Year: 1871

Virginia. Nev (Sept. 90 Dispatch to the San Fran
| cisco Chronicle.


The Enterprise will publish the fol-
lowing to morrow morning: John
Squires, the stage and railroad robber,
and William Willis, the incend1ary
convict, who escaped in the late great
break in the Nevada State Prison, were
captured last evening about $50 o'clock,
and are now safely locked up in their
old quarters. Squires was sent to the
State Prison for twenty three and half
years, and Willis for twenty-one years.
The men who captured them were
Chief Downey, detective Ben Lackey,
Sheriff Atchison, Constable Comstock,
and Marshal Harkin, of Gold Hill.
Feeling quite confident that two or
more of the conyicts were hiding
among the hills nort'S OF Flowery Dis
trict, Chief Downey, Lackey and others
of those named above have been out
scouting in the hills almost nightly.
For some days signs of their having
visited several ranches and gardens
have been found, and the hills were
cl0sely watched. Officer Lackey, Sher-
iff Atchison, and some others, were out
nearly all of Tuesday night. Some
fresh traces were found, and yesterday
morning when the Sheriff came to the
city the party named above took the
field. They were caught in a tunnel
about three miles north of ix-Mile
Canon The tunnel in which they were
found was a very insignificant
affair, mere coyote hole not more
than six or eight feet in depth. So
small was the pile of dirt at the mouth
of the little drift that the party on the
scout bassed by it without bestowing
upon it a second glance. The tunnel
was on the north side of hill, and
they had halted at point mile and
half beyond, when, happening to look
back, they saw puff of smoke rise up
over the little dump of yellow dirt, just
visible from where they stood. Again
and again they saw rise up and curl
over the spot a slight blue cloud of
smoke, when they were convinced that
they had their men holed. = All were
well mounted, and, after a hasty con-
sultation, they wheeled about and eau
tiously made their way back to the
southwark, but in such way as to
keep the little yellow speck of dump
constantly in sight.


They circled about, and, getting in
the rear of the tunnel toward which
they were now guided by the little blue
puffs of smoke, that occasionally rose
up, they warily advanced with their
arms, shot-guns, rifles, and pistols in
readiness. The convicts evidently were
unaware of the presence of the party of
officers, and the thing now to be done
was to get at them


A note was written by Marshall Har-
kin, informing the convicts that a
strong force of men was present, and
calling upon them to appear at the
mouth of the tunnel without arms and
surre9der This note the Marshal tied
to a stone, and creeping to the roof OF
the tunnel, he reached over and threw
it in at the mouth. The party now
waited for some time for an answer bnt
no reply was vouchsafed. The Mar
shall was certain that there were men
within as he heard them talking as he
was crawling up to throw in the note.
He now went to the mouth OF tunnel,
and in loud voice called upon the
men to surrender. He told them that
strong force was present, and
that they would be taken, dead or alive;
that unless they came out of the tunnel
without arms, and gave themselves up
quietly, the party would proceed to
smother them in their hole, as they
were prepared with birthstone, and 9TH
er such articles, and this really was the
fact. Shortly after this appeal from
Marshal Harlin, Squires made his ap-
pearance at the mouth of the den, and
was soon followed by Willis. They
were covered by guns until irons were
snapped upon them; when, having them
secure, the officers proceeded to exam
inc their den. They found within the
little drift heavy rife, the hammer OF
which was gone, and six-shooter, both
/ loaded, and little bread. Although
! theirlarder was in this lean condition, the
men did not present the appearance OF
| having suffered from hunger. But
they refused to say how or where they
/ had obtained provisions further than
to own to having made some raids upon
gardens. They were both dressed in
/ the uniform of the State Prison, except
that Squires had on pair of Kentucky
Jean pantaloons. Both convicts were
terribly down in the mouth at being
caught so easily. When Willis came
out he said there was no use of their
trying to fight, but if their Henry rifle
had been in good order they would
have defended themselves.


Suuires was very bitter, and growled
so much that Willis at last said to him
that there was no use in swearing so
about it; they were caught, and might
as well laugh as cry. Squires said he


grumbled because the officers had
hunted the hill SO closely that they had
no chance to get away. He told the


officers that if they would let them go


they would leave the country and nev-


er come back; and further, they would


send them every cent OF the money


they make in the next three years.


Sq11ires said he had nothing to do with


the break; that he knew nothing until


about o'clock on the evening 1t was


made, and that he then hesitated a


long time about taking advantage OF 1t


to leave, and he was id sorry he ever


did leave. He further said that the


others that escaped were a set OF ID


cut-throats and that he did not want to


90 with them. He said that the men


who planned the break were down on


hin, and gave him broken


gun, with much more to the same eff


feet. The two men told Downey that


when he was out after them, last Sun,


day, he was at one time within SOC


Yards of them They knew every


move that had been made by the otti


GERS in this city for their capture as


well as did the officers themselves, but


refused to say how they kept posted
The prisoners were taken to Dayton
and thence to Carson, last evening


after being captured. All OF the party
named above went with them, excep
Constable Comstock. who came to this
city, and to whom we are under obliga
tions for our account of the affair o


the capture.


The death of NJ Edward Bertin, o
the Paris Journal des Debats, is re
ported. He was painter by profess
, ion, and Inspector of Fine Arts, nnde
Lonis Philippe. His father founded