The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-07-08
SAGE IS KILLED BY
INSANE PRISONER
in JAIL AT BILLINGS

county, died Tuesday morning at 8:15
from wounds inflicted by 80 calibre
Colts automatic in the hands Of John
Vickery of Craig, Montana, an insane
prisoner who was in the custody of the
sheriff.
Jailer l. L. Brooks, shot through the
left shoulder by Vickery in his escape
from the county Jail, is patient at
St. Vincent's hospital recovering from
his wound and resting as easily as can
be expected.
Vickery is in the Park county Jail at
Livingston where he was rushed for
safe keeping to avoid possibilities Of
violence at the hands of an outraged
community, infamed over the wanton
killing Of county official, popular
with all classes.
The prisoner who claims to be from
Stroud, Oklahoma says he has been
working for his brother, w. S. Wick
cry, on ranch near Craig, Montana.
On July 5 he purchased a ticket for
Stroud, Oklahoma at the Great North
ern station in Great Falls. 1t was
his plan, according to the officers, to
stop off for few days at Kansas City
to see his father. Upon arriving at
Billings, Vickery refused to continue
his journey, talking in an irrational
manner about people being after
him." Neither Captain Wilmer, of the
Salvation Army, who met the youth
upon request of his sister in Great
Falls, or William Suydam, depot mas
ter, could induce Vickery to continue
his journey and Deputy Sheriff. Stow
was called and took him to the county
jail.
Before Vickery was locked up Stow
went through the pockets of his cloth
ing and felt over the man in the usual
manner of searching, removing small
amount Of change, knife and several
small articles found in his pockets,
Jailer Brooks then locked the man in
cell. According to Stow the man
must have either placed the gun along
his puttee in way so that it could not
be observed or had it concealed in
some in his shoe.
The shooting occurred about TIE
o'clock Tuesday morning. Deputy
Brooks awoke about 7 o'clock and re-
allied that it was too late for Vickery
to catch the morning train to Kansas
City.
: He went to the far end of the first
floor hall, to the section occupied by
the trustees, where Vickery was
confined, and told him that he would
have to remain in the Jail until the
evening train, according to the story
of the affair he told at the hospita
about noon.
AS Brooks was returning to the of
fee Vickery called out for a piece o:
ice. AS Brooks was handing ic,
through the bars to the prisoner Wick
cry showed his revolver into Brooks
stomach and cried out, "open that doc.
or I will kill you," Brooks said. Brook
leaped to one side and Vickery fire.
wild. Vickery then discharged tn
gun several times in his cell and fel
on his cot saying, II am shot through
the heart and am going to die" Th'
man was all doubled up and groanin,
loudly, as if in the throes of death, &C
cording to Brooks.
Calling to Sheriff Sage, who wa
asleep in another part of the building
Brooks made ready to go into the eel
and take the gun from Vickery. H
and Sage passed through the cell doc
together. Neither of them was armed
AS they reached the cot on whicl
the prisoner was lying Vickery agai
started shooting. Sheriff Sage wa
the first to fall. The two fell in
mingled heap and the blood from tn
two officers trickled from the cell GU
into the main corridor.
The sheriff crawled on his hands an
knees to the office where he sprawle'
t out exhausted. Vickery after shoot
; ing the officers dashed out of the eel
and made his escape through the from
| door.
George Deckert, wholesale grocer
salesman, who heard the shots an
saw the man running, proceeded to tn
: home of Patrolman Floyd on Mort
3 Goth street. Taking a rifle they a
once started east along the trail a
the foot. of the rimrocks in the direc
5 ton which they believed the escape
: man would head.
: Catching sight of the man, Floy