The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-09
A VERY BAD MAN.
William Worth, Who Escaped From
Leavenworth Prison, Had Lurid
Career in Colorado.

From the Denver Post
William Worth, who escaped dramati-
penitentfary at LeavenwOrth, Kan, is be-
HeVed to be heading for Colorado. The
federal officials this morning received a
dispatch from the warden stating his sus-
picions. AS a result the marshal's office,
with the secret service agents, are watch
ing for the criminal
Worth had a dramatic career in Colo
rado-while it lasted. Yes" he said to
an attorney in Judge Hallett's court. Il m
a bad man from Bitter creek and you're
not the only man I'll kill when get OUT
This was braggadOciO, probably, in the
postoffice robber, but he has had record
for desperation that truly merited the four
years he received as his sentence.
He has twice broken jail, the first time
in Colorado and the last on Wednesday
at LeavenwOrth. A sudden meeting among
the prisoners took the guards unprepared.
Fifteen men made a spring on the guards.
overpowered them and escaped: James
shot whistled over Worth's head, but he
disappeared with his companions. Moth
ing later has been heard from Leaven-
worth and from the tone of the warden's
at large. The prisoners in some manner
secured firearms and in the absence of
the military have boldly struck across the
country.
Worth is one of the gang implicated in
the robbery of the Victor, Florence and
the Wells-Fargo express office on win
ter night in 1897. Associated with him
were George Burton, George Bretting ham
and Frank Harley.
Worth was arrested on August q, 1896,
for breaking into the Florence, postoffice.
He was taken to Jail at Pueblo, but es
capped before his hearing. Until he was
rearrested in Colorado Springs on Decem-
Der 30, 1896, he al large and the gov
eminent officials his track heard of
him frequently.
one night in December. 1896. the Wells
Fargo office in Colorado City was held up;
the safe was blown open and rifed. and
the three masked men who accomplished
this deed made their escape. The Mani
bed. and the authorities were convinced
that the express office gang were respon-,
sible for the three crimes. Marshal Israel
placed his deputies on the case, and, aided
by the Ell Paso county officials, began a
hunt for the criminals designed to end in
running them to cover.
After breaking open the express office
across the country to Little Buttes. Trav->
cling on foot was almost impossible, a
could have easily been tracked. At Little
Butte they forced a farmer to haul them
Why, Worth went back to the city where
he had been jailed and was sure to be re.
captured has been a question the federal
guise was imperfect and he was arrested
on suspicion of having been implicated in
the express robbery. The United States
marSh AIS office vas notified and reeogo
taken to Colorado Springs and placed in
United States AUTHORITIES and in order to
get out of the clutches of the state plead
ed guilty to the charge of robbing the
Florence postoffice.
On February 4. 1897. Worth and Burton
were sentenced by Judge HalIett to the
United States penitentiary for a term of
four years
Worth is a dangerous man to be at
large: He has been in the penitentiarY of
Arizona for murder and was pardoned just
before he came to Colorado. The officials
hope to Tecapture him because of his bold
disregard for danger and diSdain of the
law. He will fight when brought to bay,
and the officials are confident that the
number of postofices and stores looted
in Kansas and eastern Colorado will be
materially added to in very short time.