Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-11-14
TAKEN BY C0NVIC1S.
Tvo Of tho Escaped Prisoners
Capture q Sheriff
THEN GET AWAY IN SIGHT OF POSSE
ghsy Held the Sheriff and Farmers Wife
Before Them ~ Shields While They
Left the House and Marched Down
the Railroad Track.

convicts who escaped from the fed
ersl penitentiary at Fort Leaven-
worth Thursday captured Porter s.
Cook, the sheriff of Shawnee county,
yesterday afternoon and kept him
prisoner in a farmhouse until night
fall. Meanwhile they held posse OF
Topeka policemen, deputy sheriifs
and farmers at bay, and finally made
their escape while the posse looked
on. Before they took the sheriff he
and his deputies shot at them,
wounding each, one in the leg and
the other in the arm. Before the
fugitives made off they sought to get
/ even by shooting the sheriff, but the
run missed fire and Cook lives to tell
the tale.
Il all occurred near Pauline, little
town six miles south Of here on the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe road.
About noon some boys who were
hunting saw two white men skulking
In the timber. They wore citizens
clothes, but the boys knew of the es-
cape OF the convicts from the federal
penitentiary, and judged from the
conduct Of the men that they were
two of the gang. The boys hastened
to town and told the story, and at
once the information was telephoned
to Sheriff Cook in Topeka. After
ward the boys and men Of the town
went to the edge OF the timber and
took few shots at the men, who
were seen in the distance. But their
guns were OF light callber, and from
the long range they shot their bull
lets were wasted. The fugitives had
guns, but they did not return the
fire.
Chief Stahl, Of Topeka, who went
TO the scene OF action late In the aft
ernoon, believes that the convict'
were out of ammunition or they
would have given battle. Afterward
Sheriff Cook supplied this want wher
no and his guns and cartridges fel
into the hands Of the two men.
When Sheriff Cook received thu
message he and Hall Williams, Tho
under sheriff, drove in buggy t.
Pauline. They soon located the con
victs and opened fire upon them
Their guns were of heavy caliber ant
che convicts fed. The officers pur
sued, following them into an orchar'
on the farm of man named Worccs
ter. Beyond the orchard is Worces
ter's house, toward which the mel
were running.
Here Cook lost sight OF them AM
he entered the house to make inquir
of Worcester whom he knows YER
well, but instead OF Worcester, ON
Of the convcts came to the door, an
In n moment Cook was prisoner an
disarmed Cook was taken SO con
pletely by surprise that he made N
resistance and after the convict ha
taken Winchester rife and g
caliber revolver from him he wa
forced to sit on chair while the cor
vict stood over him with the reyolvc
he had captured. Close by Worccste
was seated, guarded by the other cor
Wet. There was little necessity, how
ever, for Worcester to be guarded
for he had been desperately wounded
When the conyicts ran into his hous
he reached for shotgun and one c
the convicts beat him over the hea
with n gun. He was also wounded
the arm and ms condition Is so IN
that surgeon has been sent frol
here to dress his wounds.
The convicts made their escaI
from the house through the lines I
policemen by shielding themselv'
behind the farmers wife and Sheri
Cook, holding pistols to their head
Sheriff Cook ordered the policeme
not to fire. The convicts marchf
down the railroad track and disal
peared into cornfield.