Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-11-15
USED THE SHERIFF
AS A SHIELD
Escaped COnviCts in Kansas Capture
Their Parsuer.
POSSE WERE FINALLY ELUDED.
Ar:-ss Seized by Men Trying to Gain Liberty
Farmer Wooster Wounded Frui.lesS Effort
TO Regain Custody Of Two Prisoners Who
Had Been Confined at Fort Lcavenworth-
Mrs. Wooster Fainted During Excitement

Topeka, Kan, (SpcciaD - Sheriff
Cook and Deputy Sheriff Williams, OF
Shawnee county, were captured at Pau-
line, five miles from Topeka, by two es-
capped convicts from the Fort Leaven-
worth Military Prison and held prison
ers for several hours in the farmhouse
of man named Wooster.
The convicts escaped through line OF
police sent from Topeka to reinforce the
Sheriff. 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
were held before the convictS as 4 shield
to make their escape.
At go o'clock in the afternoon several
farm boys living near Pauline learned
that the convicts were in the nelghbor-
hood. Hastily forming a posse armed
with target rifles, pistols and clubs they
went in search Neither of the convictS
was armed, and they were unable to
make a stand Later Sheriff Cook and
Deputy Williams arrived. Coming upon
the convicts both officers fired, wound
ing the men, but not disabling them. -.
The convictS then fled through 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 Williams
by this time had reached the house and
entered without knowing what had hap
pened inside, and he, too, was made cap
tive by the convictS.
In the meantime Chief Stahl, of To-
peka, and eight policemen 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 convicts to
give up their prisoners and to surrender
themselves, but they only laughed
Farmer Wooster then got gun and was
about to make an attack on the con-
victs when one of them felled him with
d blow from the butt of pistol taken
from one of their captives. The con-
vict broke Wooster's right hand and
made an ugly cash in his head.
One of the convicts told Sheriff COOK
that he would be killed if he made the
slightest move looking toward their cap
ture In the meantime the policemen on
the outside had surrounded the building
but were afraid to make the move lest
Cook and Williams would suffer
Then after exacting promise from
the Sheriff that he would not permit
any of the officers outside to fire on
them they started for the open. AS they
left the house the frightened farmer, his
wife and the submissive Sheriff before
them, the convicts passed between a cor
don of police who easily could have cap
tured them and started for the railroad
track. The Sheriff in turn had exacted
promise from the police that they
would not modest the convicts, and they
did not
After covering a considerable distance
down the track the convicts suddenly
disappeared through hedge fence, bid
ding the officers a hooking farewell.