Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-05-24

opened fire on those who had scaled
the wall.
The statements of the guards and
other prisoners were then taken. They
all tell about the same story as mar
rated here.
So far as can be learned none of the
prisoners involved had given the
slightest intimation of their intentions
Their conduct had been, generally
speaking. good and nothing desperate
had been limited at in the slightest
manner. Warden Shook and the other
penitentiary officials believe that every
thing was done under the circum-
stances that could have been done to
death was unavoidable.
II expected to be killed when we
made the attempt to escape said
Bereup before his death yesterday aft
ernoon. He was conscious up to the
time death overlook him. Continuing,
he said in part: 1T would sooner be
dead anyway than to suffer as l have
with kidney trouble and knowing that
1 must spend the rest of my life in
the penitentiary. We did not plan
general delivery. There were but four
of us involved. was in the Wyoming
penitentiary and suffered there with
kidney trouble as I have here. 1t was
because I could not perform hard labor
that the prison officials kept switching
me around from one occupation to an
other. 1t was after my release and be-
cause I did not want to and could not
stand hard labor that I went to boot
Logging in Bannock county.
Bereup was but a comparatively
young man, being but 81 years old.
He was under life sentence for the muir
der of Deputy Sheriff McFadden of
Bannock county. who attempted to ar
rest him near Grace. Bereup shot
through the back of the buggy, killing
the official.
Howard Was Fourth Man.
The fourth man named by Bereup
as implicated in the attempted escape
was Convict e. r, Howard, sent up
from Canyon county for embezzlement
in the theft of horses and arrested
while attempting to make his getaway
in Owyhee county. He is also an ex-
convict, having served time in the
Wyoming penitentiary. 1t is supposed
that he and Bereup became acquainted
in that penal institution. When the
improvised ladder made with the two
cots and placed against the south wall
Broke, Howard was on it and fell back
into the prison yard. There were from
10 to 20 prisoners close by at the time
and into this crowd Howard ran. 1t is
believed that had both Howard and AL
lers been successful the other convicts
would have willingly followed up the
cot ladder.
General Delivery Not Planned.
Il do not think that a general deliv-
cry was planned or contemplated" said
Warden Shook yesterday when inter
viewed. IF one had been under way
| am confident that l would have been
given some intimation Of it for a gem
eral plan with this in contemplation
cannot be handled by large number
of the prisoners without som ething
leaking out.
II believe what Bereup says is about
correct-that but four Of the prisoners
were implicated, or Bereup, Jones, AL
lers and Howard. They kept their
plans very close and no one besides
themselves had an intimation that they
had any scheme of this kind under way
1t came about as a complete surprise
No doubt other prisoners would have
followed those who attempted the es-
cape had the four been successful, but
the breaking of the cot ladder and the
fire that opened on the flee
ing men balked any desires they might
have had along this line.
ITO the credit of the guards 1t can
be said they did their duty and acted
promptly, In work of the nature they
are expected to do, stern duty some
times calls for action of this kind
Guard Peterson fortunately was fleet of
foot and his promptness in following
Bereup and Jones and his ability to
shoot with true aim while on the run
himself and while the prisoners were
running is responsible for Bereup. at
least, in not getting away.
Taking Desperate Chances.
Howard intended to follow Allard,
but the breaking of the ladder prevent
ed him 1t is always customary for the
prisoners to take the cots out into the
prison yard and clean them, after
which they are disinfected. In some
way they managed to nail the two cots
together, thereby making it possible to
rush and scale the wall, but even then
they are taking desperate chances.
When the ladder broke Howard fell
back into the yard and ran back into
the group of prisoners standing there.
Before he died, Bereup told us that
he expected to be killed and that he
would sooner be dead anyway than to
continue to suffer with kidney trouble
as he had had to.
May Hold Coroner's Inquest.
II have taken the matter of a coro-
ner's inquest up with the coroner and
one may be held Monday. Stenographic
statements, however. were taken from
all of the guards and prison officials
relative to the attempted escape and
this may be sufficient not to go to the
expense of holding an inquest. II nee
essary 1t can be turned over to the