls was
reached hen 1t became apparent that
the numerous prisoners had not been
sIbdued and II was not believed the
town was in imminent danger Of at
tack.
Person coming into town from the
south bring stories of q reign Of terror
In the country districts. Riders have
been sent to the ranches for a ra-
dius OF several milss warning the own
ers to be prepared to defend their
south on horseback or In carriages re-
turned afoot. their horses having been
stolen by the convicts.
General Prison Plot.
The escapes appear to be the result
of q general plot inside the prison.
1t Is not known how many prisoners
who made their break for liberty got
the guns with which they were well
supplied when they dashed from the
gates. 1t is possible, the local officers
believe, that they killed q number OF
guards. after overpowering the cell
house keeper, and took their weapons.
Another theory 10 that the guns were
struggled into the prison by friends Of
the men who escaped yesterday.