Shot and killed.
A convict conspiracy nipped in the bud.
Early after dinner yesterday. A break for liberty was made at the convict camp at the Oatmanville Quarry, Which resulted in the killing by the guards of a convict named James Hutton, lately sent up from Travis County for a term of 5 years. According to Hutton’s dying statement to Sergeant D. B Boykin. In charge of the camp, a plot had been formed by 21 of the convicts to make a break immediately after returning to the quarry from dinner, but, owing to a lack of concert of action, the deceased was the only one to make the effort to regain his liberty. Immediately upon. Starting to run, the guards called upon him to halt, and only when about to make good his escape did they open fire upon him, several of the guards fired simultaneously, and Hutton fell to the ground, fairly riddled with bullets. Dr Fisher was at once dispatched for. But the prisoner lived, but a few minutes after the messenger started to town after the doctor. Hutton asked Sergeant Boykin to write to his mother about the manner of his death. And said he attached no blame to anyone, unless it was to a fellow convict Joe. Sturtz who planned the escape and then failed to run at the appointed time. It was fortunate for the neighborhood of Oatmanville that the plot failed, for the turning loose of 21 convicts among the hills and woods of that vicinity would have resulted, doubtless in the loss of a number of horses belonging to farmers in that locality. Hutton was a young man of good address and quiet demeanor while Sturtz, who planned the effort to escape, is a notorious character, one of the very worst convicts in the Oatmanville camp.
This is read verbatim from The American Statesman, Year Unknown by Jeanine Plumer.
