American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-01-14
PRISONERS FIRE JAZZ IN
ATTEMPT 10 ESCAPE.
Discovery of Fire Prevents Success Of
Their Plan Letter Written by one
Of Them.

Two prisoners, awaiting trial on
criminal charges, set fire to the coun-
ty jail Saturday night In desperate
attempt to burn their way to liberty.
Mrs. Tom Morris discovered the
smoke curling from the Jail door. and
spread the alarm that prevented the
prisoners from gaining their freedom.
NJ L. Rice, alias McNee the check
artist. and II. Lower, accused OF horse
stealing are the two who planned TO
escape. Officer Watts kept one OF the
prisoners in cell and left the other
loose In the Jail room to keep the fire
burning. About five o'clock Saturday
evening he took them their supper
unlocking the cell while they ate. Mr.
Watts then left the jail. as Is his hab-
II when the Jail is occupied. with the
intention of returning later I'm the
evening to lock the prisoners In cells
for the night. AS soon as he left af-
ter giving them their supper, the, be-
gan preparations for their getaway.
With coal shovel they succeeded
in prying an opening between the In
ne-s steel door aud the easing. large
enough for them to drop live Goals
between the steel door and the outer
wooden one. both of which were se-
curely locked The process was very
slow but was succeeding well until
discovered by Mrs, Morris who lives
within plain view of the JUL, about
nine o'clock She told MIR. Morris.
and he with aid OF Max Tyler. sue
ceeded In putting the fire out with a
bucket of water Mr. Tyler thinking,
perhaps, that the prisoners we're suf-
fering from smoke and flames, ran to
the window OF the Jail and called the
prisoners. One of them came 10 the
window, and begged him to go away.
say nothing and give them chance to
escape
by this time IA crowd had been at
tracted by the smoke and the alarm
sent into central. The prisoners were
groanng inside aud IL was feared that
they had been overcome with smoke
aud were suffocaithg. one OF the by
ISLANDERS broke the locks on the doors
with an ak and the prisoners were
carried out Of the jail apparently life
less. A doctor was called. lie felt
their pulses, found them normal and
Immediately branded the two acters
as takers. They had played "possum"
In an endeavor to cover their attempt
to burn the jail.
Sheriff Jeffries took the two men
to Pocatello on the 1920 train that
night and lodged them there In the
city jail until Tuesday when they
were returned here TO stand trial In
district court.
The following letter picked up af-
ter the excitement shows that the
prisoners expected 10 make their get
away. addressed to H. o. Rice at Good
ing:
American Fails. Idaho. Jan. Q. 1914.
Dear brother am In some trouble at
American Falls. The sheriff has my
suit case and things. ! am going to
leave here tonight will probably
go west some place don't know where
yet. ] have In my suit case the fol-
lowing: one blue suit, three white
shirts, three suits OF underwear, one
pair OF socks, one two pound box OF
candy. one Keen Kutter safety razor,
one common razor. hand painted han
die, one tooth brush dental cream face
cream one watch check one watch fob
mexican bead worth $500 one ladies'
bar pin with name plate set With five
Mexican sympathy stones worth $500
one bill folder with wendle bank on H.
Two memorandum books one novel
and few other things that I do not
recall just now.
Will you write to the sheriff here at
American Falls and get the suit case
and junk for me and keep II until
call for H. ] am innocent OF the
charge that they have against me but
] can't fight IL. 30 ] am going. My
attorney is Mr.. Davis. 1'he sheriffs
name is Jeffries. You could write 10
the prosecuting attorney here his
name is Mr.. Balsm Now Bing don't
let Fred know this and for Gods sake
never tell May If she doesn't know I
wouldn't have her know for my life.
My things are in that trunk over at
the shack. Some Of Fred Andersons
things are in the trunk too. but don't
let him have them for he owes me
s27.00 II he will pay that he can have
them. Be sure TO write the sheriff
and gef NV anti case for ma ,vtty