Mail Tribune 100, Sept. 4, 1922 – Medford News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2022-09-04

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Mail Tribune 100, Sept. 4, 1922 By Alissa Corman Sep 04, 2022 12:00 AM A A News from 100 years ago The following news items were drawn from the archives of the Mail Tribune 100 years ago Sept. 4, 1922 JAIL BREAK IS FRUSTRATED BY JAILER COLLINS An attempted jail break from the county jail last Saturday night on the part of “Bob” McClintock, 23 years old, a prisoner awaiting arraignment, was unsuccessful and only resulted in E. D. Collins, county jailer, suffering two bad bruises on the head at the hands of McClintock who wielded a club made out of iron pipe. The jail attempt was frustrated by the courage of fighting spirit of Jailer Collins. The attempt was made about 8:30 o’clock by McClintock, who early last week stole Earl Webber’s car in Medford, it is charged, and was last Friday arrested at Coquille, Oregon, by the authorities there, was then brought to Medford by Sheriff Terrill, and is awaiting arraignment in court when County Prosecutor Moore returns from his vacation. Little is known of McClintock, who is a stranger here and claims to have a wife in Eugene. It seems that McClintock was determined to escape and to that end wrenched a piece of pipe loose from the toilet of the jail, which he wrapped in cloth (to) form a bludgeon for attack. With this weapon he entered the jail lobby Saturday night to get a change of clothing, which he kept there, and when Jailer Collins’ back was turned he struck him on the back of the head with the pipe and then dealt him a hard blow on the forehead. The dazed jailer was game, however, and immediately grappling with the prisoner, was able to wrest the weapon from him and finally force him back to his cell and lock him up there. Collins then notified deputy sheriffs George D. Alden and L. D. Forncrook, who are in charge of the sheriff’s office while that official is on a hunting trip, and his wounds, which consisted of had laceration on the forehead and back of the head, were dressed. He remained on duty as usual while McClintock is kept locked in the emergency cell and is being fed bread and water. When he is arraigned a charge of attempting to escape from jail will be entered against him in addition to that of auto stealing, to which charge he is said to have confessed. — Alissa Corman; [email protected]