The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-08


from the federal prison in charge of so
armed guards were at work When the
trouble began, the rebellious prisoners
had only two revolvers. These revol-
vers had ben secreted in one of the
walls of the building by some unknown
person There are two walls partly
completed and the rest of the site of the
building is surrounded by high wood
en- stockade.
Gus Parker, of Ardmore, l. t., one
of the ringleaders Of the mutiny, under
pretense of a necessity walked to the
corner of the stockade, where the re-
VolverS We're concealed, and under cover
of some weeds secured them without
being detected. He returned to the
gang, and passed one of the revolvers
to Frank Thompson, negro from
South McAllister T. T., who secreted
1t about his person. When Il. E.
Kinds, superintendent of construction
and three unarmed guards prepared 10
round up the men at the end of the
days work, the two armed convictS
covered them with the revolverS and,
encouraged by the other mutinous con-
victs, forced the men to walk before
them toward the northwest corner of
the stockade where they expected to
make a rush through an opening.
The outside of the stockade was
guarded by armed men, and when the
convictS appeared al the opening they
were met by c. E. Burrows a guard
who fought them back but who receiv-
ed two shots in the neck The convicts
then rushed over to the south wall TO
another opening and were met by Ar
thur Trelford, an armed guard, who is
in charge of all the convicts
TrelfOrd resisted the convictS and was
shot twice but not dangerously wound
ed. Defeated in their attempt to escape
at this point, the men rushed to the
guard house, a temporary frame struc-
ture where the arms are kept The
guards from the outside rushed in at
this point and drove the convictS away
from the guard house ]. P. Waldrupe,
a guard. shot and killed Ford Quinn,
from Ryan, /. t. The prisoners then
made a grand rush for the main en-
trance and twenty-six of them succeed
ed in escaping. Most of the escaped men
are from the Indian Territory. Closely
followed by the guards the men ran to
a nearby forest and succeeded in evad-
direction of EaSton, Kan, and it is re-
ported here that they have held up
many farmers, taking horses and clothes
en- route.
Major r. w. McClaughry. warden of
the penitentiary, was in Kansas City at
the time of the outbreak, making ar
rangement for the congress of prison
wardens to be held there next week
The convicts in their flight compelled
F. E. Kinds, superintendent of con-
struction to go with them and he was
not allowed to return until they had
gone almost two miles. w. F. Peaslee,
one of the fugitives who has but fifteen
months more to serve, deserted the
band a few moments after Superintend-
ent Kinds was released. The two men
reached here almost at the same time.
They reported that the fugitives after
holding a consultation decided that they
would form themselves into several
small parties, so that some might escape
though others should be captured. 1t is
the intention of all of them to attempt
to reach the rough country southeast of
here.
Twenty-fcz,r members of the Fourth
cavalry hastened to the scene of the
trouble, but when they arrived the con-
victs had escaped and the soldiers could
not participate in the chase without or
ders from their superiors
Forty armed guards from the federal
prison are in pursuit of the fugitives.
The wounded men are in the prison
hospital J. B. Waldrupe was shot in
the neck, and is in precarious con-
dition-
G. A Burrows was shot twice in the
neck, receiving serious wounds.
Arthur Trelford was shot in the leg,
but his wound is slight.
Andrew Leonard, a guard. is in the
hospital with broken leg. He was
through the main entrance of the
Stockade.
One of the fugitives, named Otter,
was shot. but he was able to go with
the others, and the extent of his in
juries is unknown.
The course that the fugitives have
taken is indicated by the localities in
which they have committed depreda-
tions- Many of their robberies are be-
ing reported here. S. A Dawson, a
farmer ten miles southwest of here,
was robbed of a horse and some cloth
ing. Three of his employees were robbed
of their coats and hats c. T. Ferguson,
a mail carrier, was robbed of his horse
and cart
WHERE THE TROUBLE OCCURRED
The new federal prison, where the
trouble occurred, is situated west and
a little north of Leavenworth near the
south line of the governments reServa-
ton. 1t is about two miles from the
old prison, which is still in use. About
450 convicts are worked at the new
penitentiary site putting up walls,
building cell houses and performing
other labor in connection with the con-
Struction of the prison Every night
these prisoners are marched back to the
old prison, near the fort, and in the
morning they are taken to the new site
for a days labor there. The peniten-
tiary now in course of erection is in
closed on two sides with stone walls
and on the other two with high board
fences which are to be replaced with
masonry. On top of the board fences
are lines of barbed wire and at intervals
around the enclosure, which is called
stockade, are little houses, or boxes
Continued on the Seventh Page-)