Evening journal., 1901-11-11
BANDIFS HELD
SHERIFF. PRISONER
Kept Him Captive in Kansas
Farmhouse
After ParleViHg COnviciS ESCAPED
Through Police Lines by Holding
CapiiYeS in Front Of Them


military prison yesterday afternoon at
Pauline, FIVE miles south of Topeka,
and held prisoners in the farm house
OF man named Wooster for several
hours. The convicts finally escaped
between line Of police sent from To-
peka to reinforce the sheriff, and are
now at large Both were ahghtly
wounded Wooster was badly wounded
by one Of the convicts when he tried
20 fire on them. Mrs Wooster and
Sheriff Cook we're held before the con-
victs as a shield by the prisoners in
making their escape. A posse is in
pursuit.
AT 2.30 o'clock yesterday afternoon
some farmer boys near Pauline learned
that the convicts We're in the neighbor-
hood. Hastily forming a posse armed
with target rifles. pistols and clubs.
they gave chase Neither of the con-
vcts was armed. and they were unable
to make a stand Later Sheriff Cook
and Deputy Williams arrived. Coming
upon the convicts, both officers fred,
wounding the men, but not disabling
them. The conyicts then fed through
a small opening in the timber and ran
into the house OF farmer Wooster
Sheriff Cook telephoned to Topeka for
assistance. and then took up the chase.
Thinking the convicts had run around
the house, Cook darted through the
open door, intending to surprise them
at the rear door. But instead OF this
the convicts had gone into the house
and the officer almost fell into their
arms Sheriff Cook was ordered to give
up his gun. which he did Deputy Will
liams by this time had reached the
house and entered. without knowing
what had happened inside, and he, too,
was made captive by the convicts.
In the meantime Chief of Police
Stahl of Topeka and eight officers were
on their way. They arrived at the
Wooster house about an hour after the
officers had been imprisoned. Chief
Stahl Immediately began negotiations
with the conyicts to give up their prls-
oners and to surrender themselves, but
the convicts only laughed. Farmer
Wooster then managed to get gun
and was about to make an attack on
the convicts, when one Of them laid
him low from the butt end of re-
volver taken from one OF their cap
tives Tho convict broke Wooster's
right hand and made an ugly cash in
his head.
One OF the convlcts told Sheriff Cook
that he would be killed If he made
the slightest move looking toward their
capture. In the meantime the police
officers on the outside had surrounded
the building but were afraid TO make
a move for fear that Cook and VIII
liams would suffer.
After exacting a promise from the
sheri1 that he would not permit the
officers on the outside TO fire on them.
they started for the open. AS they left
the house, with the frightened farmer,
his wife and the submissive sheriff be-
fore them, the convicts passed between
Gordon OF police, who easily could
have captured them, and started for
the railroad track. The sheriff in turn
had exacted a promise from the police
that they would not molest the con-
victs, and they did not
After covering a considerable dis
tance down the track the conyicts sud-
denly disappeared through a hedge
fence, bidding the officers a mocking
farewell. One of the police sergeants
later said he could have easily touched
the leading convict with his hand as he
passed. The convicts had secured q
good start before the officers had recov.
cred from their surprise Then som,
of the policemen wanted to pursue
but Sheriff Cook would not permit it
as he had promised the convicts i'm
munity from arrest.
What the Sheriff Said.
When Cook reached the farm hous,
the big convict met him at the doc
and commanded him to come in.
Come in here or I'll kill you h
said.
We'll" the sheriff related. "I wen
in. The woman was screaming an,
Wooster was lying on couch nm
conscious. His skull was cracked an,
his right hand was broken. The othe
convict crouched behind the door. hi
gun drawn upon me- Having soarche.
me, the big fellow asked if l was tn
sherif.
I'm looking for the sheriff, h
said; I want to kill him.
under the circumstances" sal
sherin Cook. Il hold him that / wa
only a farmer Then he told me h
would take me along as a shield frog
the men outside. Stahl and his me
had arrived by that time. ana the bi
man told me TO call him into tn
house. He said he wanted more gun
and another shield But Stahl T,
manned where he was Finally I wa
commanded to take Mrs. Wooster
arm. The convicts got behind as. an
in that order we marched 20 the fell
Mrs. Wooster was half faintinE. Sh
tried 70 scream. but I put M IAN
over her mouth They reached "a
hedge the big man snapped his gu
ircecc-ivcly 2. ne. and beth made c