The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., June 19, 1913, Page TWO, Image 2

About The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon. (Canon City, Colo.) 1911-192?

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TWO
CAPT. J. B. RUSSELL
SHOT TO DEATH BY
“CON” BALDWIN
Fearless Night Captain at Peniten
tiary Shot in Lung While Cap
turing Escaped Convict
at La Veta
News Prostrates Wife of Few Weeks and
Throws Gloom Over Entire
Community
Mgfct Captain John B. Kd***ll
nai killed this morning at ato at
Hie o'clock at a ratlin on the oat
skirt* ot LaVeta, Colorado, bj e»-
eaped roailet, Conway Baldwin.
Xo. (Oil oa the prison record*
and aged ±1
Captain Bussell had l>een seat
to toTeta to rapture and tiring
Baldwin bark to thr penitentiary.
He with Marshall J. J. Pickens.
Deputy Charles llarrlman and
Postmaster Calier, all of I.aVeta,
went to the lon.li cabin Jfist a
short distance from LaYeta early
this morning. Captain Kassell
weal to the door with Charlie
llarrlman and demanded entrance.
Baldwin's Mexican wife asked
who was there.
“We are officers, from Canon
City and want “Con," said the
captain.
“Just a moment and I'll wakea
him," replied the woman.
There was a roaiermatlon of
hashed voice* and the bolt of the
outside door slammed across the
width of the barrier with a Jolt.
Immedhitcly Captain Hassell
and Harrimaa poshed against the
door and soon tore It down. As
they rashed Into the hoase with
Captain Hassell In the lead. Bald,
win fired, hitting Hassell la the
shoolder. I ndaonted the fearless
pea officer opened fire on Bald
wla, hitting him three times.
Staggering to thr door from his j
wound the captlaa got ontslde and
collapsed, dead.
The ballet had pierced his left
shonlder and penetrated his laag
and be lived hat Hie mlnnle*.
“Cob" Is dying from the effects
of his wonad and may not 111*
oat the day. ,
Captain Bussell was detailed by 1
Warden Tynau to go and get Baldwin I
after the Warden and Deputy Allen
Jamieson had had a conference and de
cided that as Baldwin eras an ex
tremely had man they thought It nec
essary to send their very best and
coolest man to fulfill the mission.
Therefore Russell was relieved of his
night work and left here Wednesday
afternoon at 4:05 on .No. 10.
Bead) to Perform Daly.
In conversation with a Record re-
porter at that time he was In aplend-1
Ut spirits and expected to have no
trouble In getting Baldwin. "Of
he's a bad man, but had or not bad, 1
he'll have to tie taken and brought,
back and It's up to me to nil the
bill," he said at the time.
Escaped Noi ember U, 1012.
Baldwin escaped from the penlteu
tiary gardens on November 15, 1011
He was not exactly a trusty for the
men who work In the gardens are not
considered that for they are constant-1
THE BALDWIN FAMILY
John M. the father, aged 56, No. 8351, box car robbery 3 to 10 years
Willard, age 17, No. 8352. box car robbery 3 to jo years
Harold, age J*, No. 8353. box car robbery 5 jq years
Conway, age 32, No. 8354. box car robbery 3 to 10 years
Robert, age 25, No. 8265, box car robbery to 10 years
Bora in Wart Virginia, came to Colorado la 1000, a desperate gaag;
In Jail auny lln% for an ink-thievery and daprwdatloaa of Ilka sort.
ly under the eye of the guards on the
walls, but he was the only one of the
four Baldwin brothers and the father
in the penitentiary at the same time,
who was allowed outside the walls.
Located at La Veta.
It was late in the afternoon of .No
vember 15th that he got away. His
escape was successful. He was not
heard of although diligent search was
made for him. until a week or two
ago when Marshall Picken of LaVeta
wrote to Warden Tynan and asked It
there was a reward for one Conway
Baldwin. The warden replied that
there was a reward of SIOO.
A day or two later Postmaster Cul
ver wrote to the penitentiary and in
formed them that Conley Baldwin had
been located near La Veta. It was Im
mediately decided to send a man aft
er him and Captain Russell was pick
ed.
Bride Told of Tragedy.
The new a of the tragedy reached
Warden Tynan about six o'clock this
morning, toy a telephone message
from Postmaster Culver. The Warden
Informed Judge J. L. Cooper, Captain
Russell's brother-in-law aud later Mr.
%
Ceorge Prentiss informed Captain
Russell’s wife, formerly Miss Anna
Cooper, at the home. 420 North 4th
street.
Captain Russell has been at the
penitentiary ever since Warden Ty
| nan's regime started, be formerly
j having been marshal at Lamar. *1
picked him for the night captaincy,**
said Warden Tynan this morning,
“because of his spleudid record as an
officer of the law at Umar and also
Decause personally 1 knew him to be
the best man I could get for the po
sition. My trust in him has proven
well placed, too. •* •
Fearless Officer.
“I have known Captain Russell for
| nearly fourteen years and he was on*
of my best friends. His friendly dis
position and clean, manly qualities of
heart and mind endeared him to me.
He was a fearless and undaunted of
ficer and was unerring in his duty. H»
was one of my best men.
“At the time of the prison break in
May, 1910, Juat a year after I became
warden, he was with me through it
all and at that time I gained a ggfat
| deal of admiration for him for hla
braveness and bis coolness In coping
j with the situation. He was a wonder-
I ful help to me at that time and I have
never forgotten It.**
Family Prostrated.
| Mrs. Rnssell and her mother are
prostrated by the news at their home.
No funeral arrangements have been
made yet and perhaps will not be un
til the remains arrive here. Chief
Clerk Crawford of the penitentiary
left this noon for LaVeta and will
bring the remains back.
* Captain Russell In survived by his
CAffOH CITY RECORD. THURSDAY, JURE It, ltl*.
father, 100 years of age, who lives *n
Texas and also by a brother, Will J.,
of Texas, and a sister who lives !n
Wichita, Kansas. It la expected that
they will be here for the obsequies.
Baldwin Family Notorious.
The Baldwin family are a notorious
bunch of criminals. The father, John
M. Baldwin. No. 8351. Willard Bald
win 8352, Harold Baldwin, 8353.
and Robert Baldwin, 8355,
are now serving long terms In the
penitentiary for robbing a store at
Laveta and also other crimes in that
vicinity. Conlay was sent up at the
same time as the rest but got away.
The Baldwins are Virginians, having
moved to Colorado a number of years
ago. They bore a bad reputatlou
there and since coming to this part of
the country have been causing tro
uble for the oleers of the law. The
father and “Con** were conrlcta under
the regime of Warden John Cleghorn
and served their time in full. In 1911
the whole bunch were sent here for
long terms.
Sensational Captare.
At that time the officers of Huer
fano county had a difficult time iu
capturing Harold and “Will** and a
Harry Hill who had joined the bunch.
These three got sway from the offi
cers snd took up their hiding place in
an old deserted mine, "The Occiden
tal.** The officials surrounded the
entrances to their underground hiding
place and attempted to starve them
out. They had a suspicion that some 1
of the Baldwin family would mak* an
offer to help the Imprisoned men. The ,
constant search was rewarded In the
early morning when two of tba young- j
ger Baldwins were captured trying «ol
smuggle food Into Ihe men. The posse i
took the boys and pushing them be
fore them through the narrow sas
sage way reached the fugitives and
placed them under arrest.
At the trial which subsequently fol
lowed, the aged grandmother of the
Baldwin boys and the two beautiful
Mexican wives of Conway and Robert |
< a used quite a stir In the court room
by their actions during the trial
Flrsl Killed Daring Tynan Regime.
Captain Baldwin la the first man
killed at the penitentiary during the!
time of Warden Tynan. Bven at the
time of the break in 1910 when bullets
fell In a veritable rain no one was
killed although cell houfe-keeper. A.
B. Kmorv. was crippled for life by
gunshot wounds received during th
encounter.
Night Captain Rooney was stabbed
to death January 22, 1900. during a'
break by the famous Wagner gang.
That was the last death until this sad
one which occurred this morning, snd
it happens that both men were night
captain.. . J,
MBS. KI SSKLI. BEAKS I I* WELI.
Mrs. Russell, although greatly’
shocked when she was toid of th“'
death of her husband and for a tim*‘
was prostrated, but at present she is
bearing up well under the terrible
grief. Since about 9:30 tbis morning
sbe has been receiving callers who
have been visiting the residence at I
532 North Fourth in a steady strea.n j
When seen Mrs. Russell said: ‘“The
grief Is almost unbearable. John was
such a good, true man and to think
he hud to be killed by such a bad
man. 1 can hardly stand It. } ra.i
hardly realize that he Is dead. When j
he left yesterday afternoon I kind of
dreaded to see him leave. 1 seemed
to feel that something would happen.'
When I heard the news this morning
1 couldn't comprehend it at first. John
and 1 have been married such a short
time and we were so happy togethe*.
It does not seem right that tbla
should happen so soon.'
C APT A Iff HI'HMKLL HKKIIKD WARS
IJfC NOT TO 00 AT XKIHT.
Before Captain Russell left on hf>
last mission he, of course, had a talk
with Warden Tyuan. The warden
told him not to go near the house at
night tor fear of treachery. That the
captain heeded this warning la show i
by the fact that it was after daybreak
when he and the posse reached the
lonely cabin. The captain's intrepid
eplrlt and fearlessness would not
permit others to lead and he to fel
low. Instead ha led the charge lata
the house and the ballet strsek hla
as he pushed his way Into the room
His gun was in his hand and despite
the fact that life was fast ebbing away
be' aimed at Baldwin and shot him
three times, each bullet being fatal.
CONWAY BEST OF BALDWINS.
“Con” Baldwin was considered the
best of the Baldwin family and was
thought by the various dpicers of
then pen thst, he above all others,
could be trusted to a certain extent.
He was placed outside the walls !n
the penitentiary gardens last fall aft
er he had been incarcerated a little
over a year. He was not exactly
what could be termed a trusty, al
though he had many privileges that
they have. He was at all times under
the supervision of the armed guards
in the parapets.
It was never thought for a moment
that he was desperate enough to
■hoot or that he would resort to such
means. He was known In crlmln
aloglcal circles as a sneak thief and
was not thought to be s gun man.
CAPTAIN RCSSELL Jt’ST RECENT
LY HARRIED.
Captain Russell and Miss Anna
Cooper were married last April, on
Wednesday, the 16th. at 8 o'clock <n
the evening, at the home of Mrs. Rus
sell's mother. Mrs. Margaret Cooper.
532 North Fourth street, where they
have resided since. Rev. George F.
Sevier performed the ceremony which
was simple but pretty and Impressive
FIRST HAN KILLED SINCE lt*>.
Captain Russell Is the first man (
who has met a tragic death in peni- (
tentlary circles since the night of
January 22. 1900. when Night Captain
Wm. C. Rooney was stabbed to death ■
by one of five desperate convicts whoj
were seeking to escape He Is the j
first man to die during Warden Ty
nan's regime. A. B. Emory of this
jetty, however, was shot during the
break in May. 1910. and Is crippled
for life as a result.
Captain Rnssell and also Captain .
Rooney were among the most popts -1
' lar and capable men In the employ of
tbs pen and it seems strange that
these two men should both reach such
| untimely deaths.
ftPECTACVLAR EVENT IN BALD
WIN HISTORY.
Probably the most spectacular event j
in the history of the Baldwin fatnllv
occurred a few months before the |
jrprn were sent to the penitentiary
Harry Hill who had joined the gang j
within the year and Will and Harold
Baldwin had been captured and con
fined In the county jail at Waleen
burg. Harry Baldwin and Hill suc
ceeded In digging through the con
crete floor of their cell and then
through a thick stone wall that sur-
I rounds the jail. For a week they led
I a posse of Sheriff Farr's men a wild
chase through the foothills thst eer-
I round the- Spanish Peaks. The flee
ing desperadoes left behind them a
trail of terror. The posse headed
:them away from the mountains and
drove them Intio s deep canon west <»f
I a Vets. Baldwin and Hill barricad
ed themselves In the shaft of the
old Occidental mine and defied cap
ture. Deputy John Wright of Waluen
burg captured them through a rue**.
He knew they were without food and
thought at attempt would be made i»v
j other members of the gang to get
them. At midnight he caught two if (
the younger Baldwin's trying to enter (
the mine. At the point of the revol
ver he forced the two brothers to lead .
the posse to where the desperadoes |
were hiding. Rather than shoot their
brothers Hill and Baldwin laid down
their arms.
ROMANCE IN BALDWIN TRIAL.
Romance pushed Its way Into the
lives of the Baldwins at the time of
their trial just before being sentenc
ed to Canon City for robbing a bo*
car. About a year before tbo trouble
two beautiful Mexican girls became
the wives of “Con” and “Bob.”
Throughout the trial when the broth
ers were fighting the net which day
by day grew tighter, they kept their
place In the court room and defiantly
faced the prosecuting attorney. Their
spirit waa bento an they listened to
the 4wnntng testimony against the
When called to the witness stand
they made gallant efforts to shield the
Baldwins and won the sympathy of
the crowd that thronged the court
room. It was not until the verdict of
guilty was read that their spirit
broke. As the words rang into the
silence of the room the girls half
started from their seat and then drop
ped sobbing Into each other's arms.
The girls were always accompanied
by the eighty-year-old grandmother
of the Baldwins. The old lady's eyes
followed every detail of the trial and
stoically she seemed to weigh the evi
dence against her grandsons piece by
piece. When the verdict was read the
old lady rose slowly to her feet and
hobbled from the court room.
CAFTAIX HISSELL TOOK PROKI
XEXT PART IX I»M BREAK.
Id the break of the evening of April
251 b, I*lo, when Harry Dropby and
Andrew Johmon were killed and W.
J. William.. No. «»10. Jobn Bradley.
No. 7275. and Jobn Miller were In
jured at the penitentiary, Night Cap
tain John B. Ku.mll took a Terr
prominent part.
Williams bad sawed off the bars of
one of the windows of the coll house
and when the turn-key turned the lev
er to open some of the cells to let .
the men who had been practicing In- ]
to their cells Brophy and the others
made a dive for liberty. They grab
bed cell house keeper A. B. Emory
and used him as a shield until they
could get outside.
j Captain Ruaacll. hearing the shoot-
Ing after the men got out the window,,
rushed to the scene. As ue was run
ning around a buildlt.g be saw a man
trying to secrete himself behind some |
coal bouses. He pulled his gun an J
told him to surrender. When he did
not he went after him. but »as forc
ed to shoot and wound Williams who
happened to be the convict.
latter he and Warden Tynan went
into the cell bouse and found Bradley
secreted In one of the cells in the up-j
I per tier covered with blood from gun- j
shot wounds In the sodomett
Captain Russell was instrumental tu
the capture of the men and Warden
Tynan stated this morning that the
value of the man aa night captain w«u»
plainly demonstrated at that time for
It was his roolnss and fearlessness
' which enabled him to successfultv
* command the situation,
j His quick work and the help of the
guards enabled tbe men to be raptur
j ed before they had a chance to fire
the fuses which would etplode the
'dynamite which they had had ptant
|ed under the walls
' BALDWIN NOT DE AD nl 2 O'CLOCK
Conway Baldwin, who waa shot
three times toy Captain Russell, was
hot dead at 3 o'clock According ;o
*a message received here from Post
master Culver, hut It was stated that
he was slowly dying and perhaps
would not live until evening. The
physicians In attendance give out no
hopes for hit recovery.
OTHER BALDIUNN DO NOT KNOW.
Tbs four Baldwins In the peniten
tiary here do not know of the plight
of their brother. Thsy have not been
Informed yet because Warden Tynan
does not think It necessary that they
should know. However, the warden
may tell them this afternoon. He
takes the view that they could do
no good If they did know aud It
mfght cause unpleasantness .f
they should be informed at this time.
I
FEELS DEEPLY LOSS OF KCBHELL.
Warden Tynan Is greatly grieved
over the loss of his night captain and
good friend. John B. Russell Ever
since he received the newt he haa
been In a nervous state and the blow
for him Is a hartj one to bear.
He feels In a degree he la some
what responsible although he did
everything that he could do In the
way of giving caution and acquaint
ing Captain Ruaaell with the facta as
regards the bad reputation of Bald
win. While It la Just one of those
tragedies* that will happen aa long aa
there are desperadoes. Warden Ty
nan faala deeply the lose of oae of hla
boat mao.
I AtaSWISSWIVMR
WHEN CAPTAIN ROONEY
WAS KILLED
• The l«»t official killed In connec
tion with the penitentiary waa Nlglit
Captain Wm. C. Rooney, who waa
kUled about ten o'clock In tbe even
ing of January 22. I*oo. He waa stab
bed by one of four convicts: Tboa.
Reynolds, C. K. Wagner. An tone
Wood! and Kid Wallace while taking
them from the dining room to coll
house No. I while on the way to the
holler room where they were employ
ed. They had eaten their night mewl.
Aa Captain Rooney waa reaching It
unlock the grated door, be waa grab
bed from behind and while scuffling
to free himaelf waa .tabbed la the
heart. The four men then went to
the boiler room and threw a pall of
Mwpy water on tbe transmission bolt,
throwing It off and thus placing the
enUro prison In total darkness. As
sistant Night Captain C. F. Maloney
and Engineer Humphrey were captur
ed end tied op. The men escape:
over the beck wall and made their
getaway for a time. It was sometime
before other officials of the pea ooold
get Into action becauM Captain Roon
ey had the keys of the institution on
; hla person.
Reynolds was captured at Florence
on Friday. January 2«th, and while
being brought to Canon City waa
taken from the officers by a determln -
ed and unusually orderly mob sad
•as bung to a telephone pole whp- >
aouie st.il .lands there at the
corner of First and Main streets.
Reynolds died gamely and would no
talk when given the cnance. All he
.asked for was a cigarette. He go:
mat end arter smoking U was yanked
ten feet In tbe elr end let dowe again
to have another chance to talk. He
Mid nothing end was then yanked
high la the air and left till morning
Coroner W. T. LiUle did not think
that an Inquest was necessary so none
was held.
Antooe Wood and Kid Wallace were
tebiured out oe Garde. Park hr
Chari*. Canterbury and Woody Hig
gins and were brought to town under
a load of hay. This waa prpiaa.ary
because the people were so wrought
up over tbe killing of Captain Rooney
that so doubt these convicts would
have goo# tho way Reynold, did.
Antone Wood was but 17 years 4
age at tbe lime and had been la the
pen for a number of years, having
lees sent up lor murdering a man
for hla watch He was later pardon
ed because s well-to-do Isdy agreed
| to touch for him sod wanted to make
a great violinist out of him because
be hsd talent along this line. He is
now s member of the Royrrofters
society In New Tork Hist#
Kid Wsltece served ont big time.
Wsgner was never raptured. .4
LEAGUE BANQUETED
THURSDAY NIGHT
The members of th« Canon Cltjr
Good Citizenship league banquet ted
at thr iH'Dton hotrl Thursday nlfiit
and listened to a moat interesting aod
instructive addrraa by Rer. Dr. E. R.
Fulkerson of Booth Canon on socio
logical conditions In the United
Btatra aa revealed by th« probes.*
Inquiries and Investigations of ran
oui Iralalatlra, municipal and other
semi-public bodies and organizations
during the last year or two Into the
so-called white a'tvt traffic. Dr.
| Fulkerson la one of the officers of tfca
national organisation 'or the anp
prennlon of rice. and. haring m~ a
study of statistics hearing or. the sub
ject. la unusually well In'oran J In
| relation to the matter. Home of the
flgtirea glren by Dr. Fulkerson at the
banquet Thursday night were sensa
tional and atartllng In their enormity.
D* Fulkerson has few superiors as
an after dinner speaker and It Is al
ways a pleasure to listen to him.
Corers were laid for between twen
ty-fire and thirty guests at the league
dinner and only men were present.
Children Crjr
m rirresnr*
CAgTOHIA
hSi girt KM umsfM Si *