The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-11
HAD Been TRACED
TO FARMERS
HOUSE
BY a Slick Ruse They Obtained
Possession Of the Officers
Weapons and Extracted Prom
Use of Immunity from Arrest
BOTH THE CONVICTS
WERE SLIGHTLY WOUNDED
Man in Whose Home They Took
Refuge CIubbed With Butt Of
RevoVer-His Wife FaintS and
is Used in Company With
Sheriff as a Shield

is Used in Company With
Sheriff as a Shield
Topeka, Kan, Nov. 10.-Sheriff Cook
and Deputy Sheriff Williams OF this
county were captured by two escaped
convicts from the Fort Leavenworth
military prison this afternoon at
Pauline, FIVE miles south of Topeka and
held prisoners in the farm house of a
man named Wooster for several hours.
The convicts finally escaped between
line Of police sent from Topeka to
enforce the sheriff, and are now at
| arge. 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
a shield by the prisoners in making
! heir escape A posse is in pursuit to-
night.
| At 2.s0 o'clock this afternoon some
farmer boys near Pauline learned that
the convicts were In the neighborhood.
Hastily forming a posse. armed with
target rifles. pistols and clubs they gave
chase. Neitheg pf the eonvicts was
armed aIs ere unable to make
ia stand. Later Sheriff Cook and
Deputy williams arrived. Coming
upon the convicts both officers fired
wounding the men but not disabling
them.
j fHa
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 convlcts had gone in to 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, Chef 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 immedi-
ately began negotiations with the con-
yicts to give up their prisoners and to
surrender themselves. but the convicts
only laughed.
Farmer Wooster then managed to
get a gun and was about to make an
attack on the convicts when one OF
them laid him low with blow from the
butt of a revolver taken from one OF
their captives. The convict broke
Wooster's right hand and made an ug-
! ly cash in his head. One OF the con-
viets told Sheriff Cook 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
move for fear Cook and Williams
would suffer.
| Mrs Wooster had tainted during the
excitement. She finally revived, and at
| 7 o'clock the convicts placed the woman
i and Sheriff Cook in front of them as
! shields and made for the door.
/ Then, after exacting promise from
the sheriff that he would not permit
any of the officers outside 70 fire on
them they started for the open. As
lthey left the house the frightened
farmer his wife and the submissive
lsheriff before them, the convicts passed
between a Gordon Of police who easily
lcould have captured them. ana started
for the railroad track. The sherln, IN
turn. had exacted a promise from the
police that they would not modest the
lconvicts and they did not
! After covering a considerable dis
ltance down the track the cOnvtcts sud
denly disappeared through hedge
fence. bidding the officers hooking
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 a good start
before the officers had recovered from
| their surprise. Then some Of the po-
ilicemen wanted to pursue, but Shertn
| Cook would not permit it. as he had
promised the eonvicts immunity from
arrest.
chief stahl left some Of his men on
THE scene and with the others started
back to Topeka TO take up the chase
later on.
From Topeka a posse started out and
Chief Stahl expressed the opinion to-
night that he would land the men be-
fore morning. The convicts are well
armed and have taken all the guns in
the farm house. including those OF the
sheriff and his deputy. They are both
white men, but their identity was not
learned.