The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1912-02-16
DARING ESCAPE
FROM PRISON
Desperate Character Escapes
From Albion.
OLIVER II. BATES. JR., HIDING IN
LAVA FIELDS.
Jailer Went Away and Left Jail
Unlocked and Prisoner Walked Out
Wanted on U. S. Charge.

| Oliver H. Bates, Jr., who has been
held at the Cassia county jail at Al
bion on state charge, and who is al
SO under indictment for alleged viola
ton of the white slave laws, escaped
| from the jail at II o'clock Monday
forenoon and is still at large.
| According to Sheriff r. G.. Parke of
| Cassla county, who was at Miner last
| night, following a day and a half of
| strenuous riding in pursuit of the fugi-
! tive, the escape was accomplished
while the Jail was unguarded and the
doors unlocked
Bates escaped by simply walking
out of the jail in broad daylight" said
Sheriff Parke, sover. the long-distance
phone to The Statesman last night. Il
was called out of town early Monday
morning on official duties, and my de-
putty was also absent on business con-
nected with the office. The jail was in
charge of H. d. Carpenter, who was
employed temporarily to watch the
prisoners. Carpenter says that he had
occasion to leave the jail few min
utes Just prior to the escape He adj
mits that he did not lock the doors of
the jail, or even those of the stock
ade thinking that the prisoners would
be all right for the short period he
would be gone. Therefore Bates es-
capped without any trouble and was
| we'll out of sight before his absence
was discovered"
AS soon as the alarm was sounded
two or three posses of men were form
ed and the chase after Bates was be-
gun. More than armed men took up
the trail and pursued the fugitive until
late Monday night. 1t was learned
from an authentic source that Bates
went direct from the Jail at Albion to
Miner, where he has friends, who sup
piled him with provisions and wea-
pons, 1t is said From there, according
to Sheriff Parke's statement last
night, the fugitive made for the lava
rocks in the great Snake river desert
where he is now in hiding.
Bates is known to be a desperate
| character, and the sheriff's men antiv
cipate bloody battle in case he Is
Overtaken. With two charges hang
ing over his head, it is known that he
will make every effort to avoid cap
ture and to get out of the country.
Sheriff Parke said last night that,
although the hunt for Bates was be-
ing diligently maintained and the men
OF the posses were striving hard to
capture the fugitive, it is probable
that Bates will succeed in getting
away, for he knows the country as
we'll as any of his pursuers, and this
fact, together with the assistance his
friends will give him, will serve to
hinder and retard the officers in their
work.
First news of the escape of Bates
was resolved in Boise yesterday morn
ing, when United States Marshal
Hodgin received the following tele-
gram from Sheriff Parke:
Bates broke jail today and escaped
Better offer reward R. c. Parke."
At the time this was received Ras
Beemer, deputy United States marshal,
was on his way to Albion to bring
Bates and other prisoners to Boise to
appear before the federal court. Bates,
under the indictments in the federal
court, will have to face very conclu-
sive and damaging evidence in. the
white slave charges, and 1t was pre-
dicted that his case would be the most
sensational Of its kind ever heard In
the state when 1t came to trail The
federal officials would not discuss the
case at this time, but 1t was intimated
that the evidence against Bates was
exceptionally strong.
The charge against him in Cassia
county, for which he was being le-
tained at the jail at Albion, was grand
larceny, it is said. No intimation of a
reward being offered by the govern
ment for the capture OF Bates couli
be heard In federal court circles yes
terday. Statesman.
~