Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-22
KEEPERS
SLAYER RECOVERING
William Austin Will Be Charged
With Murder-His Com
panion in Dungeon"
[From a star corre.pondent.l


TRENTON, Sept. Physicians in
the prison hospital here today said
that William Austin, the negro who
yesterday shot and killed Deputy
Keeper Eli B. Stetser in vain at
tempt to escape from the New Jersey
State prison. is out of danger from
the two bullet wounds from Stetser'S
gun. James Johnson, another negro
convict, with whom Austin planned
to escape and who overpowered
guard, is confined In the dungeon,
where he will be kept for six days on
a diet of bread and water. Austin
will be arraigned on a charge of muir
der when he leaves the hospital.
The men had been returned to their
cells at 10 a. m. yesterday after at
tending the first service of the day.
The second service had started and
1t was time for the prison physician
to see those prisoners who wished
to consult him. Johnson said he
wanted to see the doctor and he
stepped out of his cell in wing No. l.
Diamond them signalled David Pier
son, a deputy, that he, too, would
like to see the physician, and he also
stepped out.
Wing No. 1 is near where DR.. j.
Wellington Crane, the resident physi-
clan, sat with Stetser, who was on
duty at that time. When Diamond
was out of his cell Johnson jumped
back of Pierson and pinned his arms
to his side. Diamond then took Pier
sons revolver from his hip pocket
and ran for the ceitre wing of the
prison. Pierson struggled free from
Johnson and followed Diamond.
Fires at Guard.
Pierson soon overlook the negro
and grabbed Diamonds arm, but in
the meantime the convict had fired
two bullets into the chest of Stetser.
Stetser whipped his revolver from his
pocket and sent two bullets into the
prisoners right arm. The negro
dropped to the floor. Johnson, who
had lost his nerve, was running
around the wing like wild man. In
desperate attempt to get in the
prison yard he ran through glass
door.
Diamond was put In irons and
taken to the prison hospital. Stetser
was rushed to ST. Francis Hospital,
where he died on the operating table,
johnson told Thomas B. Madden, the
head keeper, that he and Diamond
had planned the break for liberty,
but he said Diamond had promised
faithfully there would be no shooting.
1t was thought to have been the
plan of the prisoners to shoot the
keeper of the centre wing and then
kill the man on the outside door lead
ing to the street. They chose time
when they knew most of the guards
would be in the chapel. The prison.
ers, however, did not reckon on the
door leading from the centre wing to
the outside hallway. This door is al
ways locked on the outside and even
if the men had got by Stetser they
could not possibly have gone any
further and would have been caught
like rats in trap.
One Cartridge Missed Fire.
To the fact that one of the bullets
in the revolver was defective DR..
Crane undoubtedly owes his life.
Diamond pointed the weapon at the
physician and pulled the trigger, but
1t failed to discharge. An examina
ton of the revolver showed that the
cartridge was deeply indented, al
though 1t was not discharged.
Diamond was committed to State
prison from Somerset County on
October H. 1911, to serve fifteen years.
He held up an automobilist on
lonely road and robbed him. johnson
was serving five years for breaking,
entering and larceny, and was sent to
the prison from Essex County in 1911.
Stetser had been a prison deputy
for nearly twenty-five years. He was
about fifty years old and came orig
inally from Camden. He was married
and had a family.