The Ax in the Brick Yard

Walla Walla, Jan. 21.—Special.—Between 12 and 1 o'clock today at the penitentiary convict Fred Hoyt killed convict George Reif by striking him on the head with an ax. The men were at work in the brick yard at the time. Reif was at one pit and Hoyt in another about forty feet away. While the work was in progress Hoyt picked up an ax lying on an embankment and deliberately walked to a pit where Reif was working, and without warning hit Reif. The latter tried to throw off the ax with his arm, which was broken, and the ax cut deep into the shoulder. Hoyt again struck Reif twice on the left and side of the head, killing him. A coroner's inquest was held, and the jury found a verdict charging Hoyt with deliberate murder. Hoyt was sent here from Pierce county May 17, 1892, for a term of years for the murder of a man named Crosby. He was a very desperate character, and made several unsuccessful attempts to escape. He served a term in the Oregon penitentiary, and was one of the leaders in a break at that institution several years ago. Reif was serving a term of five years for grand larceny committed in Tacoma, where he has a mother residing. He was known in Tacoma as Chicken Charley. When Hoyt was tried for the murder of Crosby Reif was the principal witness, and since that time Hoyt has been laying for him and today was the first opportunity he had a chance at him.