The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-11-15
CAUGHT THE SHERIFF
TABLES TURNED BY TWO OF THE
ESCAPED CONNECTS FROM
LEAVENWORTH.
ARE USED AS HOSTAGES

Officer and a Farmers Wife Act as
a Shield While the Criminals Es.
cape-Pass Through a Gordon OF
Police That Could Easily Capture
Them and Secure a Good Start.
Posse Now in Pursuit.
Topeka, Kan, Nov. 11.-Sheriff
Cook of this county and Deputy Sher,
lift Williams were captured by two es.
capped convicts from the Fort Leaven,
worth military prison at Pauline, five
miles south of Topeka, and held pris.
oners in the farmhouse of man named
Wooster for several hours. The con
victs finally escaped between a line
of police sent from Topeka to rein,
force the sheriff and are now at large
Both were slightly wounded. Wooster
was badly wounded by one of the con,
victs when he tried to fire on them
Mrs. Wooster and Sheriff Cook were
held before the convicts as shield
by the prisoners in making their es-
cape. A posse is in pursuit.
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 Neither
of the convicts were armed and they
were unable to make a stand. Later
Sheriff Cook and Deputy Williams ar
rived. Coming upon the convicts both
officers fired, wounding the men, but
not disabling them.
The convicts then fed through a
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 know
ing what had happened inside, and
he. too, was made captive by the con,
victs.
Chief Stahl of Topeka, with eight
officers, arrived at the Wooster house
about an hour after the officers had
been imprisoned. Chief Stahl imme-
diate1y began negotiations with the
| convicts to give up their prisoners and
to surrender themselves, but the con,
victs 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 cut 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
! capture. In the meantime the police
/ officers on the outside had surrounded
the building, but were afraid to make
| a move for fear that Cook and Will
fans would suffer.
Finally the convicts placed Mrs
| Wooster and Sheriff Cook in front OF
! them as shields and made for the door
! Then, after eXacting a promise from
| the sheriff that he would not permit
any Of the officers outside to fire or
| them, they started for the open. AS
! they left the house, the frightened
! woman and sheriff before them, the
| convicts passed between Gordon OF
police who could have easily captured
them and started for the railroad
! track. The sheriff had in turn exact
ed a promise from the police that they
would not modest the convicts and they
did not.
| After covering a considerable dis
lance down the track the convicts sud
| denly disappeared through hedge
! fence, bidding the officers a knocking
! 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 goo6
start before the officers had recovered
| from their surprise. Then some o.
! the policemen wanted to pursue, bu
Sheriff Cook would not permit it, a:
he had promised the convicts immu
| nifty from arrest. Chief Stahl lief
some of his men on the scene and will
| the others started back to Topeka ant
! took up the chase later on.
The convicts are well armed, having
| taken all the guns in the farmhouse
| including those of the sheriff and hi
| deputy.