Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-07-06
DISCOVERED NEAR SPAULDING
ABOUT 8 A. M. BY CONSTABLE
DAVIS-SHERIrF LYDON IN
FORMED AND TOOK MEN
WITHOUT TROUBLE.

camp were captured Sunday by Sheriff
Harry Lydon and posse from Lewiston
near Spaulding in guleh on the south
side of the Clearwater river two and a
half miles above Spaulding railroad
bridge. They were Immediately taken
to Lewiston and lodged in the Nezperce
county Jail to await orders from au
thorities at Boise as to their removal to
the state penitentiary.
The two escapes were discovered a
little after 9 o'clock Sunday morning
as they were working their way along
the south bank of the Clearwater river
short distance below the Arrow June
tion station. Constable Davis saw the
men and being convinced that they were
the escaped convicts, he kept them in
view until they entered the short ravine
or canyon where they were later cap
tured. The home of Davis is on the
north bank of the Clearwater opposite
the point where the men disappeared.
Sheriff Lydon of Lewiston was imme-
diately informed by telephone of the
discovery and leaving his wife to watch
the ravine hurried to Spaulding to Join
the officers. Mrs. Davis was to signal
Information as to whether the men were
III the ravine yet or had moved on.
Capture Convicts in Ravine.
Constable Davis led the officers of
the posse, consisting if Sheriff Lydon,
Deputies Welker, Gerties and Special
Deputy Thomas Tabor, who had driven
the posse to the place, along the trail
on the south bank of the river from
Spaulding.
The mouth of the ravine is at sharp
turn in the river and as Sheriff Lydon
and Constable Davis cautiously round
ed the bend, they saw the smoke of a
small camp fire about 100 feet from the
water edge. They awaited the arrival
of the other officers and the plans were
then made for surrounding the camp
fire. The men moved slowly and
cautiously and were within fifteen feet
of Smead before they discovered him
or was even seen by the convict. 1t is
the opinion of the officers that Smead
was doing at the time as he was reclin-
ing alongside the fire with his head on
the bag of clothing. As he looked up,
he saw the five officers with their guns
covering him an made no effort to use
either of the Winchesters that were
| lying by his side. He was ordered to
stand up and step away from the guns
and this he did willingly but would
not give any information as to what
had become of Davis nor would be sum
mon Davis. The latter, however, was
soon discovered in the bluff or rocks
above the camp and was placed under
arrest.
Tried to Destroy Clothes.
After Smead was placed under ar
rest and while Sheriff Lydon and Con
stable Ben Davis, of the Spalding pre-
cinct, were bringing Davis from tn,
bluff of rocks where he had been locat
ed, Smead endeavored to dispose of tn,
sack of clothing by kicking it into tn,
small fire near which he had been lying
In an interview with the reporter o
the Lewiston Tribune after the captur
and while the men were lodged in jai
in Lewiston, the Tribune reports tn
following statement from Smead con
cerning the capture by the officers:
"It was this way,o said Smead. I"
was under the brush with the guns an,
Davis was looking around in the brush
II heard a rustic in the brush an
thought it was Davis returning and tn
officers had me covered with guns whel
discovered my mistake. / knew
was all up then so / put up my hands
They soon had Davis located and W
both were under arrest.
eve made our mistake by moving i
daylight and carrying uur rifles, but W
did not want to give up our guns unit
we had secured revolvers. We lanne
to go to some isolated sectiol of I'll
coast country and within reach of mark
cts to go into the chicken business. >
Was Not Asleep.
"I was not sleeping when the,
caught us, !" he said. "Davis was ava
from the camp when | heard the nois
in the brush | thought it was he. Whe
; l raised up to see, was looking at a
officer and his gun. | reached for m
rifle and saw there were five officer
with guns pointed at me and knew tn
game was up.
Expect the Limit.
In discussing the matter of punish
ment for the escape with the Tribun
reporter both Davis and Smead state
that they expect severe punishment
when returned to the penitentiary. L
stating the reasons for leaving the cor
Wet camp, they asserted that they ha
trouble with some of the other homo
convicts and were afraid they would b
severely injured before the time o
their discharge on parole which woul
) have been some time this fall. Davi
praised Guard Trask and stated that
was fine fellow and that he conduct
the camp well, but that some of tn
convicts had grudge against them an
it would be an easy matter for them
be accidentally killed or severely il
!. iured in work of that kind.
~ n
Smead, formerly lived at Warrens an
is about 10 years of age, and is SO
, of the late ''Pony" Smead, who is we
} known in Warrens camp, having packe
for years. He left Warrens when h
| uoa ahauf a1avan uaare of aoo