Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1904 — ARMED CONVICTS ARE FOILED. [ARTICLE]

ARMED CONVICTS ARE FOILED.

Attempt to Escape from Missouri Penitentiary at Jefferson City. A desperate attempt to escape from the Missouri penitentiary at Jefferson City was made Tuesday by four convicts, heavily armed and also carrying sticks of dynamite. They succeeded iu cutting their way out of their cells, and when John Williams, a guard, in making his rounds, came upon them in tho corridor they called upon him to halt. Williams (led and gave the alarm. A corps of guards responded and soon overpowered the‘convicts and placed them in other ceils. The convicts—James Thornton. P. T. Ellis, James McDonald and .1. C. Millard —assert that they secured the revolvers and dynamite by express, but the prison authorities believe the weapons and explosive were smuggled to them by friends in visiting. An investigation was immediately instituted. Thornton, Ellis and McDonald came to the penitentiary three years ago on ten-yenr sentences each for safe-blowing In I’latte County. Millard was sentenced from Cape Girardeau County for grand larceny.