Kenova, WV Jail Fire, Feb 1902

BURNED THE JAIL.

Prisoners at Kenova Devise Unique Plan of Escape.

Kenova is without a city jail. Monday the town had a fairly good structure of this kind--today it has not. It happened this way: Monday morning three men, tough characters, were arrested in Kenova, who were believed to be the parties who committed the robbery at the store of the Yellow Popular Lumber Company, at Coal Grove, Ohio, a few nights ago.

The men refused to return to Ohio without a requisition, and consequently were placed in the Kenova jail, to await extradition papers. The men had been in jail but a few hours until the place was discovered to be in flames. They had fired the structure and during the excitement that followed all three of the men got away, and the prison is said to have been entirely consumed. Two of the robbers were captured in Asland, Ky., but the third led the officers in a chase of a mile and a half out back of town, and the latter being exhausted were compelled to give up the chase.

Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV 6 Feb 1902
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Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you, Audrey!