Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-30
KANSAS CITY FOOTPAD BREAKS OFT
OF THE PENITESTIARY.
TWO OTHERS WENT WITH HIM.
SAWED IRON BARS IN TWO AND
SCALED THE WALLS.
One of the Three Retaken at Upton
Long Man, and "Sh0rt Man.
His Pal. TerrOriEed Kan
City People Two
Nenrs Ago.

tentiary at midnight last night. They were
Robert johnson. alias Pig. alias Young; J.
\. Chase and James Scott, colored. Scott
was a trusty who was left in the power
house at night. He simply ran off. He
had but three months to serve. Johnson
and Chase cut two iron bars in two and
escaped through a seven inca opening into
the yard Then they climbed the rope
that raises and lowers one of the big gates
and with it lowered themselves to the
ground. This they did while the guard
was eating his midnight lunch inside the
toweThouSe on the wall. A third prisoner
was caught by the guaId in the act OF
scaling the wall. Chase was caught at
Upton to-day and returned to the peni-
tcntiary at noon. johnson was serving a
twelve year sentence from Kansas City
for robbery.
johnson. whose correct name Is Frank
Walby, with his pal. Joseph Hatton, ter
rorized the people of Kansas city during
the winter of lS94-5 with numerous hOldups
and burglaries. They were described by
every one with whom they came in contact
as the long and short men. Walby was
tall and slim while Hatton was short.
During December. January and February
they comrlitted twenty robberies in the
two Kansas Citys. Their plan was to walk
into store or shop just before closing up
time in the evening and. locking the door
behind them. proceed at once to the rear
of the store. where they would hold up the
cashier with drawn revOlvers. They never
wore masks and every person who was
robbed or held up gave the police a like
description Of the outlaws. Walbys face
Is deeply pitted with smallpox scars and it
was easy to give his description. He had
vicious looking face, his upper lip stand
ing apart with a decided snarl his long
teeth cleaning through his thick mus
tache. Hatton had rather a pleasant look
ing face and geneTahy wore smile upon II
while at work. Both men dressed well
while in Kansas City and always had
plenty of money. They frequented the
theaters and saloons Most of their work
was done on the outskirts of the city. but
as they grew boldeR they worked toward
the center of the city. They resided with
Mrs. J. F. Roberts at 1858 jefferson street.
telling her they were railroad men out of
employment.
For over two months, Wa,by and Hatton
escaped the police and all their efforts to
capture them. Chief Speers instructed all
the men to lay aside routine work and
capture the long and short" men.
On Saturday evening. February l6. 1895,
Captain Phillips and Inspector Ohen De
tectiveD Hayes were standing near Twelfth
Of Kansas City. Kas.. was talking with
them. The night was bitter cold and the
reports of two robberies committed by the
'lOng and short men that evening had al
ready reached the police. Two men passed
the officers, who were all in citizens
clothes. going south on Grand avenue.
When Hayes saw the men he whispered to
Phillips, the long and short men," Walby
and Hatton were intently gazing into the
4. - =
not see the men. who were intently watch
ing them.
Hayes and Phillips and Detective CahiIl
followed the suspects to Leroy Cartons
jewery store. at 123lI2 Grand avenue. where
they stopped and gazed into the windows.
Each mad on an overcoat and kept his
hands in their side pockets. They stood
close together. chatting and laughing.
When the officers closed in on them, Hayes
stepped between Walby and Hatton. and.
giving the latter the shoulder" separated
them and forced him against the building
At the same time he placed his revolver
against Hatton's stomach and with his left
hand secured the hand in Hatton's right
coat pocket. 1t was clasped around a big
revolver. Hatton also had a revolver in his
left hand pocket, but Hayes was too strong
for him, and by a quick movement on his
part prevented him from using the weapon.
When Hayes had tackled Hatton, Captain
Phillips stepped up behind Walby and
placed a hand in each OF his ovorcoat pock-
cts. This prevented him from using the two
revolvers he was tightly grasping. Cahll
went to Phillips assistance and they soon
disarmcd Walby. taking three revovers
from him. Then they turned their attention
10 Hayes, who was having struggle with
Datton. The cold muZzle OF a revolver
placed against Hatton's ear caused him to
desist and he was quickly disarmed. They
were taken TO Central police station. where
after several days they made confession
TO Chief Speers. They were indicted by the
November grand jury on several charges of
burglary and highway robbery. Hatton
pleaded guilty and was sentenced 10 ten
years In the pententiary. Waby took a
change of venue to Independence on the
ground that he would prove an alibi. When
the Jury had been chosen he suddenly with
drew his plea of not guilty and entered one
OF guilty. He received a sentence of twelve
years.
While i'm Jail here Walby made several at
tempts to escape. He broke the bars in his
cell. by hitting them with bunk rod when
the lever to throw open the jail was used.
The noise OF the lever drowned out the
noise Of Walby's striking the cell bars and
he succeeded in breaking several bars be
fore he was found out and his hands placed
I'm cuffs each day until he was taken away
lie swoTe to XIII every one of Marshal Stew
arts deputies when he was released from
the pcnitontiary.
Walby came to Kansas city from Jeffpr-
son city. where he served a sentence for
burglary and grand larceny. Hatton was
a railroad man i'm St Louis before becoming
a highWayman.