This Week in Texas Prison History

December 2:   

1894 -  Wells Coaling Camp, Alto, Tx. - Texas State Penitentiary - News has been received of an attempted escape of convicts Saturday evening at Wells, 15 miles south of here, where the state has a camp in which two convicts by the name of Freese and Brandon were killed and a guard by the name of Foster was seriously shot. Foster had mislaid his pistol and moved some distance away. It was secured by Convict Freese, who with Brandon made an assault upon Foster, firing at Foster and hitting him in the bowels, the ball passing through and coming out at his back. Then Foster fired a load of buckshot into Freese, killing him. Foster immediately fired the other barrel into Brandon and put five shots into his side. Freese, seeing he was mortally wounded asked Foster to shoot again. Foster refused. Freese then opened his shirt buttons, carefully placed the pistol over his heart and fired, killing himself instantly. Brandon died Sunday, Foster is not expected to live. (Austin American Statesman, Tuesday, December 4, 1894)