The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-11-11
ONEOEN,T
CAUGHT BY CONVICTS
Kansas Sheriff and Deputy
Held by Escaped Prisoners.
RELIEF FORCE BOLDLY OUTWIT1ED,
Three of the Fort LeavenwOrth Desc
peradOes. Using Their Prisoners
as Shields, Make Their Escape
Between a Gordon Of Police.

TOPEKA. Kan. Nov. 1l.-Shuriff
Cook and Deputy Sheriff Williams Of
this county were captured by two es.
capped convicts from the Fort Leaven.
worth military prison at Pauline. five
miles south OF Topeka. and held prison.
ers in the farmhouse Of a man named
! Wooster for several hours. The con.
victs finally escaped bet ween a line Of
police sent from Topeka to reinforce
the sheriff and are now at large. Both
! were slightly wounded. Wooster was
badly wounded by one of the convicts
when he tried to fire on them. Mrs.
Wooster and Sheriff Cook We're held be-
fore the convicts AS Il shield by the
prisoners In making their escape. 4
posse is In pursuit.
At 2:30 o'clock Yesterday afternoon
some farmer boys near Pauline learned
that the convicts were In the ns.ighbOr.
hood. Hastily forming a posse, armed
with target rifles. pistols and clubs
they gave chase. Neither of the COP.
victs was armed. and they were unable
to make a stand. Later Sheriff Cook
and Deputy Williams arrived. Coming
upon the convtcts. both officers fred,
wounding the men, but not disa bling
them.
The convicts then fed through .
small opening in the timber aud ran in
to the house of Farmer Wooster. Sher
iff Cook telephoned to Topeka for as
sis,anre and then took mp the chase
Thinking the convicts had run around
the house, Cook darted through ths
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 VII.
liams by this time had reached tho
house and entered without knowing
what had happened inside. and he.
too. was made captive by the convicts.
In the meantime Chief Stahl Of To-
roka and eight officers were on their
way. They arrived at the Wooster
house an hour after the officers had
been imprisoned Chief Stahl imlnetii.
ately began negotiations with the con
vcts 10 give up thcir prisoners and to
surrender themselves. hut the con-
victs only laughed. Farmer Wooster
then managed TO get gun and was
about TO make an attack oil the con-
victs when one Of them llld him low
with blow from The butt of Il revolv.
or taken from one of their captives.
The convict broke Woonter's right
hand and made an ugly cash in his
head
One of the convicls told Sheriff Cook
lhnt he would be killed If he made the
slightest move looking toward their
capture. In the meantime the poiics
officers on the ulSide had surrounded
the building bu, We're afraid to make
Il move for fear TINT Cook and VII.
liams would suffer
Mrs Wooster had tainted during the
excitement. She finally revived. and
MT o'clock the convicts placed the
woman and Sheriff Cook I'm front OF
them as shields and made for the door.
Then, after exacting promise from
the sheriff that lie would not permit
any of the officers outside TO fire on
tlIcm. they started for the open,
As they left the house. the fright
encd farmer. his wife and the sub
missivc sheriff before them. the con. -
victs passed between a Gordon OF po-
lice. who easily could have captured
tn ~. and started for the railroad track.
ri sheriff In turn had cxacted n prom.
isr from the police that they would not
modest the convcts. and they did not
After covering considerable dis.
tancr down the track the convicts sud
denly disappeared through hedge
fence, bidding the officers a m0ckIng
farewell One of the police sergeants
later said he could have easily touched
the leading convict with his hand A.
he passed.
The convicts had secured good
start before the officers recovered
from their surprise. Then some of tho
policemen wanted to pursue, but Sher-
itf Cook would not permit it, as he had
promised the convicts immunity from
arrest.