The Great Ellensburg Prison Break
Three territorial prisoners pull off a daring escape from the Ellensburg jail, triggering a county-wide manhunt.
Court convened here on Wednesday, but no criminal proceedings were heard, as the three Territorial prisoners broke jail on the preceding evening. It is believed that they received assistance from the outside, for they cut the hinges at the door of the prison, scaled a 15-foot fence, and have not since been heard of, although the country is being scoured with deputy sheriffs. The county offers a reward of $30 each for their return.
“They cut the hinges at the door of the prison, scaled a 15-foot fence, and have not since been heard of.”
Jail breaks were common in the frontier era, often blamed on poor infrastructure and community 'assistance.' This incident reflects the tension between territorial law enforcement and the rough, often lawless, reality of late 1880s Washington.
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