Adair County News, Wednesday, September 11, 1918

Escaped from Jail

Last Thursday afternoon about six o'clock, J.D. Owens, who was in jail, charged with horse stealing, and Lilburn Brown, who was locked up on a capias profine, made their escape from the county bastille.

They were in the passage that surrounds the cells, and having secured a knife, they dug their way through the outside brick wall and escaped.

Clel Tarter, who was about the premises, happened to see Brown, as he was going through the garden, pursued, caught him, and after a tussel, in which Brown was knocked down, returned him to jail.

Owens was not in sight and a posse at once started on his trail. He passed the home of Mr. Geo. A. Smith, making enquirers as to how to get to certain points. Mr. Smith, to whom he was talking, did not know him, and he passed on. He wandered around during the night, and was caught Friday morning, about day light, on the creek bank, near the Smith water mill, Mr. A.W. Tarter, the jailer, making the catch.

He was returned to Jail.

This is the second or third time prisoners have escaped from the Jail, in the same manner.

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[Note: A capias profine is an arrest warrant issued for nonpayment of a fine.]

More on this Story...

Adair County News, Wednesday, September 4, 1918

Horse Thief Caught

On Wednesday Night, of last week, while a meeting was in progress near Sano, this county, J.D. Owens, who it is said lives in Russell county, stole a horse belonging to Wm. Shepherd. which was hitched near the church. He carried the horse to Casey county where he sold it. He then returned to Sano. It soon developed that he was the man who stole the horse, and he was arrested and brought to Columbia. Going before Judge Sinclair, he waived an examining trial and was sent to jail. Shepherd, who owns the horse, also lives in Russell county, but the theft was committed in Adair county. A Mr. Helton and a Mr. Wolford brought the prisoner to Columbia.