The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-15
TALK WITH TACKETT
Sheriff Simmons Visits Him
in the Penitentiary
TELLS HOW He ESCAPED
Broke Jail in Oklahoma Since
He Left Here.

Harry Tackett, the leader of the SEN
sationaI ialbreak in this city last Feb
ruary, has told nearly all Of the particu-
lars of that daring and well-Dlanned cpl
sode 20 Sheriff Simmons, who visited him
at the Lansing. penitentiary Friday night.
Mr.. Simmons had taken a prisoner to the
federal prison at Leavenworth and stop
ped to see Tackett on his return home.
It was nearly 10 o'clock when Sheriff
Simmons reached the penitentiary, but
Warden Tomlnson was kind enough to
send for Tackett in order to permit Mr..
simmons to get the interview. The war
Den told Mr.. Simmons to take IA seat with
his back to the door and he would bring
Tackett in and seat him directly in front
of him in order to have the recognition
as sudden as possible and so as to watch
the action Of Tackett. When Jackets
eyes fell on Mr. Simmons he shrugged his
shoulders. smiled slightly and then looked
TO the floor just a moment. Then the two
greeted each other without mentioning
names. after which Mr.. Simmons offered
his hand to Tackett and they immedi-
ately sat down for confidential talk
OF course Tackett could no longer deny
that he was Tacket, although he had
been admitted to the Denitentiary as
Henry Johnson, under which name he
had paraded ever since he left Wichita
Re was arrested in Cleveland county,
Oklahoma for horse stealing early last
summer. had his trial in September and
was sent to the penitenitary for term of
one year and one day, reaching there Oc-
tober ?. Once while in the Cleveland
county iail he and five others broke Jail
and were just in the act Of escaping
in broad daylight when they were detect
ed Tackett said if the attempt had been
made in the night time he would have
been able TO have made his escape. This
is the third time he has been in the
Lansing Denitentiary, once under the
name Of Harry Tackett, once as Henry
Martin and this time as Henry Johnson.
Beginning on the subject of his escape
from the Sedgwick county Jail and his
manner of escape and experience since
then. Tackett told the whole story unre-
mind He said that he resolved upon he
effort to escape one evening when he was
very much discouraged over the chances
for new trial He said that it was not
fixed scheme Of the rotary gang at all,
hut all his own work, until he had gotten
cut Of the rotary himself. He was then
So nearly exhausted from the hard and
uurelendng work of saving the lock and
bolts that he could not do anything more
and he turned the rotary and let all out
who so desired and made them assist in
the work Of further escape. Jacket said
that he was so weak when he had finish
e. saving that he could not begin to bend
one of the small bars. He had made a
wooden pistol and covered it with tin foil
with which he threatened the other pris-
oners and made them do his bidding.
After they alighted from the window all
went their way without a word of con-
sultation lie and Bill Rhodes went to-
gether. They started due west and trav-
eIed all the rest of the night, going by
way Of Cheney, near which place they
stopped at a farm house for something
TO eat Here they turned south and went
by the Jewett stock farm, continuing
south for several miles. They went
through Argonia and there Tackett said
he first saw a notice of the taiIbreak and
the rewards offered for their arrest but
they did not remain very long. for fear
Of arrest. Continuing southwark they
soon entered Oklahoma.
Tackett confirmed the report of his
nearly freezing 20 death, and said that
he and Rhodes thought surely they would
freeze one night. Rhodes was badly
frozen and he had to leave him. thinking
he would die. That was the sixth day
after their escape. and Tackett said he
had never seen Rhodes since. and pre-
tends 10 know nothing of his where
abouts. After he had been left 10 die
by Rhodes the weather moderated and he
was able to make his way TO n little
country town. This was I'm the vic.lity
of Ninita. T. T., though the name Of the
town Sheriff Simmons could not remem-
Der Here while he was bundled up with
rags about his feet and legs. and unable
10 walk he was approached by the town
marshal lie thought his time was M
and that he was 60 be arrested. but the
marshal asked him If he wanted a sob,
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