The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-02-05
FLEEING! CONVICT
= SHOT TO DEATH
Guard at Joliet guy Prison
Kills Prisoner.
BATTLES WITH ANOTHER
slain Man Believed to Be German
saron-other Fugitive Puts Up
Desperate Fight But Is
Finally Subdued.

Joliet, ILL.,, Feb. Oscar Won Ha.
gen, graduate of Heidelberg university.
In Germany, son of German army
ohcer, and said to be a baron
VINO was sent to the state pen-
itentiary here from Chicago for rob-
berry, was shot and killed here by a
guard. Won Hagen was trying to es-
cape from stone quarry operated by
the prison when the guard fired. The
bullet struck him squarely between
the eyes. At the same time several
other prisoners dashed for liberty.
Ihey were captured and after a des-
perate fight subdued. 1t was believed
that Won Hagen had planned a general
delivery OF all the prisoners in the
quarry.
Guard Shoots After Warming.
jeremiah Collins. the guard who
killed Won Hagen, was some distance
away when he saw the prisoner dart
ing toward the east railroad gate open
ing into the prison yard
Halt" cried Collins. Won Hagen
continued running. After shouting the
command twice more, Collins lifted his
rife to his shoulder.
Won Hagen was running close to the
ground. He was paying no attention
to the guards commands. He reached
the gate as Won Hagen shouted the
third time. Turning be allowed a
smile of derision to play on his face
for an instant. In that instant a puff
of smoke spurted from the end of Col
Inns rife barrel. Won Hagen straight
ened, swayed and fell dead.
As Collins started forward to where
Won Hagen's body lay, James O'Neil,
another convict, made a dash for lib
erty. Several shots were fired at him.
but all missed. James Carver, a
guard, threw down his gun and start
ed after O'Neil The convict made
the gate, ducked beneath it. Carver
was close behind him. As the guard
gained on the convict, O'Neil turned
and leaped upon Carver.
O'Neil caught up club and brought
it down with such force on Carver's
head that the guard sank to the
ground apparently unconscious.
Dashing into nearby shanty,
O'Neil found part OF suit Of clothes.
Tearing of his convict garb he donned
the other garments. He darted out Of
the door to find that Carver had re-
gained control of his legs and tracked
him to the shanty.
O'Neil ran down the railroad tracks
with Carver close upon him. gang
OF tramps-Carver said there must
have been a dozen-were camped near
Woodruff woods They seemed to
grasp the situation and rushed upon
the track to defend O'Neil against the
officer. Carver tumbled two or three
Of the tramps and caught at O'Neil as
he started to TIA again.
Escaped Convict Is Captured.
Carver was being roughly handled
when a freight trained pulled along
and the engineer. seeing a desperate
struggle. slowed his train. The con-
ductor and a brakeman ran to Car
ver's assistance and were fighting the
tramps and O'Neil when a posse OF
guards from the penitentiary arrived.
Won Hagen, the dead convict, was
sent to the penitentiary for from one
to fourteen years for robbery. He had
served time before. When first ar
rested in Chicago he was suspected OF
the murder Of Joseph Logue, a dia.
mond merchant, but the police we're
unable to connect him with the crime.
O'Neil was serving from one to ten
years for larceny.