Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-14
TRAPPED IN CANYON
Battle With Escaped RawIins
ConviCtS Imminent.
SURROUNDED By POSSE
Total Number of Prisoners Who Got
Away Not Determined.
RINGLEADER SHOT TO DEATH
Desperate Fighting in Prison Re-
ported-Men Obtain Mounts and
Speed Toward Hills.

RAWLINS, Wyo.. October 1f.-Armed
with shotguns, rifles, revolvers. cleavers
and butcher knives, a half dozen or more
dangerous criminals We're said to be
trapped in a canyon just south of
Rawlins, early today. A battle between
these men and the posse of a hundred
who camped on their trail in the hills
throughout the night was expected
momentarily.
The men in hiding We're among the
dozen or more convicts who escaped
from the state penitentiary here late
yesterday afternoon. after they had
overpowered the guards. taken their
weapons and fled down the main streets
and through yards of private homes,
terrorizing men, women and children.
The convicts paused in their dash for
freedom when they came upon a livery
barn. obtain mounts, then sped to-
ward the hills before citizens could arm
and give chase. The total number of
prisoners who escaped. it was said.
would not be known definitely at the
prison until those remaining within the
walls were lined up for a roll call
Number of Casualties Unknown.
Owing to the excitement in Rawlins the
total number of casualties was unknown.
Antoine PaZo. Mexican. heralded as
leader of the convicts in their break for
liberty. was shot to death by Deputy
Sheriff ROgner who saw the Mexican as
he started on horseback for the hills after
having slashed Bert Talbert across the
face and head with a butcher knife. Tai
bert Is the owner of the livery barn.
Charles StreSsner. barber. was shot to
death while walking along the street, ap-
parently unaware that the convicts had
escaped.
Five Of the convicts who escaped yes
terday Were captured last night. They
We're Elliott, Frazer, Stewart. Burke and
Gilmore. They had sought refuge i'm cell
lars of private homes. in box cars and in
OutbuildingS They were unarmed.
Desperate fighting was reported i'm the
prison between convicts and guards fol-
lowing the outbreak. but reports that sew
eral men, both guards and convicts, We're
! killed there are unconfirmed.
May Have Joined Forces.
Eleven Of the twenty conyicts who
| broke out Of the penitentiary Saturday
afternoon were still at large this morning,
and it was believed those who escaped
Yesterday have Joined forces with their
fellows.
Warden Felix Aston. with a posse of
citizens and prison guards. was return
ing to Hawlins after fruitless search
for the cOnvicts who escaped SATURDAY
and he did not know of the second deIiv-
cry until he reached Rawlins early to-
day.
A company of Wyoming state militia
under arms. ready for service last night
was Informed today from Gov. Carey s
office at Cheyenne that. it would not be
needed. Gov. Carey by telephone gave
his sanction to request made by the
mayor of RawlinS that he be authorized
to surround the penitentiary with armed
| citizens. The line was quickly estab-
lished
Dalton Said to Be Leader.
Bert Dalton, member of the Whitney
gang of bandits. who long terrorized
Wyoming, was said to have succeeded
Antoine PaZo as leader of the convicts i'm
the hills.
The outbreaks can be traced to the
lynching within the prison walls October
> of Frank Wigfall, a negro. WigfalI
had made an attack on the aged prison
angel and had been placed in a cell in
the penitentiary to keep him from the
vengeance of a mob
He bOasted of what he had done and
in a moment of forgetfuiness mentioned
his victims name. She was very popu-
lar with the convicts and they We're so
enraged they overpowered the guards
and hanged the negro. An investigation
was started to discover the rinsleaders
and since then trouble has been brewing