The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1922-04-06
PRISONER MAKES
VAIN ATTEMPT
TO BREAK JAIL

An unsuccessful attempt 10 DIedh
Jail was made by Ollie Wentworth, q
prisoner in the Sedgwick county jail,
last Friday afternoon, when deputy
sheriff and jailer, H. C.. Kinsman
frustrated the prisoners plans by re-
fusing to be blinded and knocked -out
according to the schedule arranged by
Wentworth. who decided to resort to
desperate means in order to gain his
liberty.
At about 4:3O o'clock Mr.. Kinsman,
as usual, took the prisoners supper to
the Jail, Wentworth being the only
inmate. The food was placed on q
chair in the corridor of the jail and
Mr.. Kinsman went back into the sher-
iff's office to await the prisoner fin
ishing the meal, it being the custom
for Wentworth to go back into his
cell after eating. After awhile Went
worth called to Mr.. Kinsman, stating
that he was through. Thereupon the
latter started to enter the Jail after
unlocking the outside steel door.
At this point the activities COM
menced. Wentworth, instead of en-
tering the cell as usual, hid next to
the wall close to the outside door and
waited for Mr.. Kinsman to enter. As
the latter opened the door the prison.
er made an attempt to escape through
the door, at the same time throw
ing ashes in the officers face, but
due to the quick action Of Mr.. kins-
man and his presence of mind, the
officer managed to close the door
after getting inside by backing up
against it and graphing with the
prisoner. Wentworth had prepared
for this emergency by securing club
in the nature Of chair leg, and
caught unawares, the officer was
dealt severe blow in the head. !.
Fortunately Mr.. Kinsman was not
knocked out as the prisoner had in
tended. and the two clinched in fer
ocious struggle, Wentworth hitting
the officer about the head, inflictlng
painful, but not serious wounds: Mr.
Kinsman, although handicapped by
being partially stunned from the re-
suit of being hit with club by Went
worth, held his ground, and the two
wrestled from one end of the Jail cor
ridor to the other, the prisoner being
unable to make another break for lib
erty.
The struggle was soon heard by
persons upstairs in the court house,
and the word was soon spread that
there was trouble in the Jail. Frank
famous was one of the first persons to
go down in the jail, and sheriff Hum
berstone, who was promptly notified,
soon appeared. The prisoner, by this
time was "winded," and easily SUBJ
dued. being locked up in his cell. By
this time large crowd had congre-
gated in the jail. Mr.. Kinsman was
taken to the Julesburg Community
Hospital, where his wounds were
dressed, and fortunately his injuries
were found not to be serious. Great
credit is due Mr.. Kinsman for the
grit and tact displayed in meeting the
situation in a fearless manner. and
doing his duty as an officer by pre-.
venting his assailant from escaping
Wentworth is the young man who
was recently arrested here, and be,
ing held for investigation, it being
thought that he bears criminal rec.
ord and wanted elsewhere. 1t would
seem now, after his desperate at.
tempt to overpower the jailer and es.
cape, that he fears his identity will be
discovered and that he will then be
compelled to face a serious charge
When arrested he was carrying two
loaded revolvers concealed upon his
person, along with hack-saws ane
other suspicious articles.