People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1893 — SHOT DOWN. [ARTICLE]

SHOT DOWN.

Desperate Battle Between Mutinoue Convicts and Guardi at the lonia (Mich.) House of Correction —An Attempt to Escape Frustrated Only After a Flffht in Which One Man Is Killed and Several Are Wounded. lohia, Mich., July 11. —Full seventyfive convicts at the house of correction made a break for liberty about 11 a. m. They were at work in the various shops. The first ten or fifteen left their work and started for the west wall. The ringleader was Convict William Smith, known as No. 703, a five-year man sent up from Detroit. Tinsmiths have been at work on shop No. 21, about 10 rods from the west wall, repairing conductor pipes. Two long ladders were used and were standing against the building. Smith started out and was followed by the others who were in the scheme. He quickly clasped the ladder standing against the west wall.

Warden Parcell had discovered that something was coming, over Sunday, and had doubled the guard. Teacher Gourley was watching around in the vicinity of this building, and when he saw Smith and the gang come out he fired a shot from his revolver into the ground and ordered the men back. Smith urged them on, paying no attention to the order. The men on the wall and about the yard quickly assembled at this point and were ordered by Warden Parcell to stop the break. A general fusillade commenced and a hand-to-hand fight followed. The ladders were knocked down, but the convicts replaced them, and Oscar‘Miller, an eight-year man, gained the top of the wall. The guard shot at him and the ball went clear through his body and he dropped to the ground dead. In the meantime a terrible battle was going on below. Convict Smith struck at Deputy Warden Rowley with a hammer, but the latter dodged and escaped death. Rowley struck Convict Charles E. Jones on the head and he dropped. He will doubtless die, as his head is terribly cut William Eager, sent from Grand Rapids, was badly wounded, and hts recovery is doubtful. He is serving a fifteen-year sentence for manslaughter. It was only by prompt action that the wholesale liberation of the convicts was averted. Hall Master Parcell grabbed up the irons used by some local tinners and commenced prodding the convicts who ran back. Gradually the convicts were forced into their cells. Four convicts were injured. Smith, the leader, was found to have a bad cut on the back of his head. On seeing the first ten follow Smith out of the shop, the rest foblowed until they were driven back.